FNMI protocol handbook created

trevor.kenney — Thu, 17 Oct 2013 20:38:08 +0000

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge General Faculties Council has approved a unique protocol handbook that will serve as a guideline for ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge faculty, staff, students and board and senate members when incorporating Blackfoot and other First Nations, Métis and Inuit (FNMI) cultural elements into activities or ceremonies on campus.

Eagle feathers are adorned for a convocation ceremony.

Dr. Judith Lapadat, associate vice-president (students), says the handbook will be a living document that she hopes will assist the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ community in acknowledging the many ties between the U of L and the Blackfoot community, as well as the other First Nations, Métis and Inuit (FNMI) communities that the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ serves.

“As part of the work done by Dr. Leroy Little Bear (BASc (BA) ’72, DASc ’04), Roy Weasel Fat and their team, who led us through a process to create our FNMI Centre, what we learned was that the process for acknowledging the roles Kaahsinnooniks (Elders) and other members of the Blackfoot and FNMI communities played in participating in campus activities wasn’t consistent,” says Lapadat. “We also felt that it was important to gather the knowledge about these processes together in one place, and to have them affirmed by members of the U of L community and the FNMI community for the future. An important outcome will be to increase access to Elders for students and other members of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ community.”

Little Bear, a professor of Native American Studies and the FNMI Advisor to the President, says the new FNMI handbook is an example of a continuing exchange for educational purposes.

“I was recently telling my class that one of the most profound ways that humans learn is through exchange with other humans and exchanges of ideas and experiences,” says Little Bear. “Not much learning occurs in a vacuum. The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge has developed and continues to foster these relationships, and I am very pleased to have had a role in developing this resource, which provides a foundation for ongoing exchange that we hope enriches the educational experience at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge.”

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge is situated on traditional Blackfoot territory.

Roy Weasel Fat assisted in his role as Interim Director of the FNMI Centre to ensure that local Elders were involved in the development of the handbook.

“It is important to consult our Kaahsinnooniks (Elders) on such activities, particularly as it relates to protocol,” says Weasel Fat, who has recently been appointed as the President of Red Crow Community College in Standoff, Alta.

Lapadat says the information in the FNMI Handbook was extensively reviewed, and will be made widely available. The protocol guide explains the significance of FNMI traditional activities at events such as convocation, the significance of an eagle feather gift, and also how to properly pronounce a greeting in Blackfoot, among other topics.

“This is a unique way of sharing knowledge, which is very important to members of the Blackfoot community,” says Lapadat. “We are on traditional Blackfoot land, and by acknowledging that, and respecting Blackfoot traditions and protocols, we are demonstrating that we are willing to share, just as Leroy, Roy and many others have shared their knowledge with the U of L community to make this guide possible.”

The protocol guide is available at this website. Additional information about FNMI Initiatives at the U of L can be found in the Report to the President on FNMI Centre. FNMI Services, student activities and resources for current and future students are available here.

Helping students find their way

trevor.kenney — Tue, 10 May 2011 20:29:27 +0000

Shawnee Brave Rock never intended to go to university, but after excelling at her high school upgrading courses, she followed the example of her mother – a PhD student – and enrolled at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge.

Born and raised in Lethbridge, Brave Rock knew the city well, but the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ campus was new territory.

"It was really exciting but at the same time, I was really intimidated. It was just really scary," she says.

For the pre-management student, the Native Student Advisor, Elizabeth Ferguson, has been a critical resource.

Judith Wabegijig, left, and Shawnee Brave Rock are appreciative of the assistance they get from Native Student Advisor Elizabeth Ferguson.

"I'm a single mom, and I think my biggest struggle isn't school – it's life outside of school," says Brave Rock. In the last two years, she's approached Ferguson for help with everything from scheduling classes to accessing the food bank, and says this guidance has eased a lot of the pressure.
"One of the most important factors for success for aboriginal students is the support they receive on campus. This support must be culturally relevant and reflect the needs of the aboriginal community," says Ferguson (BA '03, MA '05).

Campus can feel like a large, imposing place for any student, but it can be especially tough for First Nations, Métis and Inuit (FNMI) students. Many of these students are from out-of-town and may feel shy about asking for help finding the services they need or connecting with the FNMI community. Having an FNMI advisor can mean all the difference.

Judith Wabegijig, a mature student taking Native American Studies, would agree: she meets with Ferguson two or three times each semester for guidance.

"It's stress relieving being able to talk to the advisor about unexpected problems I've had and being directed to the right person to talk to," she says. It's also helped her maintain focus and motivation when the demands of student life pile up.

But success at university requires community support, too. In addition to offering academic counselling for students, the Native Student Advisor organizes several events during the year to connect FNMI students with each other and with the
U of L campus as a whole, like Native Awareness Week. For Brave Rock, these social links are as important as academic services to her success.

"When I'm in class and walking around university, I don't see many aboriginal students. But, because of the services the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ offers, I've met a lot of other native students. It's not that it's exclusive, but we stick together and do things together."

With a tradition of strong aboriginal connections, the U of L implemented the Native Student Advising Program in 2002 in response to the growing number of FNMI students, and to ensure they received the support they needed to succeed academically.

This year, the program received a significant boost thanks to a gift from the Ralph Klein Foundation and matching funds from the Alberta Government through the Access to the Future Fund. As a result, the Native Student Advising Program will be able to hire a second advisor, expand its services and help more students like Brave Rock and Wabegijig in the coming years.

"The Ralph Klein Foundation was proud to support the U of L because of the work the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ does for aboriginal students," says Colleen Klein, who served as Chair of the Foundation. "Words cannot express how much this will impact the lives of the aboriginal students: it will provide them with a sense of welcoming and belonging, and will allow them to follow their dreams and become role models for other students."

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