McGill’s Indigenous Awareness Weeks kicked off with multiple Indigenous scholars and speakers offering students a chance to learn about the various intricacies of Indigenous culture, stories, and testimonies. On Sept. 24, a crowd gathered at the Redpath Library to listen to guest speakers Carmen Robertson and Robert Spade discuss Centering[Read More…]
Tag: Indigenous peoples
Canada and McGill must confront their roles in eco-racism against Indigenous peoples 
As the climate crisis steadily worsens in Canada, so do the livelihoods and environments of Indigenous peoples who bear the disproportionate brunt of its effects. Climate change is eroding both access to resources and foundations of Indigenous tradition, ritual, and history. These impacts on Indigenous communities are not incidental. They[Read More…]
The Church’s apology requires devoted action
On April 1, Pope Francis made a long-overdue apology to Indigenous peoples in Canada for the role Catholic leaders and administrators played in committing cultural genocide through the residential school system. The Pope called these leaders’ behaviour “deplorable” and asked for both God’s forgiveness and the forgiveness of Indigenous peoples[Read More…]
Snotty Nose Rez Kids’ ‘Life After’ explores the pandemic’s toll on mental health
Snotty Nose Rez Kids has never shied away from dealing with difficult subjects, and their fourth album Life After is no exception. Released on Oct. 22, the album explores themes of quarantine depression, addiction, and racism, mixed with a musical complexity that includes elements of punk, hardcore, and R&B. Young[Read More…]
Global study exposes the disproportionate impact of pollution on Indigenous Peoples
Indigenous communities all over the world, from the Cree of Waskaganish to the Sámi of Sápmi, differ greatly in language, history, and culture. However different they are from each other, a common belief that informs the traditional practices of many Indigenous Peoples is the interconnectedness of humans, animals, and the[Read More…]
SSMU Indigenous Affairs hosts Have A Heart Day for Indigenous youth
Content warning: Mentions of racialized and colonial violence. The Students’ Society of McGill University (SSMU) Indigenous Affairs hosted Have A Heart Day, a reconciliation-based event held at the First Peoples’ House on Feb. 14. At the event, some participants wrote Valentine’s Day letters with messages of support to Indigenous youth,[Read More…]
A conversation about sexual violence against Indigenous peoples
As a part of Quebec Public Interest Research Group’s (QPIRG) Culture Shock 2019, the Sexual Assault Center of the McGill Students’ Society (SACOMSS) collaborated with the group to host a panel discussion on Nov. 23 about the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (MMIWG). The activists[Read More…]
11th March for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women draws hundreds
On Oct. 4, hundreds of Montrealers gathered to walk in solidarity at the 11th Annual March for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women. The march was hosted by Montreal’s Centre for Gender Advocacy in conjunction with its Missing Justice Collective. A total distance of 1.7 kilometres was covered, starting from Place[Read More…]
McGill’s non-indigenous allies must reexamine their efforts
Non-indigenous allies at McGill need to be conscious of their actions and intentions. These allies often wish to act in solidarity with indigenous peoples and students. They are usually well-intentioned, and the solidarity is greatly appreciated—so long as allies do not overstep their boundaries. A few ways in which I’ve[Read More…]