Members of the University of Waterloo community donned hard hats last December for a view of the past and future during a tour of The Longhouse Labs construction site.
The tour was one of several activities to celebrate the progress of Longhouse Labs which was developed to share the rich history of Indigenous culture while empowering and creating a space for Indigenous led experiences and learning. Additionally, Longhouse Labs welcomed two Indigenous artists for a week-long residency.
Other events included a lunch at the Waterloo Indigenous Student Centre and meet & greet at the University’s art gallery. As part of the Indigenous Speakers Series, Talena Atfield, Assistant Professor of History and member of the Kanien’kehá:ka Nation of the Six Nations of the Grand River, addressed Western notions of the origins of Indigenous artistic practices versus the importance of arts and creation, with a focus on her work with Hodinohso:ni basket weavers. She is an advisory board member of The Longhouse Labs research-creation lab at Waterloo.
Longhouse Labs, which is supported by funding from the Government of Canada’s Incremental (IPG) Project Grant, will welcome three Indigenous artists from regional and international communities with immersive eight-month artist residency placements beginning this fall.
August 2023