STUDENT LIFE 33 32 STUDENT LIFE Metis Cultural Day A day to honour the culture and language of the Metis people and also celebrate the life of hero Louis Riel festivities include Metis fiddle music jigging traditional foods and fingerweaving demonstrations Nakiiwin T ek Each Winter the ISA office hosts a career information fair that connects Indigenous students with potential employers from various organizations across Ontario Students and employers network to find summer jobs and postgrad employment Red Dr ess Campaign Taking place annually on Feb 14th the Red Dress Campaign inspired by The REDress Project by Metis artist Jaime Black creates awareness for missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls across Canada Moose Hide Campaign Following the Red Dress Campaign the Moose Hide Campaign strives to create awareness about how to end violence against Indigenous women and girls through teachings and ceremony Cer emony cultural teachings and workshops ISAs niikaansidook program provides opportunities for Indigenous students to engage and practice their culture whether it be weekly drumming and beading socials full moon ceremonies sewing workshops feasts and giveaways as well as cultural teachings shared by different Elders and Knowledge Keepers This program supports a culturally safe space for our students during their postsecondary journey Academic workshops and mental health awar eness The ISA team provides various academic workshops through the Indigenous Learning Strategist to keep Indigenous students on top of their game during their time at Laurentian Workshops include topics such as Time Management Essay Writing and Formatting and Exam Preparation Additionally supporting the mental health of Indigenous students remains a top priority through our Indigenous Student Counsellor and collaborations surrounding Bell Lets Talk Day and Mental Health Awareness Week Celebrating Anishinaabe cultur e and sharing traditions and knowledge ar e part of everyday life on campus thanks to the dedication and ef forts of many gr oups Indigenous Student Af fairs Indigenous Studies Department School of Indigenous Relations Laur entian University Native Education Council Supporting Aboriginal Graduate Education Gr oup SAGE Maamwizing Indigenous Resear ch Institute Indigenous Students Cir cle Indigenous Social W ork Students Council T raditional Anishinaabe Elders and Knowledge Carriers Our campus is gr eatly enriched by an active and engaged Indigenous community and the shar edlear ning appr oach of our Indigenous Student Af fairs of fce Ongoing engagement opportunities offered or hosted through the ISAs niikaansidook program include traditional ceremonies language offerings storytelling celebrations cultural workshops lecture series student project fairs among many others The ISA acknowledges that a sense of community and belonging are foundational in student success The niikaansidook program can connect you with Elders and Knowledge Carriers who contribute greatly to the mno biimaadziwin of the community Biidaabin Fall and Winter at the start of the semester the ISA staff welcomes both firstyear and returning Indigenous students with a traditional feast a service fair as well as engaging orientation activities Biidaabin is an opportunity for Indigenous students to be introduced to the academic and cultural supports available to them and to the new Indigenous Sharing and Learning Centre their new home away from home Orange Shirt Day The annual Orange Shirt Day Every Child Matters Campaign aims to create awareness surrounding the experiences of children in Residential Schools and how each of their lives matter SEPT JAN OCT MARCH OCT JUNE SEPT ALL YEAR ALL YEAR NOV FEB FEB JAN 250 activities workshops events annually 50 Indigenous faculty and staf f 100 enriched courses with 50 or mor e Indigenous content Immerse Y ourself in Anishinaabe Cultur e Our natural setting on the traditional lands of the Atikameksheng Anishnawbek is the ideal envir onment to lear n study and enjoy a balanced lifestyle r ooted in Anishinaabe cultur e values and traditions 3 A spectacular multipurpose r oundr oom 3 Spacious study spaces 3 Private r ooms for counselling and consulting with Elder and Knowledge Carriers The I S L C is a peaceful retreat for students se page 72 Located at the heart of the campus in the Indigenous Sharing and Lear ning Centr e ISLC students can engage with the ISA team and peers and enjoy Indigenous Student Circle An SGA team of dedicated student advocates and social animators The Indigenous Student Af fairs team pr ovides a supportive lear ning envir onment and positive postsecondary experience for students of First Nations Metis and Inuit ancestry The friendly accessible and knowledgeable team offers Academic Support Counselling Cultural and Social Pr ogramming Access to Elders Advocacy ISLC AllNighter Raising awareness for the importance of selfcare for Indigenous students in postsecondary studies the campaign aims to connect with students through cultural teachings and thus put an end to stigma surrounding mental health Participants engage in selfcare activities such as vision board making journaling collaborative art beading journaling games sharing circles cultural activities and much more Indigenous Student Celebration A time to celebrate the Indigenous Student Celebration honours each individual students final achievement graduation Family friends staff and faculty are invited and visit together over a traditional Indigenous feast As a Laurentian student participation is easy and one of the best ways to create a wide network of friends Some of the favourite ISA events and activities include Experience Lear n Shar e