About
On June 21, and every day, members of the University of Saskatchewan (USask) community can learn about Indigenization, decolonization, and the history of Indigenous Peoples and cultures through the OVPIE website and the University Library’s I-Portal: Indigenous Studies Portal.
Loading...
President's Message
Every year on June 21, National Indigenous Peoples Day, we celebrate and honour the unique cultures and contributions of Indigenous peoples, and acknowledge the continuing challenges faced by First Nations, Métis and Inuit communities.
For the University of Saskatchewan (USask), this is a time to reflect and re-commit – as individuals and as an institution – as we reaffirm our shared responsibility to uplift Indigenization and to advance transformative decolonization leading to reconciliation. USask is dedicated to embracing the spirit of manācihitowin (Cree for “Let us respect each other”) and is working to create collaborative and reciprocal relationships and progressive partnerships with Indigenous peoples, both on our campuses and in the communities we serve.
On National Indigenous Peoples Day and throughout National Indigenous History Month, we encourage all members of the university community to take the time to learn more about the diversity of Indigenous communities, cultures, and languages, and the heritage and history of Treaty 6 Territory and the homeland of the Métis. It is important to educate ourselves about the ongoing impacts of colonialism, to honour residential school survivors, and to remember those who never returned from residential schools.
On the summer solstice, we invite you to take part in events being held in the Saskatoon area on June 21, beginning with the Rock Your Roots: Walk for Reconciliation at Victoria Park, as well as National Indigenous Peoples Day activities at Remai Modern and the National Indigenous Peoples Day Celebrations at Wanuskewin. We also welcome you to learn more online by visiting the USask news page and Office of the Vice-Provost Indigenous Engagement website as well as the University Library’s Indigenous Studies Portal and National Indigenous History Month Research Guide.
We are committed to embedding Indigenous ways of knowing and being into our research, scholarly and artistic work, and dedicated to continuing the conversation, to listening, and to engaging in constructive dialogue. We must always acknowledge the past in order to change the future, as we strive to be the best place we can possibly be with and for all Indigenous students, staff, faculty, alumni, and their communities.
Peter Stoicheff
President and Vice-Chancellor
University of Saskatchewan
Events
On June 21, events to honour National Indigenous Peoples Day will be held in and around Saskatoon. These events include:
Rock Your Roots
Location: Victoria Park, Saskatoon
Time: Begins at 10 AM CST with walk to begin at 10:30 AM CST, followed by afternoon events
Wanuskewin National Indigenous Peoples Day celebrations
Location: Wanuskewin
Time: Full-day event. More information can be found at the link above.
Location: Remai Modern, Saskatoon
Time: 10 AM-7 PM CST
Indigenization and reconciliation at USask
Together, we are uplifting Indigenization to a place of prominence at the University of Saskatchewan.
At USask, the Office of the Vice-Provost Indigenous Engagement (OVPIE) works to uplift Indigenization by advancing initiatives and strategies that promote Indigenous Knowledges and support reconciliation and decolonization. USask’s Indigenous Strategy—ohpahotân | oohpaahotaan “Let’s Fly Up Together”—is the first Indigenous Strategy solely created by Indigenous people at a Canadian U15 research institution. In April 2024, the ohpahotân | oohpaahotaan report detailing the work taking place across campus and capturing where USask is in the process of stewarding the plan is now available on the OVPIE website.
To support USask's vision to be an outstanding institution of research, learning, knowledge-keeping, reconciliation, and inclusion with and by Indigenous peoples and communities the University Plan 2025 weaves USask’s commitment to Indigenization and reconciliation throughout its many goals.
Learning and resources
The USask University Library features a guide dedicated to National Indigenous History Month and highlights the resources offered at the library that focus on the accomplishments and experiences of the Indigenous community. In this guide, we invite you to read, watch, listen to, participate in, or actively learn about why this month is so important.
The research guide and library displays were created by staff at the Education & Music, Science, Health Sciences, Law and Murray libraries.