During a powerful, emotional and intimate ceremony, Concordia’s newest Indigenous graduates marked the completion of their degrees with laughter, tears and an abundance of pride.
The seventh annual Indigenous Student Graduation Gathering, organized by the Aboriginal Student Resource Centre (ASRC) took place on the ninth floor of the John Molson Building (MB) on June 6.
It was an opportunity to recognize the accomplishments of 26 First Nations, Inuit and Métis undergraduate and graduate students while acknowledging the unique challenges they faced.
The ceremony opened with a traditional honour song by the Foxtail Singers and musician and filmmaker Craig Commanda, as the graduates sat in a semi-circle around them.
Friends and family cheered on the graduates as they shook hands with individuals in the receiving line and received their commemorative stole. Designed by Kahnawake artist Tammy Beauvais, the stoles bear the Concordia colours and logo along with a feather meant to symbolize the strength, wisdom, power, honour and freedom the students achieved with their diplomas.
As joyful as the ceremony was, several graduates and family members choked down tears as they acknowledged all those who had made sacrifices so they could pursue their post-secondary education.
“It really is bittersweet,” said Wahéhshon Shiann Whitebean, who completed her MA in the Individualized Program in social science and will begin her PhD studies at McGill University this fall.
“I’m excited to meet new people and make new relationships and friends,” she said. “But it’s really hard to leave the comfort of the network and the support system that you have here and start over.”