Concordia and the Aboriginal Student Resource Centre (ASRC) are recognizing 30 First Nations, Inuit and Métis graduates in a virtual Indigenous Graduation Celebration today.
The digital celebration — organized by the ASRC — is being held in lieu of their usual annual in-person graduation gathering.
Vicky Boldo, the ASRC’s in-house cultural support and Elder-in-Residence, says the virtual graduation will celebrate Concordia Indigenous students who have “demonstrated academic excellence, perseverance despite obstacles, the strength to make sacrifices, dedication to hard work and pride in their community.”
Alongside the webpage featuring the students’ thoughts, art and poetry, the celebration includes a video montage featuring university and the ASRC staff paying tribute to the 2020 graduates.
The highlighted group spotlights 30 Indigenous students who earned BAs, BComms, BFAs, an MA, an MEng and a PhD. Their varied programs include First Peoples Studies; Anthropology; Community, Public Affairs and Policy Studies; Economics; English and Creative Writing; Human Environment; Human Relations; Political Science; Psychology; Women’s Studies; Accountancy; Finance; Art Education; Computation Arts; Film Animation; Painting and Drawing; Studio Art; Media Studies; and Civil Engineering.
The 30 graduates come from various nations and territories. Fourteen are Kanien’kehà:ka (Mohawk), including 10 students from Kahnawà:ke, two from Kanehsatà:kethe, one from Six Nations of the Grand River and one from Tyendinaga.
The 2020 group also includes individuals who are Inuk, Cree, Plains Cree, Ojibwe, Plains Ojibwe, Métis, Blackfoot, Huron-Wendat, Sioux, Wôpanâak, Heiltsuk and Maleku (Malécu). Some come from far-off lands and territories such as Costa Rica, Nunavik, Bella Bella, Fort William First Nation, Moosomin First Nation, Eastmain, Montreal Lake Cree Nation in Treaty 6 territory, Waskaganish, Watson Lake and Moosomin First Nation.
The usual in-person graduation entails an afternoon ceremony organized by the ASRC that precedes convocation in early June. Boldo says this get-together typically serves as a time for the Indigenous graduates to enjoy a more intimate celebration with their families, friends, peers and Elders, Concordia’s president, provost, faculty and other staff, and — on occasion —diplomats or local community representatives.
“Students are given the opportunity to share some words after being acknowledged for their accomplishments and receiving their custom-made stoles,” says Boldo. “The stoles can then be worn at the formal university convocation.”
She adds that local Kanien’kehá:ka designer Tammy Beauvais of Kahnawà:ke has created the stoles for at least the past five years.
The gathering usually features guest speakers, alumni or local Indigenous celebrities, as well as performances by Indigenous students from the ASRC and larger community, such as last year’s inclusion of traditional men’s drum and student drummers. She also says that the event is normally catered by local Indigenous supplies when possible.
“In Indigenous cultures, where there is gathering, there is always food,” says Boldo. “We were saddened to not be able to have the event in this way this year due to Covid-19.”
To replace the in-person event this year, Boldo says the ASRC staff and Concordia’s University Communication Services worked hard to put together a landing page that will recognize the accomplishments of this year’s graduates on June 17.
Students were asked to submit photos, personal information, a statement and any art or creation they wanted to share — all of which will be featured online.
“We look forward to being able to come together with the graduates and their families when it will be safe to do so,” says Boldo.
Since joining the ASRC in 2017, Boldo says she has witnessed a great deal of growth in the students — particularly those who frequent the ASRC regularly.
“These institutions are not always easy places to navigate for Indigenous peoples and I am incredibly proud of the graduates, as it takes perseverance, determination and resiliency to arrive at this point in their academic journey,” says Boldo.
“This year has been extremely challenging, and I hope they all have an opportunity to celebrate, regardless, with their friends and family.”
Meet two of the featured graduates