Kwe — Pjila’si — Welcome
We would like to acknowledge that we are located within the territory of Mi’kma’ki, the unceded, ancestral territory of the Mi’kmaq.
Our relationship and our privilege to live on this territory was agreed upon in the Peace and Friendship Treaties of 1752.
Because of this treaty relationship it is to be acknowledged that we are all Treaty people and have a responsibility to respect this territory.
Are you an Indigenous student thinking of attending ÀÏ°ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê?
Visit our Indigenous students admissions page!
Indigenous Affairs
ÀÏ°ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê seeks to:
- Reach out to Indigenous students and assist with accessing university
- Support Indigenous students throughout their time at ÀÏ°ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê
- Indigenize the curriculum
- Engage non-Indigenous students and community members, helping them understand the history and culture of First Nations students
The Indigenous Student Advisor provides support to Indigenous students throughout their academic journey.
The Indigenous Student Advisor also plays a crucial role in advancing the University’s Indigenous education principles, in line with Truth and Reconciliation Commission directives.
They collaborate with Indigenous students, community members, and campus stakeholders to develop and implement programs supporting Indigenous students while engaging non-Indigenous peers.
Contact: indigenous@mta.ca
Ceremony, events, and activities
Indigenous ceremony, events, and activities on campus include the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, the annual Powwow, and Sweat Lodge ceremonies. Other events recognized on campus annually include Treaty Day, National Indigenous Peoples Day, and more.
Indigenous spaces on campus
Mawita’mkw, an Indigenous gathering space, is located at the Wallace McCain Student Centre. Other Indigenous spaces on campus include the Indigenous Gardens and the University Sweat Lodge and teepee.
For Indigenous students
Programs and services are available to support Indigenous students, including the Indigenous Student Support Group (ISSG) and the Indigenous Mentorship Program.
"Choosing ÀÏ°ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê as my university has been the best decision I've ever made. Mount A focuses on celebrating Indigenous students and providing us with support and many opportunities."
— Raven Elwell ('20), Millbrook First Nation
Truth and Reconciliation
The report of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission in 2015 was a call to action for all Canadians and organizations to collectively acknowledge the historical treatment of Indigenous populations.
In 2016-17 ÀÏ°ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê initiated a range of activities and events under the overarching theme of the Year of Indigenous Knowing.
In 2017-18 we will build on the previous year’s formative steps during our Year of Indigenous Action.
In 2021, ÀÏ°ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê marked the first National Day of Truth and Reconciliation with a Week of Reflection, including a number of organized initiatives, activities, and learning opportunities in partnership with local Indigenous communities and Elders.
Year of Indigenous Knowing 2016-17
In 2016-17, ÀÏ°ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê celebrated the Year of Indigenous Knowing.
Activities and events were focused on three areas, consistent with :
- Incorporating Indigenous learning and ways of knowing into the curriculum
- Expanding opportunities and supports for Indigenous students
- Creating learning opportunities for non-Indigenous students and the community at large
NEW OPPORTUNITIES AND SUPPORTS FOR INDIGENOUS STUDENTS
Indigenous affairs co-ordinator
Doreen Richard (’96) joined ÀÏ°ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê in 2015-16 to serve as the University’s first Indigenous affairs co-ordinator.
Chris Metallic Prize in Indigenous Leadership
Named in honour of former ÀÏ°ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê student Chris Metallic, this prize was established to encourage and recognize students who have exhibited leadership in the indigenization of the ÀÏ°ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê campus.
INDIGENIZATION OF THE CURRICULUM
Introduction to Indigenous Studies course
Launched in the fall 2016 term, the course introduced key topics in Indigenous history, culture, and social, political, and environmental concerns.
Indigenous Literature Community Reading
All first-year residence students received a free copy of Three Day Road by author Joseph Boyden. Students had the opportunity to discuss the book with the author and other members of the ÀÏ°ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê community.
Indigenous Studies — Program Advisory Group
The group's goal was to help guide the exploration of how Indigenous learning could be integrated into existing ÀÏ°ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê course offerings.
COMMUNITY INITIATIVES
Indigenous Gathering Space – Mawita’mkw (a place where we can gather)
Opened in September 2016 in the Wallace McCain Student Centre (Room 130) to serve as a learning and gathering space for Indigenous students and community members.
Elder-in-Residence
Elder Gilbert Sewell, from Pabineau First Nation in New Brunswick, became ÀÏ°ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê’s first Elder-in-Residence.
President’s Speakers Series
The President's Speakers Series brought four noted guests to campus, each covering a different aspect of the Indigenous experience, including writers Lee Maracle and Joseph Boyden, as well as professor Marie Battiste and Francyne Joe, Interim President of the Native Women's Association of Canada.
Events during the Year of Indigenous Knowing 2016-17
- Sept. 1 — University commencement address by Graydon Nicholas (LLD ’10), former lieutenant-governor of New Brunswick, attorney, judge, and politician
- Sept. 15 — Canada Council Reading by Anishnaabe poet Armand Garnet Ruffo
- Sept. 16 — Canada Council Reading by Lee Maracle, Sto:lo poet, novelist, and essayist, part of the President’s Speakers Series
- Sept. 29 — Official opening of new Indigenous Gathering Space, Mawita’mkw, and Treaty Day flag raising
- Oct. 3 — President’s Speakers Series, reading by Anishnaabe novelist Joseph Boyden, author of Three Day Road and The Orenda
- Oct. 6 — Talk with Métis curator, artist, and writer David Garneau
- Oct. 11 — There are No Closets in Tipis, lecture by Jack Saddleback, University of Saskatchewan Student Union President
- Oct. 19 — Reading by Rebecca Thomas, Mi’kmaq Spoken Word Artist and Halifax Poet Laureate
- Oct. 21 — pihtonikewin — a presentation by artists Breanna Little, Niki Little, and Becca Taylor
- Oct. 24 — President’s Speakers Series, Decolonizing education in the path of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission by Dr. Marie Battiste, University of Saskatchewan
- Nov. 22 — Empowerment, Resilience, and Success with Waneek Horn-Miller, a Mohawk from the Kahnawake Mohawk Territory near Montreal, who was behind the lines during the Oka crisis in 1990
- Jan. 24 — President's Speakers Series, Francyne Joe, Interim President of the Native Women's Association of Canada
- Feb. 15 — Savvy Simon, Mi'kmaq language advocate and member of the Elsipogtog First Nation
- May 2-3 — Indigenous Day of Action and Reflection — a one-day workshop on indigenization at ÀÏ°ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê, featuring guest speakers, panels, and an interactive session on indigenizing and decolonizing the curriculum
Year of Indigenous Action 2017-18
In 2017-18, ÀÏ°ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê celebrated the Year of Indigenous Action.
OPPORTUNITIES AND SUPPORTS FOR INDIGENOUS STUDENTS
Indigenous affairs
Emma Hassencahl-Perley serves as the University’s Indigenous affairs co-ordinator.
Recruitment
ÀÏ°ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê continued to i