ohpahotân | oohpaahotaan symposium unites USask leaders’ calls for lasting change

Elder Roland Duquette began the day in a good way, gifting everyone a story, offering insight and encouragement into the day ahead. Everyone in attendance also took time to honour and acknowledge the Honourable Justice Murray Sinclair and Knowledge Keeper Gilbert Kewistep, marking their passing and the impact felt throughout the province and the country.

With more than 250 people in attendance at the symposium on Indigenous Veterans Day, it was made evident that staff, faculty and students are engaged with the work that the Office of the Vice-Provost, Indigenous Engagement (OVPIE) has been doing as they come together with colleges, schools and units to implement ohpahotân | oohpaahotaan: The Indigenous Strategy.

The enthusiasm and commitment of the attendees did not go unnoticed.

“I continue to be blown away by the level of engagement we get with this event,” said Dr. Angela Jaime (PhD), vice-provost, Indigenous engagement at USask. “I can see how committed people are to the work, and I want to start seeing new faces added to the group as well.”

While most colleges, schools, and units are moving toward Phase 3 in the Indigenous Strategy, focusing on strategic and operational plans and accountability, there is still time – and need – for more participation.

“If you haven’t had a chance to engage with our office, please reach out,” said Jaime. “It’s never too late.”

Having already centred previous symposiums around many of the seven commitments from the strategy, including Safety, Representation, Right Relations, Wellness and Stewardship, it was Creation that served as the focus for this fall’s event.

While the university is acknowledged and viewed as an organization that is responsive and strengthened by Indigenous knowledge, the need for ongoing innovative and culturally responsive programming and evaluation remains, as echoed by USask senior leaders in attendance.

“ohpahotân | oohpaahotaan is written in the words of Knowledge Keepers, Knowledge Holders, and Indigenous peoples,” said Acting Provost and Vice-President Academic Vince Bruni-Bossio. “The responsibility for translating these words to actions lies with us.”

The symposiums are intended to bring campus together in developing a way forward in the work of ohpahotân | oohpaahotaan.

“We have an opportunity to reflect on the best path to take to create everlasting change at our institution,” said Bruni-Bossio.

“We are all accountable,” said USask President and Vice-Chancellor Peter Stoicheff. “We can’t expect systemic change to occur overnight. We need to take a step in this direction every single day. For me, that is what this symposium represents.”

Any group on campus that has not engaged with OVPIE is urged to take those first steps.

“I am issuing a call to action for everyone on campus,” said Jaime. “We must speak Truth, acknowledge the past, and present acts of racism and oppression against Indigenous people. Only when we acknowledge Truth can we work toward Reconciliation, to change the future and to rid the university of systemic oppression.”

In keeping with the spirit of creation at the symposium, finger weaving kits were distributed to every person and were quickly put to use. As participants began to weave, Elder Norman Fleury offered teachings of origins of sashes in Indigenous culture and explained the significance of Métis Nation—Saskatchewan’s sash. The day’s sash, complicated in its simplicity, was designed after the Métis sash, but the colours (black, red, orange, white and green), specific to ohpahotân | oohpaahotaan, represented resilience, veterans, truth and reconciliation, and USask.

“There’s a reason we do this,” said Jaime. “It engages people in a way that allows them to step back from their phones or computers and just focus on the task at hand. Most importantly, it leaves everyone free to listen and take in what is being shared.”

In addition to focusing on the work at hand, the day offered time for sombre reflection, giving everyone in the room the opportunity to learn about, and honour, Indigenous veterans who defended Canada and were then denied the rights they fought bravely to protect for all Canadians.

Joseph Naytowhow ended the day with good words and by singing a song with drummer and USask student John Tootoosis.