Rady Faculty celebrates National Indigenous Peoples’ Day
The Rady Faculty of Health Sciences will honour National Indigenous Peoples’ Day on Tuesday, June 21, with morning and noon-hour celebrations on Bannatyne campus.
The day begins with the lighting of a sacred fire at 7:00 a.m. and pipe ceremony led by Elder Margaret Lavallee in the Mashkiki Gitigaan – Medicine Garden (weather permitting.)
The formal morning ceremony will begin at 10:30 a.m. in Mashkiki Gitigaan (weather permitting or indoors in Brodie Centre Atrium, 727 McDermot Ave.) and will include an honour song by Dr. Lisa Monkman and welcome remarks by Dr. Marcia Anderson, vice-dean, Indigenous health, social justice and anti-racism, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences and Melanie MacKinnon, head, Ongomiizwin –Indigenous Institute of Health and Healing, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences.
The ceremony will then move indoors (or continue) in Brodie Atrium and will begin with a special announcement at 12:00 noon by Rady Faculty of Health Sciences dean Dr. Brian Postl honouring Elder Margaret Lavallee.
Lavallee is a survivor of the residential school system and respected Elder in Residence at Ongomiizwin –Indigenous Institute of Health and Healing. Last month she received an honorary Doctor of Laws degree from UM.
This will be followed by lunch and performances by Zeann Manernaluk, Maureen Ann Ayaruak, Jade Turner and Tasha Spillett-Sumner.
The full schedule of events are available here.