Page 6
A Ceremonial Feast and Round Dance
On March 28th , 2013 the first Feast and Round Dance was held on campus at the U of R . Dr . JoLee Blackbear , recipient of an Indigenous People ’ s Health Research grant , first thought of hosting the event in order to “ offer gratitude and ask for guidance from our ancestors and the Creator .” JoLee explains , “ The teachings I have grown up with have taught me that when you receive a blessing , like the grant , you offer gratitude , often in the form of a Feast and you ask for guidance from elders when you have the potential to impact many people .” JoLee took her idea to the Faculty of Education Aboriginal Advisory Circle to see if they would support the idea . She was overwhelmed by their support and interest . She then went to the President , who also supported the plan . Thus , she began looking for funding and her efforts resulted in the receipt of a generous grant from the Regina Urban Aboriginal Strategy ( RUAS ). In addition , she received supports from the Offices of the President and Provost and VP ( Academic ), the Faculties of Education , Kinesiology and Health Studies , and Nursing , L ’ Institut français , the Indigenous Students ’ Association , the Education Students ’ Society , All Nations Hope , and student volunteers from both the University of Regina and First Nations University of Canada .
JoLee ’ s seemingly simple plan to offer gratitude and receive guidance through a ceremonial feast and round dance became , as she states , “ an enormous opportunity for all of us to learn about what decolonizing and Indigenizing the University of Regina really looks like in action .” Though there were , “ moments of profound frustration as we bumped up against policies and by Shuana Niessen
procedures that were not friendly to this event ,” JoLee resolved to focus instead on “ the fact that the upper level administrators and the U of R Strategic Plan mâmawohkamâtowin ( Our Work , Our People , Our Communities ) seek to Indigenize and decolonize this University .” Thus , she was provided with the necessary openness to make changes and move forward . “ We were able to seek the changes to make this a University in which First Nations , Métis , and Inuit ( FNMI ) people feel welcome , where people from all backgrounds can join together and restore the past by creating a future of opportunity and possibility for all people and stakeholders of the University of Regina ,” reported JoLee .
“ There is still a lot of work to be done ,” JoLee says , noting the fact that some obstacles could not be
The Feast and Round Dance began with a pipe ceremony and prayer . Drummers and participants came from as far as Manitoba and northern Saskatchewan to show their support of the U of R taking on this initiative . Participants were honoured with the presence of the dignitary elder , Fred Saskamoose , the first treaty Indian to play hockey for the NHL . continued on page 7