This year marks the 50th anniversary of the Department of Indigenous Studies – a milestone born from courage, resilience and vision.

“Today, we are not only celebrating,” said Department Head Lorena Fontaine at the recently held 50th anniversary celebration. “We are also remembering a history born out of pain. This department exists because students refused to be ignored.”

Lorena Fontaine, Head of the Department of Indigenous Studies

Her words carried the room back half a century – to the moment when a small group of Indigenous students decided that their languages, laws and histories deserved a place in the university.

Their voices would ultimately reshape the institution.

Pictured here are the founding members of the Indigenous Manitoba Engineering Student Association (IMESA). Front row, left to right: Reg Blackbird, Public Relations; Ovide Mercredi, President; Albert Stevens, Vice-President. Second row, left to right: Emile Garson, Committee Chairman; Yvonne Monkman, Secretary; John Allooloo, Member.

1970s–1980s — Carving space out of Silence

In 1970, the University of Manitoba – located on the original lands of the Anishinaabeg, Cree, Oji-Cree, Dakota and Dene peoples, and on the National Homeland of the Red River Métis – had more than 13,000 students, but fewer than 50 were Indigenous.

They learned about “exploration” and “civilization,” yet rarely did classroom lessons include Indigenous perspectives or experiences.

In 1971, a racist article published in The Cursor, the engineering student newspaper, became the catalyst. Eleven students from the Faculties of Arts and Education formed the Indian, Métis and Eskimo Student Association (IMESA), demanding accountability and change.

“We had no textbooks, no mentors, no role models,” remembered Ovide Mercredi , then IMESA president. “All we had was each other – and one belief: our voices belonged here.”

UM held its first campus pow wow in 1972. Since then, Indigenous graduates have had the opportunity each year to celebrate their academic achievements and excellence at the annual Grad Pow Wow.

In 1972, UM held its first campus pow wow. Three years later, the Department of Native Studies was formally established – the second of its kind in Canada. “That day, we were no longer guests,” said Mercredi. “We had truly come home.”

In 1982, the department faced closure due to budget cuts. It survived only because Professor Emma LaRocque, alongside students and community allies, organized petitions and public appeals.

“We had to prove, again and again, that our existence mattered. If we had stayed silent, this department would not exist today.” — Professor Emma LaRocque

Left: Professor Emma LaRocque

1990s–2020s — From the margins to the mainstream

By the 1990s, the department launched one of the first master’s programs of its kind in Canada, later expanding to the PhD level and becoming a national leader in Indigenous graduate research and studies.

In 2021, the Faculty of Arts introduced the Indigenous content degree requirement, calling for all Arts undergraduate students to complete at least three credit hours of Indigenous course content in their studies to graduate with a Bachelor of Arts degree. Members of the Indigenous Studies department have been instrumental in developing, evaluating and delivering the courses which cover a variety of areas of study such as history, political science, sociology and women’s and gender studies.

The requirement seeks to give every future graduate an understanding of the place of Indigenous people in Manitoba’s and Canada’s history, and how that is woven into contemporary society, especially our workplaces. Since it has been introduced, other Faculties at UM have also implemented the requirement.

At the 50th anniversary celebration, the Department of Indigenous Studies gathered in Marshall McLuhan Hall with alumni, friends and long-time supporters.

Today, more than 3,200 Indigenous students are studying at the University of Manitoba. Across the university, 127 students – both Indigenous and non-Indigenous – are pursuing majors or minors in Indigenous Studies, Indigenous Governance or Indigenous Language programs.

The Department of Indigenous Studies has continued to expand its academic offerings. In addition to degrees in Indigenous Studies and Indigenous Governance, the department delivers a range of language courses, including two new micro-diplomas in Anishinaabemowin and Cree that support language learning and revitalization.

Regular colloquia and international conferences also create spaces for scholars, students and community members from around the world to gather, exchange ideas and learn together.

Faculty members take pride in the diverse accomplishments of their graduates, who can be found in every field – from health care, education, business and the arts to public service, law and counselling.

Professor Niigaan Sinclair

“Without the Department of Indigenous Studies, none of what exists today would have been possible – not the Indigenous Student Centre, not the Vice-President (Indigenous), not the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation,” said Professor Niigaan Sinclair. “All Indigenous progress at UM has grown from here.”

He also spoke about the deeper purpose behind studying Indigenous Studies.

“Don’t let fear guide your life; let love guide it. Taking Indigenous Studies is an act of love – not just for Indigenous peoples, but for this country.”

Alumni, faculty and friends reunited to honour five decades of Indigenous scholarship—some embraced after years apart, while the new generation carried the spirit forward.

The future — The drum continues

Today, generations of Indigenous scholars are following the paths their mentors cleared – continuing to learn, research and create on their own land and in their own classrooms.

Sarah Hourie, Métis scholar, Assistant Professor in City Planning and PhD candidate in Indigenous Studies, said: “I was very excited to take my own language… through the Indigenous Studies department, through a lot of hard work through people who came before me.”

Adrienne Huard, Anishinaabe Two-Spirit curator, writer and Instructor in the department, also a panelist at the 50th anniversary celebration, added: “Our bodies and our art are archives. Every performance is telling the world – our very existence is knowledge.”

From left to right: Elder Carl Stone, Adrienne Huard, Rhianda Redhead and Sarah Hourie.

As the celebration drew to a close, Elder Carl Stone honoured Mercredi, Moses Okimaw, Edwin Jebb, LaRocque and Sinclair with a song.

“Everything that I know about me, and the love I have for myself, the knowledge I have about my people and the love that I have for my people, came from my own people,” he said, pausing as his eyes filled with tears.

Beyond the hall, the rhythm of the drum continued on a new platform.

First-year Indigenous Studies student Rhianda Redhead took over the UM Indigenous social-media account that day, writing in her closing post:

“It was an unforgettable afternoon – we’ve come so far from our ‘humble’ beginnings, and we’ll keep moving forward.”

In that moment, the drum and the words resonated together.

Fifty years of echoes became a new beginning. From resistance to resurgence, from the margins to the centre, the Department of Indigenous Studies continues to write its living story – a true House of Knowledge for all.

Tami Jacoby shared her reaction to this and what it might mean for the ongoing conflict.

Professor Jacoby is in the Department of Political Science at the University of Manitoba.

Listen to the entire conversation by following the link to CBC Manitoba.

Last year, the Office of Equity Transformation (OET) introduced the Listening, Learning, Leading series to help us move beyond polarization and build foundations for increased understanding and dialogue. OET is now introducing the Public Classroom Initiative, an extension of that series, designed to foster informed dialogue and deepen understanding of contemporary issues within the UM community. 

Recognizing the wealth of expertise across the university and the growing interest in key topics, the Public Classroom Initiative will provide accessible learning opportunities on a range of critical and timely topics. Held around lunchtime in the Fireside Lounge (first floor, UMSU University Centre), participants will gain insights from UM experts in a concise, 20-minute presentation followed by a 10-minute question and answer period.

Upcoming sessions:

Media Literacy and Critical Thinking

Presenter: Cecil Rosner (Media Literacy Program Instructor, Extended Education)

Thursday, December 12 at 12:30 p.m.

Antisemitism: Histories and Contemporary Manifestations

Presenter: Belle Jerniewski (Jewish Heritage Centre)

Friday, January 10 at 12 p.m.

Islamophobia: Histories and Contemporary Manifestations

Presenter Youcef Soufi (UM Institute for Humanities)

Monday, January 13 at 12 p.m.

Subsequent sessions will include:

• Corporate Responsibility and Supply Chain Justice (presenter: Minelle Silva, I.H. Asper School of Business)
• International Human Rights Law (presenter: Nathan Derejko, Faculty of Law)
• Environmental Racism and Land (presenters: Dan HenHawk, Faculty of Kinesiology and Recreation Management and Bruce Erickson, Clayton H. Riddell Faculty of Environment, Earth, and Resources)
• The Zimbabwean Experience with Death, Mourning, and Funeral Practices in the Diaspora (presenter: Joy Chadya, Faculty of Arts)

Emily Kalo, a Fellow in Equity, Anti-Oppression, and Social Justice, is working on the project. She says, “It’s a privilege to work alongside Dr. Tina Chen and the OET team on this important initiative to drive positive change through education. Many of us have likely faced difficult interactions with individuals holding narrowly focused views. The Public Classroom sessions aim to provide us with the knowledge and empathy needed to navigate such situations while enriching our own understanding of current issues.”

While the Public Classroom sessions will be in-person only, OET is also working on an audio project which will give listeners the opportunity to dive deeper into these contemporary issues alongside each guest speaker. These recordings will be launched in the Winter Term.

Tina Chen, Vice-Provost (Equity), says, “By placing learning in public spaces and in short presentations, I hope the Public Classroom Initiative will remove barriers for learning with each other as members of the UM community. I am looking forward to seeing staff, students, and faculty from a range of units, lived identities, and positions attending. I believe that learning together, embracing complexity and broadening our understanding across challenging topics is the foundation for dialogue that can take us beyond polarization.”

Ten of the 12 announced have UM connections, including six UM alumni, The Honourable Murray Sinclair (Mizana Gheezik), CC, MSC [LLB/79, LLD/02], Dr. Brent Roussin [BSc/96, MD/00, JD/09, MPH/11], Dr. Marcia Anderson [MD/02], Ronald (Ron) Paley [BMus/71], Michel D. Lagacé [BA/64, MA/68], and Dr. Connie Walker [BN/85, MBA/94] and four individuals who are friends of the University of Manitoba, David Johnston, CM, Robert (Bob) Williams, James Cohen, and Myrna Driedger. 

Many of these names will be familiar to the UM community, perhaps especially The Honourable Mr. Sinclair who served as an Elder-in-Residence in UM’s Faculty of Law and Dr. Marcia Anderson who is currently serving as vice-dean Indigenous health, social justice and anti-racism in the Rady Faculty of Health Sciences. 

“The accomplishments of the women and men who will receive the 2024 Order of Manitoba exemplifies their commitment to the community at the local, national and international levels,” said Lt.-Gov. Anita R. Neville, chancellor of the order, who will preside over the ceremony. “The impact of their leadership has made a unique mark on this province and its people with achievements that both impress and inspire.” 

The Order of Manitoba was established in 1999 to honour Manitobans who have demonstrated excellence and achievement, thereby enriching the social, cultural or economic well-being of the province and its residents. 

The formal investiture ceremony is scheduled to be held on Thursday, July 11, 2024, at the Manitoba Legislative Building. 

The full list of recipients and their citations can be viewed here. 

Over a decade ago, he set out to write a biography on the former premier. What started as a small part of his thesis work as a Ph.D. student at the University of Toronto later became a project Gerald pursued after finishing his forty-year teaching career at the University of Manitoba.

The Distinguished Professor Emeritus of history and retired St John’s College fellow expressed relief as the long-awaited Norquay book arrived and was ready for launch this month. The book has been published by UM Press, located in St John’s College

“The immediate research took about five to seven years, the writing two to three years, and preparing for the topic began decades ago. It is a happy moment to have the book in my hands after such a long time.”

In an interview Dr. Friesen mentioned the book’s connection with the late John Bovey, then the provincial archivist and husband of Patricia Bovey, recent recipient of an honorary doctorate at the College:

“Fifty years ago, having decided that John Norquay would make an ideal subject for a biography, I consulted John Bovey, a family friend who was then the provincial archivist of Manitoba. He urged me not to undertake the project. I swallowed my disappointment, knowing that he knew the archive better than I did. I came to appreciate only later that he was saving me from the disaster of doing a lot of research and publishing a flawed book that failed to employ a crucial resource. Bovey could not tell me, for fear it might ruin a potential transaction, that practically all the letters received in and sent from Norquay’s office in the 1880s rested in a trunk in the home of historian Ellen Cooke. He was negotiating to obtain this collection, between five and seven thousand documents. It eventually reached the shelves of the provincial archives and I relied on them. John Bovey can take some responsibility – and credit — for the delay in delivery and the consequent depth of this biography.”

With the book ready for launch, Gerald will have busy months ahead, with book launches in McNally Robinson, a Lieutenant Governor’s evening at Government House, the Selkirk Heritage Fund Evening of History, and visits to Saskatoon, Calgary, and Banff.

To learn more about the book, visit the UM Press website. 

Selling items for multiple dollars has allowed the stores to increase their product breadth — they’ve become, in a way, a melting pot of places like Shoppers Drug Mart, Canadian Tire and Walmart, says Sean Buchanan, a University of Manitoba professor who studies social issues in business.

He considers dollar stores “a reflection of this broader sort of consumer culture.”

“Basically the nature of consumption these days is, if you don’t pay a lot of money for something, it’s OK it doesn’t last very long,” Buchanan says. “You can throw it out, because you can just replace it.”

Sarah Elvins, a University of Manitoba professor who studies the history of retailing is also featured in this article, please visit Bang for the buck, or down-market dross for more.

The first is “Keepin’ it Riel,” which encapsulates Red River’s and then Winnipeg’s embattled history as the homeland of the Métis Nation and the site of the River River Resistance.

The second is “Bitch, I’m from Winnipeg.” This was what Twitter’s (now X) Resident Gynecologist, Dr. Jen Gunter, retorted in the bad old days (circa 2017) when she was criticized for criticizing the Gwyneth Paltrow/GOOP jade yoni eggs intended to somehow improve women’s vaginal health.

Read more