Skén:nen Tsi Nón:we Tewaya’taróroks | Where we all gather together peacefully
(SKAW-naw Jee NEW-way day-waw-yut-daw-RLOW-rlooks)
Welcome to the Indigenous Outdoor Gathering Space
The Indigenous Outdoor Gathering space is a representation of the continuous presence of First Nations, Métis and Inuit on this territory.
Skén:nen Tsi Nón:we Tewaya’taróroks is meant to teach, celebrate, gather and bring awareness about Indigenous peoples and cultures.
It also provides an outdoor classroom setting for educating on First Nations, Métis and Inuit content and is a space for all campus communities to gather and sit freely when the space is not in use for events and classes.
About the structure
The Office of Indigenous Relations worked with the Design Studio at BrookMcIlroy. The work at BrookMcIlroy is led by Principal Ryan Gorrie, who is Anishinaabeg and a member of Bingwi Neyaashi Anishinaabek and design team including Dani Kastelein, Danny Roy and Erik Sziraki. Ryan and team led a large number of Indigenous campus community members through a lengthy and involved consultative process that led to the design you see today.
The structure and design elements were taken from nature; some highlights include:
- 33 posts representative of a treed forest.
- A roof structure comprising four parts that are wing-like; they slant and overlap. This feature and its four-part element can serve as a teaching tool on Indigenous cultures, pedagogies, and ideologies.
- The roof structure also allows for interaction with natural elements, such as wind to freely flow through.
- The roof design in terms of patterning and coloring is modeled after a trout species native to the Grand River.
- The wood chosen for the structure and seating area is Alaskan yellow cedar.
- The floor will be a crushed clay surface.
- Lighting for safety and colored illumination will be throughout with controls housed in SLC.
- The structure contains four large seating areas.
- Trees and plants with significance to First Nations, Métis, and Inuit cultures will be featured a few months after completion.
- The total height on the structure is 6.1 M (20 feet).
- The diameter of the structure from the outer ring of the columns is 15488 mm (50.8 feet).
- The roof overhang is 2’ 9 ¾” .
- The circumference of the structure including the overhang is 177 feet.
- The circumference of the structure around the outer ring of the columns is 159 feet.
This trout is native to the Grand River. The tile design and colours were chosen by Indigenous campus community members who participated in a poll.
Booking the space
Please email indigenousrelations@uwaterloo.ca to reserve this space for classes and gatherings that centre First Nations, Inuit and Métis teachings.
Location
Skén:nen Tsi Nón:we Tewaya’taróroks is located on the B.C. Matthews Hall (BMH) Green and all are welcome to gather and sit freely when the space is not in use for classes or events.