As we look ahead with excitement, it is also important to look back and acknowledge all the groundwork that laid the foundation for both OIR and WISC and our ultimate union. Let’s take a moment to reflect on the incredible contributions of WISC and United College over the past 22 years.
Water is not just a resource — it is sacred. It is our first medicine, as we are all born of water. It connects us to the land, to the ancestors, and to future generations. In Indigenous worldviews, water is a living relative that must be treated with reverence.
A special celebration took place in the Health Services building on Monday, February 10, 2025, to warmly welcome two new Indigenous staff members to Waterloo: Dr. Sarah Connors, Indigenous Naturopath and Brad LeBarron, Indigenous Student Wellness Navigator.
In a move designed to enhance support and foster a cohesive environment for Indigenous students across campus, the Office of Indigenous Relations (OIR) and the Waterloo Indigenous Student Centre (WISC) would like to jointly announce the unification of our offices.
Today is Inuit Day, an acknowledgement and celebration of Inuit culture and contributions, but most importantly, a day to affirm the voices of Inuit across the circumpolar world. Associate Vice President, Jean Becker (Inuk), a member of Nunatsiavut Territory of Labrador, tells the history of how Inuit culture was replaced with European culture in the centuries after John Cabot arrived in North America in 1497.
We are excited to announce the launch of a project at the University of Waterloo entitled “Decolonizing and Establishing Payment Practices with Indigenous Community Members”, co-sponsored by Finance, Human Resources, the Office of Research, and the Office of Indigenous Relations.
New Year, New Beginnings
Happy new year! We'd like to take a moment to celebrate and highlight all of the incredible work that was done in 2023 at UWaterloo in decolonization, indigenization and reconciliation and thank you all for the various roles you played in this.
The Coming Together Edition
Happy September, everybody! Thank you for taking the time to check out another edition of Indigenous Connections. As we head towards the final days of summer, we have so much to reflect on and so many great Indigenous initiatives that took place here at the University of Waterloo. Summer is the time when we are busy tending to all the seeds we planted in spring, metaphorically and literally for those who garden! While it is a beautiful season, it can also be intense as it is often full of growth (and heat). We hope you have had a chance to find nourishment and connection through it all and welcome you to a new academic term!