Indigenous grads celebrate ‘Our Journey’

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This article was published 30/05/2024 (855 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

About 180 Indigenous graduates, ranging from kindergarten to college and university, gathered with friends and family Wednesday to celebrate their educational accomplishments in traditional style.

The Our Journey celebration began at 9:30 a.m. at the Riverbank Discovery Centre with a pipe ceremony, followed by a grand entrance, a powwow and a barbecue lunch.

There was a hum of excitement through the large crowd before the grand entrance. Little girls in ribbon skirts ran freely, playing and riotously laughing at bubbles. The tinkling of jingle dresses was audible over the chatter as graduates lined up to be presented.

This year, the event was hosted by the Brandon School Division. Indigenous education learning specialist Raven Willoughby was on the organizing committee.

“We really wanted to ensure that we had representation, and that we had a way to honour students in a traditional way,” Willoughby said.

“This equals what Indigenous people would have done for their graduates and to celebrate their youth as they move from one part of their journey to another.”

This is the fourth year that Our Journey has been held. Previously, celebrations like this one were held by individual groups and nations through different educational sectors. Starting in 2019, the celebrations were combined.

The Sioux Dakota Hotain drum circle performed the flag and victory songs and a prayer was said prior to the presentation of graduates. Delegates like Mayor Jeff Fawcett, Elder Barb Bline, and Brandon University chancellor Mary Jane McCallum lined up to congradulate the graduates on the edge of the powwow circle.

Brandon University and Assiniboine Community College are also on the organizing committee and had graduates present at the ceremony. ACC dean of community development Mike Cameron marvelled at how large the event has become over the years.

“From being indoors and very small, with 20 or 30 students … now, the actual traditional setting. Hats off to the planning committee for making that happen. But every year, it’s a stronger demonstration of Indigenous culture, which is just so meaningful and important for everybody to understand,” he said.

ACC graduate Kennedy Playford, dressed in a red jingle dress with a feather in her hair, beamed as she talked about the celebration.

“It feels very honourable, and very blessed and grateful to be around my culture and my family, all of my Indigenous people,” Playford said. “This is a really good feeling to be honoured, and for all the Indigenous graduates to be honoured as well, because we’ve been through a lot. And to be able to stand here today — great honour.”

» cmcconkey@brandonsun.com