Welcome to the Summer 2026 Edition of Indigenous Connections
As the warmth of summer settles in and the days stretch longer under the bright, nurturing sun, we are reminded of the beauty of this season. This is a time for gathering, reflection, and connection. The land is alive, offering both abundance and growth, and our communities come together to share in its gifts.
Summer brings opportunities to strengthen relationships, celebrate traditions, and uplift one another. We look forward with excitement to the upcoming 23rd Annual Pow Wow, a powerful gathering that honours our cultures, songs, dances, and stories. It is a time to welcome friends, families, and visitors, and to celebrate the strength and resilience of our people.
As we enjoy these longer days filled with laughter, learning, and community, we also take time to reflect on the importance of remembrance and truth. With September 30th, National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, on the horizon, we continue to carry forward the responsibility of honouring survivors, their families, and the children who never returned home.
This summer, may we walk together in unity, celebrating who we are, supporting one another, and carrying our teachings forward for the generations to come.
In this issue
News
We’re pleased to share an update on the Indigenous student space on campus.
A temporary student space will soon be available in the Science Teaching Complex in room STC 1013, providing a place for students to connect, study, and recharge.
We also want to acknowledge that it has taken longer than anticipated to deliver a permanent student space. We regret the delay and recognize the importance of having a dedicated space where Indigenous students can gather, build community, and feel supported.
The permanent space project has been underway for some time, but progress has been impacted by unexpected challenges, including the closure of the original architecture firm hired to design the space. This required us to pivot and partner with a new firm to move the project forward. As work continues, we are taking this opportunity to re-envision the space to ensure it is reflective of student needs.
In the meantime, we are grateful for the opportunity to provide an interim space within the Science Teaching Complex and look forward to welcoming students there soon.
Additional details, including access and opening timing, will be shared shortly.
A path of resilience and return to Waterloo
More than 50 years after first attending the University of Waterloo, Rhea Marlene Lickers Green has returned to finish the degree she once started.
When Green first arrived in the early 1970’s as an economics and geography student, Indigenous student life looked vastly different on campus. Today, her return is a powerful reminder of both her personal resilience and the progress Waterloo has made, while underscoring the work that continues to better support Indigenous people.
“Today, from what I’ve seen, there is so much that Indigenous students can connect with if they want,” Green says. “There are also people who identify with all nations, willing to share who they are and supporting students, young and old.”
For her, the Land was never just a subject of study, but a relationship grounded in responsibility, balance and interconnectedness.
Read the full story here.
Gender Diversity Amplified
As we wrap up Pride and National Indigenous History Month, the Office of Indigenous Relations (OIR) and the Office of Equity, Diversity, Inclusion & Anti-Racism (EDI-R) are sharing a special podcast episode featuring Emma Smith, Student Services Manager at OIR and Dr. Alex Pershai, Associate Director of Equity at EDI-R.
In this thoughtful conversation, Emma shares personal reflections on Indigenous experiences within Pride, including IndigiQueer and Two-Spirit identities, and the strength, resilience, and community that continue to shape these spaces.
While June offers a time to celebrate and reflect, these stories and perspectives deserve attention year-round. Continuing these conversations helps deepen understanding, challenge erasure, and create more inclusive and equitable communities.
Take a moment to listen and keep the conversation going beyond June.
A dress that tells a story
Bead artist Shay Herold (Dokis First Nation), a Peace and Conflict Studies student at Waterloo, created a large red dress using beads in varying shapes and textures.
For Shay, art is a bridge – one that can lead to healing, understanding and learning. It also serves as a conversation starter, helping people engage with difficult topics as they uncover layers of symbolism.
The dress is made from approximately 4,000 discarded beads collected from antique malls and thrift stores, highlighting the beauty in what is often seen as disposable. The number represents the estimated 4,000 cases of missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls in Canada, as reported by the Native Women’s Association of Canada. Even the background is telling a story: a black garbage bag serves as a reminder of the role landfills and dumps have played in too many cases and the resulting Search the Landfill movement.
Read the full article here.
Upcoming Events
Gidinawendamin/Ska’nikú làt 23rd Annual Pow Wow
Date: September 26th, 2026
Time: 10:00am - 5:30pm
Location: University of Waterloo, Columbia Icefield (CIF),
Outdoor Field 7220 Columbia St W, Waterloo, ON N2L 0A1
Free Admission
Hosted by the Office of Indigenous Relations, this one-day celebration of Indigenous heritage features vendors, dancers, and singers from the Waterloo region and beyond. Join us as we celebrate Indigenous culture and tradition through song, dance, arts, and cuisine. Gidinawendamin/Ska’nikú•lát Pow Wow is intended to be a safe, welcoming, and vibrant opportunity for Indigenous and non-Indigenous folks from the UWaterloo community and beyond to gather in celebration.
We welcome everyone to join.
We gratefully acknowledge the University of Waterloo Athletics for their vital support in making this celebration possible.
Truth and Reconciliation
September 30th
Join the Office of Indigenous Relations (OIR) the Waterloo Undergraduate Student
Event Recaps
Writing Our Stories: Indigenous Authors & Publishers Panel
We were honoured to welcome authors Dawn Cheryl Hill, Dr. Karenna’onwe Hill, D.A. Lockhart, and Coltrane Seesequasis, alongside Indigenous-owned publishers Ojistoh Publishing and Kegedonce Press, for an afternoon of readings, discussion, and community.
Attendees enjoyed readings from each author, a thoughtful panel discussion, and an engaging Q&A that highlighted the importance of Indigenous storytelling, publishing, and knowledge sharing.
This month—and every month—it is so important that Indigenous stories are shared by Indigenous voices. Because that is how we come to better understand the depth, diversity, and strength of our cultures, histories, and communities.
Niá:wen, Miigwetch, Thank you to our authors, publishers, and community members for making this event such a meaningful celebration of Indigenous voices and literary excellence!
Celebrate National Indigenous Peoples Day 2026
We were honoured to come together as a community to recognize and celebrate the cultures, histories, and contributions of Indigenous Peoples through reflection, music, art, and connection.
Events like these were so important to have on campus because they created spaces where we could listen, learn, connect, and celebrate Indigenous cultures while reflecting on our shared responsibility toward reconciliation.
A special thank you to all the Indigenous vendors, as well as our performers, Mr. Sauga, Gladwyn Badger, the Indigenous Hand Drum Group, and DJ White, for sharing their talent and helping make the day so memorable. We were also grateful to everyone who attended, participated, and contributed to creating a welcoming and meaningful space for learning and celebration.
Thank you for making this year's National Indigenous Peoples Day Celebration such a memorable and impactful gathering.
Cultivating Talent - Conrad Price
On Friday, May 29, 2026, Conrad Prince delivered a powerful keynote at the Cultivating Talent Mentorship Collective at the University of Waterloo (EC5 1111). As Executive Director of Indigenous Youth Roots, Prince drew on his work in youth employment and advocacy as well as his lived experience as a Sixties Scoop survivor, to offer a deeply personal and systems-focused perspective.
Read the full story here
Flag Raising
On June 1st the University of Waterloo celebrated the start of Pride and Indigenous History Month with the raising of the Intersex-Inclusive Progress flag and the Two-Spirit Pride flag.
These flags are a symbolic gesture of the University’s commitment to nurturing an inclusive and welcoming campus culture where all individuals feel seen, valued, and respected.
Thank you to the inspiring individuals who shared their courageous stories with us.
Opportunities
Volunteer for 23rd Annual Pow Wow!
Volunteering at Pow Wow is more than lending a hand. It’s about building community, celebrating Indigenous culture, creating meaningful connections, and making a lasting impact.
Whether you’re looking to gain volunteer experience, develop new skills, meet amazing people, or be part of an unforgettable event, this is your chance to get involved.
Join us in making this year’s Pow Wow a success! Register here.
Dance Call Out for 23rd Annual Pow Wow
Participants are invited to step into the circle to celebrate culture, honour the ancestors who danced before us, and share in the traditions of Pow Wow dancing.
This year’s event will feature several dance specials, including:
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Tiny Tots
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Young Adult Smoke Dance
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Golden Age Smoke Dance
Join us for a day of community, culture, song, and dance as we gather to celebrate and strengthen connections through this longstanding tradition. Register here.
Indigenous Student Service Monthly Programming
Indigenous Student Services (ISS) is now part of the Office of Indigenous Relations! While we look forward to the new Indigenous Student Centre in Needles Hall, Indigenous students can access staff support, study space, and community at OIR (EC5 4201) and soon to be STC 1013.
Check out our webpage to see more programming, including weekly recurring events and special activities throughout the term.
Learn more on our website
Indigenous Student Development
The Indigenous Student Development Fund offers support for Indigenous students at the University of Waterloo with unexpected educational or living expenses. Eligible costs include tuition gaps, school supplies, emergency housing or childcare, and wellness supports not covered by insurance. Open to First Nations, Métis, and Inuit students in any program. Citizenship/membership documents must be uploaded to Quest.
Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis.
Visit our website for more information
Territorial Acknowledgement
As the Canadian Association of University Teachers described in their guide to territorial acknowledgment for Canadian universities, “[…] acknowledging territory is only the beginning of cultivating strong relationships with the First Peoples of Canada."
The University of Waterloo is located on the Haldimand Tract and learning the history of this Treaty is an important way to not only connect the past with the present, but also provides space and time to reflect on the ways in which we are all treaty people.
Learn more about the Haldimand Tract with Phil Monture, who is Mohawk from the Six Nations of the Grand River. From 1975 to July 2002, Phil was the Director of the Land Claims Research Office at the Six Nations of the Grand River. Phil's video lecture was recorded as part of Treaties Week 2020.
Visit the Indigenous Relations Territorial Acknowledgement resource page to learn more about creating your own acknowledgement.
