National Aboriginal Day, 1st Day of Summer

1st day of Summer; longest day of the year- the direction of youth and much activity: June 21st, recognized as National Aboriginal Day

During my time as Director, I looked at ways our school could utilize this national day to re-learn and to share ‘story’ during a potluck or other forms of gathering. I do recognize there are a lot of activities throughout our city and in different places across the country who recognize today in their own ways.

I am offering our students; staff; sessional instructors and faculty a half day off work today – if you can; please take time to review the histories of the territory of which the University sits on; review the histories of the places where you were raised or where you work. In the spirit of decolonizing and/or indigenizing our SW program, from my perspective it is about re-learning our histories; re-telling and re-learning our cultural knowledges and importantly – sharing knowledges.

We are working to decolonize and indigenize our school, faculty and university. I also know we are situated in an institute that comes with dominant ways of being.  So, my message is “how do we weave/braid knowledges that will enhance Indigenous knowledges in our school”?

Have a great day everyone!

In Spirit,

Kundoqk, Jacquie Green