Last May, I had the privilege of experiencing four days of deep learning at the University of Regina, located in the territories of the nêhiyawak, Anihšināpēk, and Dakota, Lakota, and Nakoda, and the homeland of the Métis. Today, these lands continue to be the shared territory of many diverse peoples from near and far. The nêhiyawak originally referred to Regina as oskana kā-asastēki which literally means “the place where bones are piled up.” This is why Regina’s nickname is “Pile O’Bones” and this is the origin of the name of the University’s current location in Wascana Park. (Adapted from President’s welcome)
As part of my doctoral journey, I am experimenting with ways to provoke curriculum in using poetry and land-based embroideries as a way to shift my relations to knowledge. The following poem and embroideries and based on my participation in the Treaty Walk at Bert Fox High School (hosted by Elder Wendall Starblanket, Raven Cook and Michael Starr-Desnomie); a visit to LeBret, site of the last residential school to close in Canada; a meeting with an elder at the Fort Qu’Appelle Education Centre; and several panels on decolonizing research.
PowerPoint version of the poem available here :
https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1NM20t4PUU7JhL9LDiU74xkgJGCexW1OEsSbfUBv2J0E/edit?usp=sharing
Julie Vaudrin-Charette
University of Ottawa