Ambe Daga Wiijiiwishin: An Indigenous Walk on Campus is taking place on York University’s Keele Campus on Wednesday, June 29 from noon to 12:45 p.m.
To celebrate the conclusion of Indigenous History Month at York University, the Centre for Indigenous Knowledges and Languages and the Department of Indigenous Initiatives have organized an on-campus guided walk that aims to highlight Indigenous spaces on campus.
Ambe Daga Wiijiiwishin in Anishinabemowin means “come with me,” which reflects this collaborative event and will draw upon Indigenous knowledge, poetry, and art to articulate the importance of these spaces. Indigenous voices will lead participants through the walk, providing information and context on our chosen stops.
The campus walk will include visits to:
Ahqahizu
Located at the front of York Lions Stadium, this 26-tonne granite sculpture was created by two Nunavut-based artists, Ruben Komangapik and Koomuatuk Curley, by using traditional sculpting techniques. This sculpture portrays a young Inuk soccer player, who is assuming an Alaskan high-kick position. The Ahqahizu sculpture serves as an important indicator of Inuit presence on York University’s Keele Campus.
Centre for Indigenous Student Services
The Centre provides support for Indigenous students at York, helping to establish a sense of belonging and encouraging academic, spiritual, physical and emotional well-being. The Centre offers a range of services for Indigenous students, including cultural workshops, learning supports, career opportunities, Indigenous sharing circles, and an elder on-campus program.
HNE native plant garden
This is a community-based plant garden on Keele Campus that solely contains plant species that are native to the area. This garden encourages biodiversity on-campus and can give context to the plant species used in medicine gardens by Indigenous peoples both historically and to this day.
Skennen’kó:wa Gamig
Located in the Osgoode Woodlot, Skennen’kó:wa Gamig provides a safe, supportive space for Indigenous staff and students to celebrate culture, practice traditions and share knowledge. This is considered a place to celebrate Skennen’kó:wa: The Great Peace. Further, the tipi that stands outside Skennen’kó:wa Gamig acts as an important space to practise cultural traditions such as smudging.
All York University community members are invited to attend this walk.
The meeting point for the walk is in front of Vari Hall. This event will take place rain or shine.
To attend the event, email cikl@yorku.ca.