Gracie Grift, a graduate with an honours biology degree, credits much of her academic success to the support of her community, especially the Manitoba Métis Nation. Grift was one of 39 Indigenous graduates celebrated at the University of Winnipeg’s 20th annual graduation powwow on Sunday. She highlighted the significance of working and learning with her community, emphasizing that the ceremony represents the resilience of Indigenous ancestors and the reclamation of a place within the education system.
The event featured traditional drumming and dancing, opening with a prayer from Elder Dan Thomas, who reflected on the positive shift in the education system, which now honours Indigenous traditions. “When we do this for our young people, we don’t only honour them personally, but we honour the nations they come from,” Thomas said.
Em Penner, a graduate in rhetoric and communications, shared the importance of incorporating Indigenous ceremonies into the educational space, highlighting the power of wearing traditional regalia in such an environment.
The powwow, initially organized by students, has evolved into a university-supported event over the years. Each graduate received a star blanket, symbolizing the knowledge passed down from their ancestors, a gesture that Andrea Redsky, a member of Shoal Lake 40 First Nation, described as essential to the ceremony’s significance.
Source: Swifteradio.com
