Indigenous Awareness Month

• Date: March 1, 2024
• Time: 2pm
• Access: In Person
• Location: Iniikokaan Centre, Gathering Room (2^nd floor main campus, South)
• Description: Join the Iniikokaan Centre and Tsa'piinaki, Dr. Gabrielle E. Weasel Head (aka Lindstrom) for this keynote presentation on Centering Learning relationships using a Treaty Education Model!
• Special Guests: Dr. Gabrielle WeaselHead
  • Dr. Gabrielle E. Weasel Head (aka Lindstrom), Tsa'piinaki is a member of the Kainai Nation, Blackfoot Confederacy. An Assistant Professor in Indigenous Studies with Mount Royal University, her teaching background includes instructing on topics around First Nation, Métis, and Inuit history and current issues, Indigenous Studies (Canadian and International perspectives), Indigenous cross-cultural approaches, and Indigenous research methods and ethics. Her dissertation research focused on the interplay between trauma and resilience in the postsecondary experiences of Indigenous adult learners. Other research interests include meaningful assessment in higher education, Indigenous homelessness, intercultural parallels in teaching and learning research, Indigenous lived experience of resilience, Indigenous community-based research, parenting assessment tools reform in child welfare, anti-colonial theory, and anti-racist pedagogy.
• Protocol: N/A
• Audience: Open to all BVC Community
• Notes:

• Date: March 5^th, 2024
• Time: 12pm - 1pm
• Access: In Person
• Location: Iniikokaan Centre, Gathering Room (2^nd floor main campus, South)
• Description: Join the Iniikokaan Centre for an Indigenous Women's culturally appropriate, peer support network for Women identifying Indigenous Learners who are attending Bow Valley College. Support will be provided with a Matriarch Knowledge Keeper facilitating the circle.
• Special Guests: Elder Charlotte McLeod
• Protocol: N/A
• Audience: Female identifying Indigenous students of Bow Valley College
• Notes:

• Date: March 5^th, 2024
• Time: 1pm - 3pm
• Access: In Person
• Location: Iniikokaan Centre, Gathering Room (2^nd floor main campus, South)
• Description: Join the Iniikokaan Centre and Metis Facilitator, Kalyn Kodiak on a teaching on beading and an introduction to beading. Kalyn Kodiak is a Metis Herbalist & knowledge keeper from the Metis Nation of Alberta, and owner of Kodiak Herbal Metis Culture in Calgary. As an expert on traditional plant medicine & food systems, an aapikayahk sayncheur flayshii (Metis sash weaver), and Guide with the Interpretive Guides Association, Kalyn helps communities, families and individuals build meaningful relationships with the earth.
• Special Guests:Kayln Kodiak
• Protocol:
• Audience: Open to all BVC Community
• Notes:

• Date: March 7^th, 2024
• Time: 10am - 12pm
• Access: In Person
• Location: Iniikokaan Centre, Gathering Room (2^nd floor main campus, South)
• Description: Join the Iniikokaan Centre and Kokum Marie Schoenthal on a teaching of the Metis Language Michif. Marie Schoenthal is a Heritage Michif Language Keeper who continues to share her experiences and her culture. Marie’s native language, referred to as the Classic Michif, derives from the Cree and French languages and is mostly spoken by Métis people. Join us for teachings on the Michief Language and learn about the experiences of the Metis peoples.
• Special Guests:Kokum Maire Schoenthal
• Protocol: N/A
• Audience: Open to all BVC Community
• Notes:

• Date: March 8^th, 2024
• Time: 10am - 12pm
• Access: In Person and online
• Location: Iniikokaan Centre, Gathering Room (2^nd floor main campus, South)
• Description: As we navigate what reconciliation looks like moving forward, take some time to join us for our Indigenous Women Leaders Panel on March 8, to coincide with International Women's Day. Join us to learn about how these women paved their career paths, the challenges they faced, how reconciliation impacts their work, and come celebrate their accomplishments with us!
• Special Guests:
  • Christy Morgan (TELUS)
  • Lorelei Higgins (Mrs. Unity World Canada 2024)
  • Loretta Tuttauk (Loretta’s Wellness Circle)
  • Michellaine Sleigh (Trendz Beauty)
  • Nicole Robertson (Muskwa Productions)
• Protocol:
• Audience: Open to all BVC Community
• Notes:
• Registration link: Indigenous Women Leaders Panel

• Date: March 12, 2024
• Time: 9am - 11am
• Access: In Person
• Location: Iniikokaan Centre, Gathering Room (2^nd floor main campus, South)
• Description: Join the Iniikokaan Centre and the Tsuut’ina Police Services for a presentation about their place in the community and possible careers in public safety. This presentation will also speak upon the policing side of the Tsuut’ina Policing service, policing on an indigenous nation and how that differs from policing elsewhere. Participants will also have the change to learn about the path to becoming a police officer and careers in policing.
• Special Guests: Maea Crowchild - Manager of Strategic Services (Tsuut’ina Police Services) & Mena Nighttraveller - Executive Administrative Assistant (Tsuut’ina Police Services), Tsuut’ina Police Officers
• Protocol: N/A
• Audience: Open to all BVC Community
• Notes:

• Date: March 12, 2024
• Time: 12pm - 2pm
• Access: In Person
• Location: Iniikokaan Centre, Gathering Room (2^nd floor main campus, South)
• Description: Presentation and introduction to the new Indigenous Student Alliance! The Indigenous Student Alliance will be sharing their new roles, ideas, interests, and mission statement with the college community. Join us for the meet and greet!
  
  
• Special Guests: Indigenous Student Alliance
• Protocol: N/A
• Audience: Open to all BVC Community
• Notes:

• Date: March 13, 2024
• Time: 2pm - 4pm
• Access: In Person
• Location: Iniikokaan Centre, Gathering Room (2^nd floor main campus, South)
• Description: Join the Iniikokaan Centre and Clarence “Skip” Wolfleg Jr. On a session on the teachings of the drum and to learn about the role of culture in singing and drumming.
• Special Guests: Clarence “Skip” Wolfleg Jr.
• Protocol: N/A
• Audience: Open to all BVC Community
• Notes:

• Date: March 14, 2024
• Time: 10:30am – 12:15pm
• Access: In Person
• Location: Iniikokaan Centre, Gathering Room (2^nd floor main campus, South)
• Description:
• Special Guests: Bow Valley College Instructor, Miriam Perry
• Protocol: N/A
• Audience: Open to all BVC Community
• Notes: 10 seats available for

• Date: March 15, 2024
• Time: 11am - 12pm
• Access: In Person
• Location: Iniikokaan Centre, Gathering Room (2^nd floor main campus, South)
• Description:
  • "My name is Christina Fox. My traditional Blackfoot name is Iitsisaanoowa which is translated to "Vision Beyond". I am a proud Grandmother, Great Grandmother and Elder from the Blood Tribe who teaches at Children of St. Martha School in Lethbridge, Alberta. I am honored to have written My Suitcase: Nii Sookayis. It is my story of my beautiful grandparents, my Blackfoot values and my beloved suitcase that was taken at residential school. My grandparents taught me so many important lessons when I was a girl.
  • They taught me miinoomattskoohsit (don't give up) and aksimoyiihkan (pray) which are two values that brought me to where I am today and led me to sending this project to you. I believe that there is a "who" and a "what" within all of us. The "what" is in our heads and the "who" is in our hearts. Let me tell you about who I am... I am a self taught singer, writer and musician whose heart and spirit are fueled by music. I believe that every person is a gift to this world and that every day is a gift of life. I am a teacher and a leader in my community who believes in sharing her gifts and talents with the world. I listen to my heart and I am passionate about keeping our circle strong and never leaving anyone out. I believe in courage, being kind to ourselves and one another and that our beautiful, traditional values will bless us all.
  • The book begins with my first memory of residential schools, the door slamming and taking me by surprise. My family was gone and I was left alone with nothing but the suitcase my grandmother so lovingly packed with a traditional red dress she had sewn for me, a pair of moccasins, a hairbrush and a doll that was meant to comfort me. Within minutes, my case was taken never to be seen again. I waited years for my name to be called so that I could return home. But when I did, I was never the same again. "My Suitcase: Nii Sookayis" is a story of triumph and celebration in how far I have come with my healing. It reminds the reader to take the values and lessons that mean the most to them everywhere they go and to always share their gifts with the world because there is no one quite like them."
• Special Guests: Christina Fox
• Protocol:
• Audience: Open to all BVC Community
• Notes:

• Date: March 19, 2024
• Time: 1pm - 3pm
• Access: In Person
• Location: Iniikokaan Centre, Gathering Room (2^nd floor main campus, South)
• Description: Handgames are a culturally based competition that have been played for centuries by Indigenous Peoples across North America. Two teams of five players sit across from each other in a line. While traditional drumming and music is played, one team works to hide objects in their hands, passing them between team members while the opposing team has to guess where the objects are hidden.
• Special Guests: Russ Baker
  • Russ Baker has worked in Indigenous communities, with youth and family, on and off reserve for over 20 years. Russ has an educational background in Indigenous Child and Youth Care Counselling from Douglas College, which he draws on along with other healing and wellness practices both traditional and western. Russ worked closely with families in Hull Services' Braiding the Sweetgrass Program. He helped parents, young adults and children address intergeneration trauma while connecting back to land, ceremony, culture, games and traditions, showing that positive change can happen with positive supports, behaviours and repetition. Russ has travelled around the world for dance and rugby and has seen the importance of knowing one's cultures and teachings: each culture holds gifts that need to be shared.
    
    
• Protocol:
• Audience: Open to all BVC Community
• Notes:

• Date: March 20, 2024
• Time: TBD
• Access: In Person
• Location: Iniikokaan Centre, Gathering Room (2^nd floor main campus, South)
• Description: “Cut Knife Creek is a traditional Tsúut’ínà story, narrated from Tsúut’ínà speakers, and told through the art of animation. However, this film is not just a film - this project's intention is to create a teaching tool so that Tsúut’ínà language can be studied and shared in the classroom.
• Created by Making Treaty 7, Quick Draw Animation Society and the Tsuut’ina Gunaha organization. It was shown at the Giraffest Animation Festival here in Calgary in November a part of their “Northern Blend” screening: https://www.giraffest.ca/northern-blend”
• Special Guests:
• Protocol:
• Audience: Open to all BVC Community
• Notes:

• Date: March 25, 2024
• Time: 9am
• Access: In Person
• Location: Iniikokaan Centre, Gathering Room (2^nd floor main campus, South)
• Description: Elder Alice Kaquitts will share Monday’s breakfast & smudge with BVC students and Iniikokaan staff
• Special Guests: Elder Alice Kaquitts
• Protocol: Elder will be gifted with tobacco for smudge & prayer
• Audience: Open to all BVC Community
• Notes:

• Date: March 26, 2024
• Time: 12pm – 1:30pm
• Access: In Person (Drop In)
• Location: Iniikokaan Centre, Gathering Room (2^nd floor main campus, South)
• Description: Join the Iniikokaan Centre for an Indigenous Women's culturally appropriate, peer support network for Women identifying Indigenous Learners who are attending Bow Valley College for an event on how to bead your own Red Dress Earrings
• Special Guests:
• Protocol:
• Audience: Female identifying Indigenous students of Bow Valley College
• Notes:All materials and supplies provided by the Iniikokaan Centre

• Date: March 28, 2024
• Time: 2pm – 3pm
• Access: In Person and online
• Location: Iniikokaan Centre, Gathering Room (2^nd floor main campus, South)
• Description: Join the Iniikokaan Centre for this closing ceremony of Indigenous Awareness Month to learn about our actions at the college and updates on our community engagements.
• Special Guests:
• Protocol:
• Audience: Open to all BVC Community
• Notes:

Hosted by Jaime Fiddler

Incorporating Indigenous perspectives and practices into your teaching can be a challenge. Maybe you have wondered - what is the best starting place? How can I move forward in the right way? Especially if I feel I don’t have a strong background knowledge? 

In this asynchronous professional learning opportunity, you will be guided towards identifying your own starting place with Indigenous Education. There will also be an opportunity for you to share your reflections and questions, to engage in dialogue and receive some individualized feedback. Each of us has a unique way to contribute to reconciliation, and this reflective session will invite you to begin to explore your own path forward in this work.

Once you register, you will receive everything you need to begin your learning at a time and place that is best for you. The activities will take 1.5 – 3 hours to complete. This session will be open from March 1 until April 30, 2024. Those who complete all components of the session (including engaging in dialogue and feedback) will have their attendance registered in Agresso, and will receive credit towards the Ignite Faculty Development program. 

You can register in Agresso or by emailing Jaime Fiddler.

March 21, 9:00 a.m. – 10:20 a.m., online

Hosted by Darmody Mumford & Jaime Fiddler

In this online session, we will engage with a seasonal story to experience Indigenous ways of knowing, being, and doing. Our reflection on the story will include ways in which learning is embedded in storytelling. We will also consider ways to weave stories into our teaching practice.

You can register in Agresso or by emailing Jaime Fiddler.

March 27, 10:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m., online

Hosted by Jaime Fiddler

This session will offer an introductory exploration of what a decolonized course at Bow Valley College looks like. The guidelines shared will be those being integrated in BVC’s course and program quality standards.

• Date: All Month Long
• Access: Hybrid: In-person and online access
• Location: Bow Valley College Library
• Description: View the Bow Valley College Indigenous Books Display at the Library all month long. Interested in learning more about Indigenous history, community, and teachings. Check out the Indigenous Literature guide created by the Bow Valley College Library. This guide contains links to physical and digital books that collect examples of Indigenous short stories, poetry, articles, and art from across North America.
• Link: Click HERE to access the online collection

Bow Valley College aims to uphold the intention of the numbered friendship treaties from the perspective of Indigenous Peoples.

Acknowledgement of Land | Bow Valley College

The Iniikokaan Centre is a cultural hub for Indigenous-related student supports. Serving over 400 self-identified students of Canadian Indigenous ancestry, and housed within the Indigenous Relations & Reconciliation unit, Iniikokaan presented “A Year in Review” for our community both internally and externally. This presentation included our past and current projects, an introduction to the Iniikokaan Team, student stories, and more. Thank you to everyone who has joined us, celebrated, and elevated our community here at the Iniikokaan Centre.

Watch the recorded meeting here: Available on April 3, 2024