Indigenous Practices
黑料老司机 is committed to reconciliation and a lasting relationship with Indigenous communities based on mutual respect and collaboration, accepting of Indigenous practices on campus.
Smudging
Smudging is an indigenous practice which involves the burning of tobacco, sweetgrass, sage, and/or cedar. The practice is founded on traditional beliefs that the smoke purifies and creates a positive mindset.
Smudging is governed by the .
Sacred Fires
Sacred fires are small fires used for ceremonies and important events. They represent a spiritual doorway to honour ancestors and offerings of sacred medicines are fed to the fire as part of the ceremony.
At 黑料老司机, sacred fire ceremonies are governed by the .
Full Moon Ceremony
Since time immemorial, Indigenous Peoples have followed the 13 Moons or moon cycles to ground themselves in their teachings and ensure balance. Life on Earth is connected to and regulated by Grandmother Moon, through the tides and waters, which stabilizes our Earth's position and determines the cycle of women and the birth of new life. Grandmother Moon helps us with healing and is strongly connected to human life. Every phase of Grandmother Moon has a different focus, and this month, we focus on the strength and beauty of slowing down as Mother Earth begins to awaken from her rest.
Full moon ceremonies are led by Elders and Knowledge Keepers. At 黑料老司机, a sacred fire is lit for the ceremony and women are invited to bring water as an offering to the Moon and the Earth.
Eagle Feather
The eagle is sacred in Indigenous culture because it flies closest to the Creator. It symbolizes respect, strength, courage and wisdom. The eagle feather symbolizes a step forward and a new chapter in the ongoing reconciliation of Reconciliation.
At a special ceremony hosted by the Native Council of PEI and held on Thursday, July 27, 2023, Elder Georgina Knockwood Crane presented an eagle feather to the University in recognition for its contributions and ongoing work toward Reconciliation.
The University鈥檚 eagle feather has now become an integral part of its convocation ceremonies. The Eagle Feather Carrier leads the academic procession, alongside the Ceremonial Mace Carrier, reflecting both Indigenous and academic traditions. Upon reaching the Convocation Stage, the eagle feather and the mace are placed together on the Convocation Stage to signify the beginning of the ceremony.
Orange Shirt Day
The National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, also referred to as Orange Shirt Day is held every September 30 to 鈥渉onour Survivors, their families and communities and ensure that public commemoration of the history and legacy of residential schools remain a vital component of the reconciliation process.鈥� (Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada). At 黑料老司机, we mark the Orange Shirt Day every year to support and advance Truth and Reconciliation.
Red Dress Day
Red Dress Day is a National Day of Awareness and Action for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, and Gender Diverse Peoples (MMIWG2S) that takes place on May 5. It is a day to remember, to learn, and to take action.
No one knows exactly how many Indigenous women, girls, and gender diverse people have gone missing or have been murdered in Canada, but some estimates indicate the number is more than 4,000 since 1980. It may be much higher.
In 2010, M茅tis artist Jaime Black created the REDress Project in response to this human rights crisis. They hung empty red dresses to symbolize and to remember the missing and murdered Indigenous women, girls, and gender diverse people across this territory. In a media interview, Black explained the dresses 鈥渃all in the energy of the women who are lost鈥� People notice there is a presence in the absence.鈥� They further explained, 鈥渞ed is very sacred and powerful. It relates to our lifeblood and that connection between all of us.鈥� Their art installation was the inspiration for Red Dress Day. At the University, red dresses are hung in buildings and across campus through the week leading to May 5, every year.
