(l-r) Wayne Mason Jr., Mark Hall, Victoria Dearborn, Wayne Mason, Martina Fisher, Stephan Pflugmacher Lima and Emmelia Stainton with a star blanket after the traditional Indigenous naming and pipe ceremony.
Ceremony marks Reconciliation journey in the Clayton H. Riddell Faculty of Environment, Earth, and Resources
May 2 was a special day for the Clayton H. Riddell Faculty of Environment, Earth, and Resources.
The faculty hosted a traditional Indigenous naming and pipe ceremony to commemorate two new initiatives the Riddell Faculty is pursuing as part of its commitment to Reconciliation with Indigenous communities.
The ceremonies, a traditional naming and blessing of the Indigenous Focus Group on Reconciliation as well as the Environmental Education Curriculum initiative were led by Cree Knowledge Keeper Wayne Mason Sr. and Dakota Sioux Knowledge Keeper Mark Hall, Director and Board Member of Wa-Say Healing Centre. The ceremonies were capped off with a feast to celebrate the initiative.
The Indigenous Focus Group is a new initiative that will consist of Indigenous Leaders, Elders, Knowledge keepers, Indigenous community members, as well as staff and students of the Clayton H. Riddell Faculty of Environment, Earth, and Resources, says Victoria Dearborn, the Indigenous Project Coordinator in the faculty.