SAIT is proud to host the second annual SAIT Truth and Reconciliation (S.T.A.R.) Event Series. This compelling series is a time to reflect our commitment to fostering an inclusive and culturally-sensitive learning environment. This initiative holds immense importance as it allows us to engage in meaningful conversations, gain deeper insights into Indigenous and Canadian histories, experiences and perspectives, and take meaningful steps toward healing, understanding and reconciliation.

All SAIT students and employees are invited to attend the events, which have been scheduled from Monday, Sept. 23 to Friday, Oct. 4. Spots are limited and registration closes three days prior to each session.

The Indian Residential Schools crisis line is available 24 hours a day for anyone experiencing pain or distress due to their residential school experience, 1.866.925.4419.  

S.T.A.R. Event Series 2024

SEPTEMBER EVENTS

Survivors’ Flag

The Survivors’ Flag is an expression of remembrance, meant to honour residential school Survivors and all the lives and communities impacted by the residential school system in Canada. Each element depicted on the flag was carefully selected by Survivors from across Canada, who were consulted in the flag’s creation. This is the official opening ceremony with Elders, drummers and dancers to commemorate the start of the S.T.A.R. Event Series.

Location: Flag poles outside of Heritage Building

NO REGISTRATION NEEDED

Reconciliation Round Dance

The SAIT community is invited to round dance for reconciliation. A round dance is a special traditional event in First Nations culture that brings people together "to heal, to honour and to celebrate life. For dancing, gather in a circle. Hold hands with the people on either side of you, with your left hand facing up and your right hand facing down. You can jump in anywhere in the circle and at any time during a dance. An Elders will begin the event with an opening prayer then drummers and dancers will lead us to the beat of the songs.  

Location: Irene Lewis Atrium

NO REGISTRATION NEEDED

Kairos Blanket Exercise

The Kairos Blanket Exercise is based on using Indigenous methodologies and the goal is to build understanding about our shared history as Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples in Canada by walking through pre-contact, treaty-making, colonization and resistance. Everyone is actively involved as they step onto blankets that represent the land, and into the role of First Nations, Inuit and later Métis peoples. By engaging on an emotional and intellectual level, the Blanket Exercise effectively educates and increases empathy.

Location: AA102

Exploring the Use of Land Acknowledgments in Post-Secondary Institutions

Location: Natoysopoyiis NN108

60s Scoop Survivor Story

Michaela Lewis: Michaela is a student in SAIT’s Film and Video Production diploma and a frequent participant at the Indigenous Student Centre. A survivor of the 60s scoop, Michaela was taken at birth and illegally adopted to a non-Indigenous family until she was reunited with her birth family at 18. Michaela sees storytelling as a core value to Indigenous Peoples, and she intends to create documentaries that give a voice to her people and share their stories.

Location: Natoysopoyiis NN108

Supporting Hope: Missing and Murdered Women

The presentation will introduce the important front-line work of Dorthea Swiftwolfe, who started as an Indigenous Resource Officer and now serves a vitally important role as the Victim Services Coordinator and Missing Person Liaison with the Saskatoon Police Service.  The presentation will share Dorthea's real-life experience and conclude with recommendations and next steps for how all SAIT staff can be proactive in keeping campus safe, include guidance for building community awareness, and provide best practice strategies on how best to support students and families.

Location: Natoysopoyiis NN108

Indigenous Truth - Residential & Day Schools

Dorthea Swiftwolfe is a Cree woman from Peter Ballantyne Cree Nation and a mother to 8 beautiful children.  Throughout her work and life’s journey, Dorthea continues to bring traditional values and teaching in everything she does. Dorthea will share first-hand lived experience in navigating life challenges of family members who have experienced day schools and residential schools.

Location: Natoysopoyiis NN108

Every Child Matters March

The campus community will be commemorating the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation as we gather to march in orange shirts to symbolize that “Every Child Matters.” SAIT students, employees and community members are encouraged to wear an orange shirt and meet at  noon outside of Heritage Hall. A Treaty 7 Elder will begin the event with an opening blessing and smudge. Flag bearers will carry the Canada, Alberta, Treaty 7, Métis, Inuit and Every Child Matters flags followed by drummers and dancers leading the community in march across campus to Natoysopoyiis. Once the march ends attendees are invited to enjoy an orange cupcake at the tipi in honour of the children who never got to celebrate their birthdays while attending residential school. 

Location: Tipi near the soccer field

NO REGISTRATION NEEDED

OCTOBER EVENTS

Indigenous Women's Leadership with Elder Alice Kaquitts and Knowledge Keeper Shalome Hope

Alice Kaquitts (Yumo tata mani) has worked for decades in her own community in a management capacity as well as founded and operated Nakoda Services, a service provider for children in care. Over the last several years she has been invited to participate and share her knowledge and expertise from her Stoney Nakoda perspective by numerous Elders Advisory groups and organizations including Mount Royal University’s Indigenization and Engagement Strategy, the Elders Guidance Circle with the Calgary Public Library, the City of Calgary, Spirit Aligned Women’s Leadership, and the National Gathering of Elders.

Today her work primarily consists of consulting, advising, conducting ceremonies, and presenting on traditional parenting, history, culture and the Nakoda Language. She also does a radio talk show every Saturday morning on CJWE FM 88.1 an Indigenous radio station owned by Bert Crowfoot, with Thomas Snow called Conversational Nakoda. Alice is involved in writing a Nakoda dictionary with Goodstoney First Nation members.

Shalome Hope is a member of the Thunderchild First Nation with proud Métis roots. She believes that her  purpose is to uplift the community. She does this in many ways, through formal courses to students, through children’s theatre, through teaching accurate history and addressing topics like residential schools, treaties, and the Indian Act. Her intention is to empower Indigenous students with the brilliance, courage, and resilience of their ancestors and relatives throughout history to the present. Shalome is also willing to address situations of racism, injustice, or violence by calling people in rather than calling them out. These actions still extract a cost, but Shalome believes they can create change. She collects a “growing stack of apology letters from various institutions with commitments to change.” In her role as a public speaker and performance artist, she leverages the opportunity to highlight Truth and Reconciliation Commission recommendations.

Location: Natoysopoyiis NN108

Building Buildings and Building Connections

• An overview of the lessons we’ve learned over the 3 years of being on the ANFCA Retrofit project and working alongside the ANFCA and Friendship Centres across Alberta

• We would like to put more focus on the relationships we’ve built and how they have evolved over the course of the project, rather than just on the project KPIs and goals

• We will introduce a new up-and-coming project at the end that will involve a significant amount of student engagement, and explain how people can start getting involved too
  

Location: Natoysopoyiis NN108

Métis – The Forgotten People

The Métis were referred to by some as the “forgotten people” because, after the 1885 Northwest Resistance and until the 1980s, they were not on the national radar. That changed with constitutional recognition and a number of court cases that brought Métis issues into the national spotlight. Section 35 of the Constitution Act, 1982, recognizes and affirms the existing Indigenous and treaty rights of the First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples of Canada. Learn from Elder Victoria Norris on the history and battle for recognition and autonomy of the Métis people.

Location: Natoysopoyiis NN108

Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls and 2 Spirit People

Awo Taan Healing Lodge has organized the Sisters’ in Spirit Vigil for 21 years to advocate for justice and raise awareness on Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls and 2 Spirit People and gave testimony in the National Inquiry to MMIWG2S+.

The National Inquiry’s Final Report reveals that persistent and deliberate human and Indigenous rights violations and abuses are the root cause behind Canada’s staggering rates of violence against Indigenous women, girls and 2SLGBTQQIA people. The two-volume report calls for transformative legal and social changes to resolve the crisis that has devastated Indigenous communities across the country.

The Final Report is comprised of the truths of more than 2,380 family members, survivors of violence, experts and Knowledge Keepers shared over two years of cross-country public hearings and evidence gathering. It delivers 231 individual Calls for Justice directed at governments, institutions, social service providers, industries and all Canadians.

As documented in the Final Report, testimony from family members and survivors of violence spoke about a surrounding context marked by multigenerational and intergenerational trauma and marginalization in the form of poverty, insecure housing or homelessness and barriers to education, employment, health care and cultural support. Experts and Knowledge Keepers spoke to specific colonial and patriarchal policies that displaced women from their traditional roles in communities and governance and diminished their status in society, leaving them vulnerable to violence.

This session will be led by Awo Taan Healing Lodge along with surviving family members and advocates for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls and Two-Spirited Peoples.

An independent, national, toll-free murdered and missing Indigenous women and girls support call line is available to support anyone who requires assistance. This line is available free of charge, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. 1.844.413.6649

Location: Natoysopoyiis NN108

Sisters in Spirit

On October 4, Sisters in Spirit Day honours missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls, and shows support for their loved ones. Awo Taan Healing Lodge host a vigil and march in downtown Calgary. SAIT employees are invited to attend and march for justice and awareness. Please wear red In honour of the families and survivors. Meet in Natoysopoyiis at 10:30 a.m. to head down on transit to Stephens Ave.

Location: Natoysopoyiis NN108