The event provides a unique opportunity for the community to engage with Indigenous Elders and Knowledge Keepers and take in their vast wealth of traditional knowledge and teachings. Watch the video below to learn more.

Carl Stone, an Elder-in-residence with the Indigenous Student Centre, says to truly learn you must engage and he encourages everyone to attend.

“To really learn and have it become a part of you, you have to engage in it. And part of what we’re doing at this Elders gathering is helping people understand it – the engagement of our culture, our language, our ceremonies, our spirituality.”

Not just for Elders – all are invited to attend

This year’s theme, Empowering Future Generations, focuses on strengthening communities by sharing Indigenous stories, teachings and traditional knowledge to inspire and uplift the leaders of today and tomorrow.

Through a blend of discussions and interactive workshops, participants can deepen their understanding of Indigenous teachings while sharing and building connections.

UM student Sydney Richard attended in previous years and is appreciative of the opportunity to connect.

“It gives students the opportunity to engage with the Indigenous community and to engage with the culture and where you can learn new things,” says Richard. “It’s a place where you can make new connections, make new friends.”

For more event details, including registration, visit the Elders and Traditional Peoples Gathering webpage.

Sharing circles are safe spaces for students to share their experiences and receive support, teachings and care from an ISC Elder or Knowledge Keeper-in-Residence. The sharing circles take place every Tuesday at 1 p.m. in the Circle Room at Migizii Agamik – Bald Eagle Lodge. All UM students are welcome to participate.  

Why attend? 

“We learn from one another by sharing with each other,” says Elder Meade. “For every strength, there is a weakness – and weakness is strength. This is an important teaching.” Sharing circles are a place to: 

• learn teachings and pass on teachings.  

• receive support and guidance from Elders and your peers in a safe space. 

• build community through sharing stories and exploring values, which helps participants feel physically, psychologically and emotionally safe and creates a foundation for courageous acts of sharing. 

“The reason you should come to a sharing circle is to come and share what you might be dealing with or going through right now – that’s why I like to go to a sharing circle,” says Elder Meade. “If I don’t go to a sharing circle often enough, I miss being there because every one of us—doesn’t matter who we are—we have to share what’s on our mind, what’s on our spirit today and we’re all in a different place.” 

What to expect 

When you attend a sharing circle, know that what you share in the sharing circle, stays in the circle.    

“Students are often a bit shy about sharing what they might be struggling with and if there’s a certain number of people in the circle some people won’t share their personal things”, says Meade. “For myself, when I’m in a sharing circle or leading a sharing circle, I let the participants know what you bring into the circle stays in the circle because that’s important. For me, personally, when I’m sharing in a sharing circle, I will share what might be on my heart or my mind or my spirit at that very time.” 

As part of a sharing circle, you will: 

• Listen–sharing circles are a listening exercise, as well as a sharing exercise where we learn how to listen.  

• Share – you can share when you have the talking stick or stone. That’s your time to speak and for others to listen.  

• Feel – it can be an emotional experience because you’re able to share about yourself and things you may be dealing with. 

Elders are careful not to let the sharing circle become a gossip session or to have misinformation spread – because that’s not what sharing circles are about.  

“For myself, if I’m just introducing myself in a sharing circle and have nothing that’s heavy on my heart then I will share personal things of where I’m at and what I’m doing and how I’m feeling,” says Meade. “I’ll share where some of my strengths and weaknesses come from, the weaknesses that we encounter in life and how does strength offset weaknesses; it’s good to talk about ‘my weakness is this’ because strength helps get us through the weakness.”  

Students should not feel intimidated at a sharing circle. They are a welcoming place, where respect is the most important thing, especially when it comes to the Elders.  

“Most of the students I know, they have respect for us as Elders – they all show their respect in different ways. Some of the first-year students and second year students may have never sat in a circle where an Elder is present or had a chance to sit with an Elder,” says Elder Meade. “So, they might have a little different way of relating to an Elder but ones that have been there before or been in a sharing circle before, they would know how to respect an Elder and that’s really important to see, for everyone.” 

Find upcoming dates for the Student Sharing Circle with Elder Norman Meade on the Indigenous Events Calendar. 

The 18th annual Elders and Traditional Peoples Gathering, taking place January 25 and 26, is a time to embrace traditional Indigenous teachings shared through ceremony and across generations. The event brings Elders, Grandmothers, Grandfathers and Knowledge Keepers together with each other and UM students, staff and faculty.  

This year’s theme is Restoring our Spirits: Wellness through Stories. The event will be a combination of Elder teachings and wellness stations taking place in safe spaces for learning, sharing and building connections. 

Not just for Elders – all are invited to attend

ISC Elder-in-Residence Norman Meade.

Norman Meade, an Elder in residence with the Indigenous Student Centre (ISC), says it’s important for Elders to come together and spend time with anyone who wants to see them, and he encourages everyone to attend.  

“It gives Elders a chance to not only share knowledge with the ones who sit down with them but the opportunity to share the knowledge they have with each other,” says Meade. “I always encourage younger people or those who aren’t sure what the title really means as Elders, Knowledge Keepers, Grandfathers and Grandmothers to come sit with us Elders in a circle and learn.” 

UM student Amari Dion-Hart recently volunteered as a helper at the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation’s Knowledge Keepers Forum and believes events like these are important for young people to attend.  

Dion-Hart says sitting with Elders and Survivors and hearing their stories of resilience at the forum left her feeling inspired and full of hope for her generation. 

“I believe that it is important for young people to engage with Elders, Knowledge Keepers and Survivors because listening, connecting and learning is the path to reconciliation,” says Dion-Hart. “Youth are the next generation of leaders, and we all can create the change and be the change we want to see.” 

Topics for Elder teachings include identity and wellness, perspectives on 2SLGBTQIA+ wellness, stories on Dakota Purification Lodges, among others; and the wellness stations will welcome medicine pouch making, a beading circle and other opportunities for self-care.

For more information about Elder teachings, wellness sessions and other event details, visit the UM Indigenous Elders Gathering webpage.