Volume 48, Issue 6

The Independent Student Newspaper of the University of Toronto Mississauga since 1974

Issue 6 Volume 48

October 18 2021

themedium.ca

COURTESY OF PATEL BROWN GALLERY AND GALERIE HUGUES CHABRONNEAU

Celebrating Indigenous Voices

WORK BY MARIA HUPFIELD, FROM ALPHA TO ALTERNATIVE, 2017

DOWNIE & WENJACK

INDIGENOUS IDENTITY

INDIGENOUS MEDIA

With a new office located in Toronto’s Union Station, the Downie and Wenjack Fund bridges the gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous people through different programs.

With my shiny dark straight hair covering my inquisitive brown eyes, prominent cheekbones, and olive skin, my heritage oftentimes goes unnoticed to the occasional passerby.

As Indigenous voices have often been silenced and dismissed, Indigenous content on social media prevents further erasure of the Indigenous community.

>> read more on page 09

>> read more on page 07

>> read more on page 10

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NEWS

Editor | May Alsaigh news@themedium.ca

A brief history outlining Canada’s oppression towards Indigenous communities Indigenous communities face challenges over the course of several years despite failed efforts by the Canadian government to preserve their rights.

Anjalli Becharbhai Staff Writer

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or several years, Indigenous communities have fallen victim to countless statutes enacted by the Canadian government. Despite efforts to make amends and reconcile with Indigenous people, segregation and systemic racism continue to exist.

The inability of Indigenous peoples to practice their heritage, culture, language, and traditions has been referred to as an act of cultural genocide. As tribute to their rich history, this article will exhibit a number of historical markings.

The Indian Act In 1876, the federal government passed The Indian Act, a law that governs in matters pertaining to Indian status, bands (groups of Aboriginals), and Indian reserves. The document outlines assimilation policies that terminate the cultural, social, economic, and political distinctiveness of Aboriginal peoples by assimilating them into mainstream Canadian life and values.

First Residential School During the 1870s, the first residential school opened with 150,000 attending. These schools were operated by churches and religious organizations. The aim of these schools was to assimilate children into Euro-Canadian culture. At the time, several individuals protested attendance to poor conditions, mistreatment, and the inadequate quality of schooling.

Many children refused to relinquish their languages and identities, some escaped the schools to return home to their families while others died in the process. Nearly 6,000 individuals passed away in these schools.

WILLIAM FADEN

The Adoption Scoop

Revision of The Indian Act

From the 1960s to the 1980s, thousands of children were removed from their families and taken to non-Aboriginal homes where they were raised under new values and belief systems. Many children lost their names, forgot their language, and were abused in these new settings. In 2017, an Ontario judge ruled the failure of the federal government due to the 16,000 Indigenous Ontarians that were separated from their families.

After the Second World War, there was a shift in addressing atrocities. Canada’s commitment to the United Nations’ Universal Declaration of Human Rights led to the revision of the Indian Act. Oppressive sections were taken out to grant Aboriginals with Canadian citizenship status to change from being viewed as a separate isolated and ostracized group. The original document promoted a social and cultural disruption for these communities and committed a major human rights violation.

Potlatch Law In 1884, potlatches were banned by the federal government because of section 141 of the Indian Act. Potlatches are gift giving ceremonies for coastal First Nations in the west to celebrate and distribute wealth within Indigenous communities.

The prohibiting of this tradition was a major roadblock to self-governance for First Nations. Section 141 also made it hard for Indigenous community members to hire legal help to fight for their rights.

The Spirit Sings In 1988, Aboriginal peoples protested The Spirit Sings exhibition. The Lubicon Cree, a Cree First Nation in Northern Alberta, posed a concern with Shell Oil, one of the exhibition’s exclusive corporation sponsor, because the company had destroyed their lifestyle.

Canada Guilty of Genocide In June 2019, the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls found Canada guilty of historic and ongoing genocide against Indigenous women and girls. The violence against and disappearances of Indigenous women and girls demonstrates that the treaties, amendments, and reconciliation act to be ineffective in protecting these women.

White Paper Policy Similarly, in 1969, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau proposed the “white paper” policy to abolish the Indian Act and dismantle the Department of Indian Affairs. This policy effectively lumped Aboriginals in with the rest of Canadian citizens. Indigenous peoples rejected the policy and the government dropped it because First Nations communities believed assimilating into mainstream Canadian society was not the means to achieve equality. They wanted to maintain legal recognition as Indian people to embrace their cultural heritage and secure the right to self-governance.

To this day, the appropriation of cultural artifacts continues to result in conflict.

Several Canadian museums, such as the Lachine Museum in Montreal, display medicine bundles, totem poles, funerary objects, and wampum, which are all considered sacred by Indigenous communities. Museums also house Indigenous human remains.

Countless Indigenous communities continue to live in fear and poor living conditions without receiving adequate protection, which demands greater resources to address issues of violence, segregation, and inequality in all aspects of life.

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The challenges that Indigenous communities are still facing today Dirty drinking water, missing and murdered cases, and expired vaccine doses are issues yet to be addressed by the Canadian government. communities have had to live with for many decades, the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (MMWIG) is another major concern that demands amplified awareness.

Lydia Clarke Rehman Contributor

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ndigenous communities have been subjected to years of colonialism, historical trauma, and systemic racism. Today, various disparities continue to subside within healthcare, education, children’s services, and more that affect the well-being of Indigenous peoples and their communities.

As it currently stands, there are more than 45 long-term boil water advisories in more than 32 Indigenous communities.

While there has been some progress, with the lift of some of these community advisories since 2015, many are still forced to live with a lack of water infrastructure and access to quality water. This results in poor sanitation from contaminated water and also increases the vulnerability to infectious diseases, gastrointestinal issues, poor hygiene, and more.

In regards to this issue, the United Nations states, “Lack of access to safe, sufficient and affordable water, sanitation and hygiene facilities has a devastating effect on the health, dignity, and prosperity of billions of people, and has significant consequences for the realization of other human rights.”

While water inequality is just one of the major issues Indigenous

“Violence occurring today against Indigenous women and girls is systematic and [is] a national crisis that requires urgent, informed and collaborative action.”

Gender-based violence and human rights violations against Indigenous women, girls, and 2SLGBTQQIA peoples is a crisis that has deeply impacted Indigenous communities across Canada. According to Assembly of First Nations, “Violence occurring today against Indigenous women and girls is systematic and [is] a national crisis that requires urgent, informed and collaborative action.”

Statistics reflect that “Indigenous women make up 16 per cent of all female homicide victims, and 11 per cent of missing women, even though Indigenous people make up 4.3 per cent of the population of Canada.”

In addition, healthcare disparities also exist. Members of the Chippewas of Saugeen First Nation in Ontario received expired vaccine doses for a month be-

fore they were notified of the error. Though the expired doses do not pose any health risks, individuals who have received them will require another vaccination.

Earlier this month, UTM’s Women and Gender Equity Centre (WGEC) held an online community event titled “GBW against Indigenous Girls and Women” where they hosted discussions regarding gender-based violence and prevention.

Their primary goal was to promote awareness of disparities that exist as a result of colonialism, poverty, and exclusion.

Lee Maracle is a Stó:lō First Nation woman that was featured as a guest speaker at this event. She shares her perspective on gender-based violence, expropriation of land, the weaponization of health and education, and colonization as the reason for all issues impacting Indigenous peoples.

Lee states, “We are here to understand the consequences of creating relationships without pain, we want to create pain-free relationships with one another. That’s the goal of our journey, as soon as humans figure this out as a whole the sooner we will end war, killing, violence, and violation.”

To this day, Indigenous communities continue to face numerous challenges in Ontario and other parts of Canada which demand greater attention from the Canadian government.

Urbanizations effect on climate change and natural solutions School of Cities invites Dr. Danijela Puric-Mladenovic to discuss potential natural solutions for urban planners and communities within the GTA. Razia Saleh Associate News Editor

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n 2018, Canada produced the tenth most greenhouse gases in the world. Based on Canada’s Climate Change Report, Canada is warming at twice the rate of the global average. Some effects of global warming include drought, flooding, and wildfires. Studies show that the increase of urbanized environments are contributing to global warming.

“Studies show that the increase of urbanized environments are contributing to global warming.”

To mitigate the effects of these natural disasters, low-cost solutions must be implemented and strictly adhered to. Through discussions, research, and projections, the Government of Canada and the University of Toronto will collaborate in combating climate change.

In a discussion with U of T’s School of Cities, Dr. Danijela Puric-Mladenovic, an assistant professor at the Daniels Forestry Faculty, introduces her study on urban lead natural solutions for Canada.

Puric-Mladenovic states that natural climate solutions look at the policies of conservation and their protection management. In her project, climate solutions investigate various ways that urbanized areas can find lowcost solutions to mitigate the effects of climate change. As discussed in the meeting, some of the methods focus on ‘natural measures’ like planting trees and increasing the number of green spaces.

The paper, Natural Solutions of Canada provides a source of reminders about the issue.

“We tend to look at the present [but], natural solutions were in fact used to restore Southern Ontario landscapes in the early 1900s,” Puric Mladenovic mentions.

The degraded land in Southern Ontario was restored by planting trees, and after 116 years it now has similar characteristics as a natural forest. Through observations, this lowcost method has become an effective way of

mitigating the effects of climate change.

One example of this appears on the Government of Canada’s Natural Resources of Canada webpage, where the Greater Sudbury Area has approached the degradation of land in the same way by planting trees. The results were significant in which 50,000 trees were planted and on August 12 the replanting of trees doubled.

Further, Puric-Mladenovic elaborates on the importance of using the land properly, “it’s important to talk about land use plans and we are still developing this way.”

“Still, a forest patch would stand no chance to urban development and [would create] scarp forests.”

“Around the GTA we can still see trees removed so development [can occur]. Still, a forest patch would stand no chance to urban development and [would create] scarp forests.”

Many of the problems with land use plan-

ning are finding ways to create parks from degraded land.

Consequently, the excessive construction of condos in downtown Toronto has made “[land use planners] try to make parks from a railway as an alternative way to save degraded land.” Puric-Mladenovic sees this method as a “bandage approach to the issue [and that] we should have blueprints of green space planning to accommodate everyone’s needs.”

The goal of climate change reform is to create frameworks and policies to ensure actions take place to reduce the damaging effects. For instance, the Pan-Canadian Framework on Clean Growth and Climate Change is an opportunity to work with Indigenous people on a plan that reduces carbon emissions and finds a way to adapt to climate change.

Moving forward, the university and urban planners within the GTA must put these findings into use. Through policies, frameworks, and systematic change, local and nationwide communities in Canada can hope for a brighter and greener future.

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Cyber Security Awareness Month at U of T The Information Security Team holds the annual CSAM campaign to raise awareness of cyber security among the student population and faculty.

Larry Lau Associate News Editor

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or the past decade Cyber Security Awareness Month (CSAM) has hosted annual meetings during October and this year is no exception. The Information Security Team of the Information Technology Services (ITS) at U of T will be holding its Secure Together: 2021 Cyber Security Awareness Month campaign to raise awareness of cybersecurity importance among the student bodies of all three campuses.

In a virtual talk held on October 14, Isaac Straley, chief information security officer at U of T, reviewed the basics of information security along with the current outlook of cybersecurity among the student body.

For most U of T students, phishing emails are not an uncommon issue. Phishing is known as a form of fraud where offenders impersonate other organizations to retrieve an individual’s private information. Straley mentions in his talk that the exact number of compromised user accounts at U of T netted an alarming total of 7611 accounts last year.

Hackers have utilized these compromised accounts to

send out over three million malicious email attacks every single month. Likewise, ransomware attacks have also doubled since last year. All this alludes to the fact that the student body is currently vulnerable to cyberattacks.

Naturally, students are advised to be cautious when dealing with emails. Identifying and ignoring phishing attempts is vital to maintaining cybersecurity. Students should look out for links in emails that imitate authentic sites but on a closer look are clearly misspelled.

Inconsistent formatting and grammar, such as strange spaces and grammatical errors, are also giveaways as professional organizations generally would not make such errors.

Any known compromised accounts should be reported to the ITS so that further actions can be taken.

For students looking to reduce security risks posed by user account logins, the U of T’s multi-factor authentication UTORMFA is one of many services under development to improve security of students’ accounts by adding an extra step to login.

UTORMFA would verify students’ identities through another factor such as their personal mobile devices, thus ensuring only the actual owner may access the account. Stu-

dents will be allowed to opt-in to this service very soon.

While more than half of October has already passed, there remains numerous cybersecurity related events taking place soon.

On October 22, Straley will be holding a virtual talk illuminating the information security sector’s changes over the last decade. However, it is important to note that only U of T staff and faculty may sign up for the event and participate in this 40-minute-long Q&A session.

An event geared toward all U of T students, staff, and faculty is the Secure Together Virtual Panel that will be held on October 26. Students can expect to learn more about cybersecurity by listening to experts’ opinions on the matter, while also having the chance to engage in conversation with experts during the Q&A session. Students can reserve their spots by October 25 on the U of T website.

In addition to joining virtual discussions and presentations students aiming to create a cyber-secure working environment for themselves may visit the Remote Security Matters website. The page has detailed descriptions and useful links about what students can do to safeguard their cybersecurity.

GIORDANAARMAN/WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

Recent TikTok trend results in the rise of vandalism among school properties Teachers and school administrators reprimand students and introduce serious consequences following a viral social media trend.

Colin Chau Contributor

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SCHOOL DROOLS

recent TikTok trend has prompted a rise in the incidence of school property vandalism in primary, middle, and secondary schools across U.S. and Canada—especially, in Ontario. ‘Devious Licks’ is the latest viral trend on social media and is quickly gaining popularity on apps like TikTok, Twitter, and Instagram where students post videos of themselves after stealing or damaging school property.

The trend has gained attention from teachers and law enforcement agencies like the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP).

The OPP has denounced the “mindless” mischievous acts and their occurrence in school bathrooms in Huron County—resulting in significant damage to toilets, bathroom sinks, hand dryers, and soap dispensers.

In public and separate school boards across the nation, the popular TikTok trend has led to a growing number of reported school bathroom closures which, in light of the Covid-19 pandemic, has sparked major health concerns from a hygiene and sanitation perspective as staff and students were unable to wash their hands.

As per the Canada’s Criminal Code, the trend is punishable by law and can result in possible jail time of up to ten years. Educators are encouraging both elementary and high

school students to refrain from recording and uploading videos of themselves destroying and stealing school property to go viral and gain online fame.

Specifically, some social psychologists have suggested that teenagers, especially, are more prone to seeking out activities that award visibility, popularity, and recognition from their peers. Certainly, these experts maintain that receiving digital “likes” or positive online reactions seemingly produces a euphoric emotional response among teens who, due to the coronavirus pandemic, have become isolated because to the shift from in-person to remote classes.

“The trend is punishable by law and can result in possible jail time of up to ten years.”

Furthermore, these psychologists allege that the anonymity afforded by the transition to online learning has emboldened students to act more maliciously and in a less accountable manner than they usually would in a face-to-face environment.

School administrators including principals and superintendents at the Pocatello-Chubbuck School District of Idaho have reviewed CCTV security camera footage in an effort to identify and punish those responsible for vandalizing school property. Consequences include suspension, expulsion, and/ or making students financially liable for subsequent property repairs.

Comparably, the OPP has urged parents to have a oneon-one talk with their children about the long-term implications of performing the ‘Devious Licks’ trend like having a criminal record and, as a result of their online activities, harm done to their reputation. Some school officials at the Grand Erie District School Board which oversees public education in Ontario’s Haldimand, Brant, and Norfolk Counties have indicated that the costly number of school property vandalism repairs have negatively impacted student education by reducing the amount of funding that would otherwise be invested in learning.

The trend comes in light of a new, equally violent TikTok trend seen earlier this month titled the ‘Slap a Teacher challenge’ which encourages students to physically attack and smack their teachers with an open palm. Similar to ‘Devious Licks’, the trend has incited and resulted in acts of vandalism on public property in various Ontario municipalities like the Town of Goderich where a public park’s picnic tables, gazebo, and bathroom were not only defaced with graffiti, but also incurred damage totaling to approximately $3,000.

In a Twitter post, TikTok vowed to moderate searches and remove any content involving these trends as a violation of their Community Guidelines. Likewise, some marketing academics have floated the idea that school boards change existing school policies and student codes of conduct to address the ‘Devious Licks’ trend by either banning the use of smartphones in school bathrooms or classrooms altogether.

MASTHEAD EDITORIAL BOARD Editor-in-Chief Elizabeth Provost editor@themedium.ca Managing Editor Elisa Nguyen managing@themedium.ca News May Alsaigh news@themedium.ca Opinion Aroni Sarkar opinion@themedium.ca Features Ricardo Jaroslav Valdes features@themedium.ca A&E Danica Teng arts@themedium.ca Sports Duaa Nasir sports@themedium.ca Photo Hayden Mak photos@themedium.ca Design Manjot Pabla design@themedium.ca Copy Juliana Stacey juliana@themedium.ca Miguel DaSilva miguel@themedium.ca Social Belicia Chevolleau social@themedium.ca Videographer Nikolas Towsey video@themedium.ca

ASSOCIATES & APPOINTED ROLES Larry Lau, News Razia Saleh, News Kareena Kailass, Opinion Dalainey Gervais, Features Prisha Nuckchady, Features Dellannia Segreti, Sports Gladys Lou, Photo Simrah Siddiqui, Photo Isik Vera Senel, UTMSU Correspondent Julia Skoczypiec, Theatre Erindale Correspondent Robert Bui, Campus Athletics Correspondent Erin Dalaney, Satirist

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OPINION

Editor | Aroni Sarkar opinion@themedium.ca

Recognizing, celebrating, and giving credit to Indigenous inventions Maple syrup, lacrosse, petroleum jelly and the kayak are only a few examples of countless Indigenous creations that have become central to Canadian identity, yet have gone unrecognized.

Haya Abu Ghosh Contributor

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hanksgiving is an annual tradition celebrated by millions of Canadians, commemorating the harvests and blessings given to them over the past year. Canadian culture has colonized Thanksgiving, which was originally a celebration among Indigenous communities. September 30, 2021, the first National Day of the Truth and Reconciliation holiday contradicted the Thanksgiving holiday on October 11. It is vital that Canadians not only recognize the tragedies committed against the Indigenous Peoples, but also acknowledge, appreciate, and give credit to their creations which have permeated into the Canadian lifestyle.

Recently, hundreds of unmarked graves were discovered near residential schools, exposing general Canadian ignorance and a lack of knowledge of the true levels of atrocities committed against Indigenous Peoples. This discovery came after many former students spoke up about several cases of physical, sexual, and mental abuse. Residential schools’ policies removed an estimated 150,000 Indigenous children from their families and communities and practiced cultural genocide by stripping away their culture for assimilation into a Euro-Canadian society. The instructors and staff at residential schools enforced Christian ideologies among the children and forbade them from adopting their Indigenous identities, resulting in a cultural collapse.

For cultural continuity of the Indigenous languages, practices, values, foods, etc., it is vital for future generations to embrace the richness of the Indigenous culture and recognize the pivotal contributions it has made to our livelihoods. There are several notable inventions in various fields like sports, food, and health that Indigenous communities have created that are unnoticed by Canada and the world.

“As Canadian as maple syrup,” the old expression says, since this sweet syrup is a part of the Canadian national identity. Maple

Syrup has been the fabric of Canadian culture, however, many of us probably never realized that maple syrup is actually an Indigenous invention. Indigenous Peoples taught European settlers how to harvest and boil the sap to create maple syrup. This invention is only one of many that have become central to Canadian identity and culture, yet they have gone unacknowledged.

An important Canadian sport, Lacrosse, was also created by the Indigenous Americans, and was originally known as “stickball.”

This sport was initially a religious practice and over the years, developed to become a professional sport in Western society.

The use of petroleum jelly, popularly known as Vaseline, to treat minor skin scrapes and moisturize faces and hands originated from the ideas of First Nations. Additionally, the invention of Spruce gum, a popular herbal treatment for healing deep cuts, sores, and coughs, also stems from Indigenous communities and traditions.

Even certain forms of transportation were invented by the Indigenous people, like the Kayak, which is pronounced “Qayark’.”

This was an invention made by the Inuit Peoples and was initially created by using animal bones, skin, and wood.

Amplifying the voices of Indigenous communities through social media is on the rise. Shina Novalinga, a 22-year-old TikToker from Montreal, Canada uses social media to promote her Inuk culture. Practices such as throat singing and traditional dances are unique aspects of the First Nations lifestyles that, although not normally found in mainstream media, are proudly shared by Novalinga and her mother. Novalinga dresses up in her cultural clothing to bring cultural pride to TikTok. People like Novalinga use their social media platform as a way to embrace their culture—a step forward to educating millions of people globally about the Indigenous culture. It creates a much needed space for people all over the world to recognize their inventions, traditions, and culture. For a community that has suffered countless injustices, recognition for its contributions to Canadian society is a way to honour Indigenous communities’ culture, and start to build a better future.

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DEVON DIVINE/UNSPLASH

Editorial 06

Letter to the Editor:

Why are textbooks still mandatory?

Universities should offer alternative, free methods of enhancing course content.

We owe our Indigenous people more than a paid holiday Dear Vicky,

Aroni Sarkar Opinion Editor

Dear Editor, The Medium

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any universities—including UTM—mandate textbooks and access codes as a part of courses. Students, who already struggle with living costs, tuition, parking, meal plans, and personal expenses can spend up to $2000 on textbooks and additional school supplies per year. This raises the question of why textbooks and access codes are a mandatory part of certain courses to begin with, and why they are sold at excessively high prices.

Textbooks should enhance course content and support learning, not replace it. As students, we pay for a course so that the instructor teaches content to the best of their ability. A textbook should support this journey and elaborate on concepts, but not replace the role of an instructor, as it does in several courses. Any mandatory notes and figures should be freely available for students to access throughout the course.

Quizzes and other methods of enhancing learning should be available on a freely accessible platform—such as Quercus—instead of with the purchase of an access code. There is not a single reason to not do this; it is simply a matter of choice on the part of an instructor. At the very least, access codes should be optional, and students should have the opportunity to earn participation marks another way.

As students and staff alike navigate online learning through the pandemic, we have proved that we can rapidly and successfully shift around a system and adapt it our needs. Textbooks and supplemental materials have been a part of our education system for years, but that isn’t a reason to never change. Textbooks and access codes have their own role in learning, providing supplemental learning, but it should not be an irreplaceable one, nor one that further burdens students financially.

Congratulations to the Mississauga Council and Peel Regional Council for giving themselves another paid holiday—September 30. Instead of taking the day off, it would have been better for them to be in office and have a member of our Indigenous Community spend the day educating them about the residential schools and the problems that Indigenous communities are facing today. Even though there weren’t any residential schools in Mississauga there is much that we need to learn about our past and how the future should look walking together. We are, after all, living on the land of Six Nations. They could learn how to spread information about the people who first lived here and what has happened to them. It would be interesting to see how many people who have the day off actually spend time reflecting on why they have the day off, or if it was used as a long weekend. We owe our Indigenous people so much more.

Signed, Vicky Dorosch

I couldn’t agree more. What good is a public holiday if the entire point of the holiday is missed. If there is one thing that the past few years have made glaringly obvious, it’s the widespread general amnesia of the residential schools and the continuous injustices committed against Indigenous People. It is one thing to simply know that Canada has committed genocide against Indigenous people, and another thing to actually understand it and move towards reconciliation.

Simply hiding behind an orange shirt or sharing hashtags and tweets isn’t enough to educate oneself and our surrounding people on Indigenous history and culture. I think that the mere fact that only federal workers can enjoy the paid holiday, and that those that did take the holiday used it for entertainment rather than reflection, is offensive and disrespectful to the Indigenous community. This should either be a holiday for all, or, it should be a day dedicated to teaching and learning about Indigenous history from Indigenous people, instead of neglecting and ignoring them.

Thank you for writing and sharing your voice.

Aroni Sarkar, Opinion Editor

The epidemic of violence against Indigenous women near man camps Police and the U.S. government have neglected this issue for too long and it is time we put pressure on legislators and political leaders to take action and provide justice.

Ananya Aditya Contributor

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iolent crimes such as sexual assault and murder are 10 times more likely to occur against Indigenous women in certain parts of the United States. Offenders are usually individuals originating from outside the Indigenous community.

A pattern emerged—these attacks usually occurred in rural and remote areas near temporary housing communities for oil workers, also known as “man camps.” The man camps were built on Indigenous lands and the police often dismissed the concerns of those looking for their loved ones, saying that “runaways always come back.”

As more and more women have been harmed near these man camps, the Murdered and Missing Indigenous Women (#MMIW) movement has formed and has been receiving attention from law enforcement officials, legislators, and other authorities, pushing them to find a resolution for this crisis.

In December 2015, Grassroots organisations and efforts pressured the Canadian government to launch a national inquiry

related to this epidemic of violence against Indigenous women.

Similar organizations and movements in the United States also started getting attention, and #MMIW went viral on social media. 55,400 users used the #MMIW hashtag in their tweets and were reposting content related to this crisis in the midst of the inquiry launched by the Canadian government.

MATTHEW TENBRUGGENCATE/UNSPLASH

After the 2016 NIJ Research Report on Violence Against American Indian/Alaska Native Women and Men was published, the United States started paying more attention to this crisis at the federal level. This report included 1542 phone surveys from 2010. The study found that 84 per cent of Indigenous women had been subjected to violence during their lifetime, 67 per cent did not feel safe, and 41 per cent were victims of physical injuries from sexual violence or, from their intimate partners or stalking. With support from this report, it became evident that crimes against Indigenous women were, and continue to be, a prevalent issue in society. No action was being taken to resolve these issues due to neglect and discrimination from governing parties.

In order to reduce the rates of crimes against Indigenous women near these man camps, it is essential to pass legislation relating to this issue. This would benefit MMIW movements and task forces as they would be able to advocate for and find resolutions to this crisis. Indigenous leaders could also host events and participate in marches to raise awareness through the use of social media and other platforms, attracting global attention to, and pressuring authorities in power to take action against crimes targeting Indigenous women.

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Ear to the ground:

A lost Indigenous identity My journey of tracing my ancestry and embracing the Cree traditions, culture, and heritage has shaped who I am today, and who I hope to be in the future.

Paige France Contributor

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ith my shiny dark straight hair covering my inquisitive brown eyes, prominent cheekbones, and olive skin, my heritage oftentimes goes unnoticed to the occasional passerby. To those who know me by name, my surname has always been a source of confusion. It is deceiving, and one that masks my heritage rather well.

While it pales in comparison, it is a similar masking that silenced an entire generation of Aboriginal Peoples. Continually marginalized in the very country they nurtured, their steady assimilation resulted in a loss of lifestyle and identity for generations to come, and for generations that could have been, for people like me.

My Cree native ancestor, Sarah Drinkwater, married an Anglo-Saxon, and was forced to give up my family’s native heritage through complete assimilation to satisfy Canadian societal standards at the time. Living in a society that was unfavourable towards Indigenous Canadians, my family lost their true ancestral identity. I have always been proud to be Cree and as I matured, I have diligently begun to reach out in pursuit of my lost heritage, which has fostered insight and awakened an awareness of the person I am intrinsically connected to.

Whether we are connected personally to the Indigenous community or not, learning about the gross injustice done towards this marginalized population is an ethical dilemma that has not gone unnoticed within high school education.

Being of Cree heritage, I personally feel that the colonial intrusion that occurred in Canada has changed my life, as well as my mindset for what is proper and what is immoral.

It painted a sombre picture of being persecuted in a society that capitalized on their livelihoods for its own advantage.

Canadian society continues to consume resources it does

not own, revealing a facet of mankind that has created a stronghold over the Indigenous population and grips their cultural freedoms and expressions by its talons. It conveys a dark message of cultural disrespect, political ambition, law, and greed, which precludes the ability to pursue equality and find success in a nation that not only steals their resources, prohibiting the prosperity of Indigenous communities, but likewise steals their spirit. This mental image serves as a testament to the belief that Indigenous interests are placed in the hands of those who wish to exploit Indigenous traditions and livelihoods for profit, impacting their identity, culture, as well as spiritual well-being.

The older I get, the more I can feel my ancestry slipping from me. I wear my non-status identity with uncertainty. Is my lineage enough or would my ancestors scoff? My heritage has never been a source of embarrassment, shame, or weakness. It is an insecurity of mine that people view it as ambiguous or uncertain. That Canada saw it as one that had to be masked, trimmed, undressed, and starved.

Perhaps because of my heritage, I interpret hope in the face of uncertainty. With Indigenous interest becoming a more prominent issue, this is reassurance that societal views towards Indigenous Peoples are positively changing for the well-being of the community that faced such a tragic history.

It is hard to ask for forgiveness for losing touch of a culture that you never knew. Perhaps being unable to fathom living the lifestyle your ancestors had tried so desperately to salvage outlines why this forgiveness is just so important. Maybe it is a start. And while forgiveness cannot right the wrongs of the past, author W.T. Jewkes depicts it perfectly—“It takes hope or faith or dreams of a new spring that will come of this winter for man to bother to throw the stones of renewal over his shoulder.” Using the backdrop of the historic arrogance displayed by Canadian society, it takes a bright horizon of hope to forgive the gloomy past. Destruction is not imminent when we can envision a land of solace, salvation, and quiescent reformation.

Letter to the Editor:

Suggesting names for Ryerson University Aroni Sarkar Opinion Editor

Dear Editor, Robert Baldwin and Louis-Hippolyte Lafontaine were the respective heads of a united Canada after the Act of Union in 1840. They created and founded much of what Canada is today—things which we somehow credit Sir John A. One of the many things they founded was the first Canadian University which was not founded by a religious institution. They founded the University of Toronto. I think it would be fitting for Ryerson University to be renamed Baldwin and Lafontaine University.

Signed, Linda Schwey

Dear Linda, Thank you for writing to us and responding to our article on Ryerson University’s name change announcement. Yes, Baldwin and Lafontaine founded the University of Toronto when they set up the public school system.

However, I disagree that Ryerson University (RU) should be named after these two figures. Baldwin and Lafontaine are still colonial figures, regardless of the impact they’ve had through their ‘responsible government’ era and the institutions they have established. The intention behind the decision to change RU’s name comes from the acknowledgement that it is disrespectful to the Indigenous communities considering Ryerson himself was an architect of the brutal residential school system. Renaming the university to honour a different colonial figure is not the appropriate way forward for reconciliation. Students and community groups are working together to offer name suggestions at the moment, and I hope RU decides to implement a name that honours Indigenous Peoples.

Thank you, Aroni Sarkar, Opinion Editor

Rebranding UTM

Sometimes you just need to change your name to fit your true authentic self.

Aya Yafaoui Staff Writer

I

f you’ve been on campus this year, you’ll have noticed that a notable institution at the University of Toronto Mississauga (UTM) has rebranded and changed its name. The University of Toronto Campus Safety Special Constable Service, or Campus Safety for short, has replaced its previous label of Campus Police. The rebrand is meant to make the service more approachable for students and abide by provincial Bill 68, a law that “prohibits special constables from having the word ‘police’ in their name.” The hope is that the name change will symbolize a shift in the expectations and perceptions that surround campus security, while also emphasizing the role that campus safety officers are intended to fulfill. In the spirit of rebranding, I would like to propose new names for certain buildings and groups on campus that I feel better reflect their roles.

I’ll begin with one of UTM’s oldest and most central structures, The William G. Davis building. Now, while naming the building after the former Ontario Premier is nice, I think a more fitting name would be The Patchwork building. If you’ve ever perused the lower-level halls of Davis, then you’ll know that every corner acts as a seam, binding different hallways together, changing bricks, floor materials, wall colours, and locker types. The new “face-lift” that was given to the front of the building also sticks out from the original vibe of the building, making it another element that was stitched on later. Other institutions I can rename are the Student Centre as The Lack of Student Life Centre; the library as the Procrastination Zone, and CCT as The Hallway.

Of course, I can’t leave out prominent student groups on campus. The UTMSU could consider rebranding to the more transparent title of the Embezzlement Society. And as for our very own paper, The Medium, I believe the Local County Fair is an accurate descriptor of how we operate. So, come on down to The Lack of Student Life Centre and enjoy the fun!

Until next time!

Aya Yafaoui

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features

Editor | Ricardo Jaroslav Valdes features@themedium.ca

On yoga as development for Africa After the fall of a once tranquil, cosmopolitan island, the introduction of yoga arrived to restore its beauty.

Paige France Contributor

“P

erhaps you are familiar with the Lion King?” Professor Sarah Hillewaert jokes as she begins her PowerPoint, displaying her latest discoveries to an attentive audience for the first time since the onslaught of the pandemic. As part of the Mississauga Library’s virtual Lecture Me! series, Professor Hillewaert speaks on the recent introduction and widespread development of yoga in the most poverty-stricken areas of Africa.

An associate professor at the University of Toronto Mississauga, Professor Hillewaert is a linguistic anthropologist who studies the intersections of language and youth culture, religion, and globalization. Her latest project expands these interests to include development and humanitarianism in Africa—with a focus on health and wellness. For the last 20 years, her research has highlighted some of the biggest communicational discrepancies throughout Eastern Africa. Lately, she has applied her knowledge to the rise of yoga, which has transformed the Kenyan lifestyle.

In 2001, Professor Hillewaert studied youth language and hip-hop in Nairobi, Kenya’s capital. Seven years later, her focus switched to the Island of Lamu, a predominantly Muslim Island situated on Kenya’s northern edge. Lamu was the centre of the Indian Ocean trade network in the 14th century. In fact, the island was a very successful international port with longstanding connections to Southeast Asia. These influences permeated Swahili culture until the mid-19th century, when the island became marginalized once trade shifted to Zanzi-

bar. This led to decolonization, which caused Kenya to take ownership of Lamu. As trade declined, the main source of income became Western tourism. Even this revenue was not enough to keep the island from facing serious consequences, causing it to stray from its once prosperous roots.

“It became a place where time stood still,” explains Professor Hillewaert of this barren, urban area. Seemingly paradoxical, pictures told the story of a once vibrant town. “What does it mean to be young in a context like this?”

Her book, titled Morality at the Margins: Youth, Language, and Island in Coastal Kenya, Professor Hillewaert explores this economic termination, and the landscape that no longer contributes to the success of local youth. She searched for ways that allowed the youth of Lamu to maintain respect for their cultural and religious values, while also negotiating a future for themselves. Ten years later, follow-up research showed heightened interest in yoga. Yoga retreats and festivals—primarily targeted to tourists vacationing at Lamu’s wealthy neighbouring village of Shela—had gained prosperity in the mid-70s due to the Peponi Hotel, a popular attraction situated in the Indian Ocean off the North Kenyan coast.

While Kenya has long been a safari destination, yoga is shifting its reputation as the wellness destination of Africa.

According to the Global Wellness Institute, the wellness tourism market will represent 18 per cent of all global tourism by 2022. While wellness destinations were previously linked to luxurious spa retreats, tourism studies now describe wellness as a more integrative phenomenon, where spiritual dimension is just as important as the physical one.

Professor Hillewaert speaks on how her friend Monika Fauth, a yoga teacher and initiator of the Lamu Yoga Festival, spearheaded her own research. Given the natural heal-

ing process that yoga elicits, it was Fauth’s dream to turn the island into the “Bali of Africa.” In 2007, she opened a yoga studio at a boutique hotel and wellness centre called Banana House. She also became an Art of Living teacher and a Sri Sri yoga instructor. The community praises her work as Muslim children who suffer from poverty have shown increased selfesteem and confidence through the practice of yoga.

Fauth believes that the gift of yoga offers Kenyan children an escape from their daily struggles and gives them a newfound purpose in life. But she isn’t the only advocate of yoga in Lamu. Paige Elenson is the co-founder and executive director of the Africa Yoga Project (AYP), a movement that empowers the Kenyan youth to “learn, contribute, and change their lives through the transformative power of yoga.”

The initiative offers classes in the most underprivileged communities of Nairobi and trains children to teach yoga to their communities. This spreads wellness awareness and provides Kenyan children with a sustainable income. The AYP has already shown much promise.

By tapping into the wellness trend with its authentic learning experiences, Lamu has been given the opportunity to revitalize its economy—aiding in the prosperity of its land after decades of financial decay. The customs throughout Africa are facing major restructuring, most definitely for the better.

With sweating once being regarded as a sign of lower status, these communities have adopted a more positive outlook.

Wholeness and unity are integral to Kenya’s diverse landscape; they add value to the tourist experience while resurrecting the country’s lands. Professor Hillewaert emphasizes the importance of further research into the project’s benefits.

She believes that the project could be catalytic for transforming Kenya’s youth through teaching, leading, and sharing.

The 2021 Snider Lecture: It’s time to restore humanity’s relationship with the natural world Robin Wall Kimmerer discusses the importance of healing our land through an Indigenous lens.

Nadya Suadi Contributor

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UTM SNIDER LECTURE

n October 4, Robin Wall Kimmerer presented her talk titled “Restoration and Reciprocity” at the annual University of Toronto Mississauga (UTM) Snider Lecture—an event aimed to enrich the intellectual and cultural life of the community. In her presentation, Kimmerer discusses the importance of restoring nature’s wellbeing and our relationship with the environment.

Kimmerer is a writer, a distinguished professor of environmental

biology at the State University of New York, and the founder of the Centre for Native Peoples and the Environment. Her books Gathering Moss: A Natural and Cultural History of Mosses and Braiding Sweetgrass have gained numerous appraisals for exceptional nature writing. She is also a member of the Citizen Potawatomi Nation, a federally recognized government that represents more than 37,000 tribal members.

She prefaces the lecture by reminding us that we keep on asking “what more can we take from the Earth?” instead of “what does the Earth ask of us?” >> Snider continues on page 09

09 >> Snider continued from page 08

Kimmerer explains that through the human exceptionalism mindset, we tend to view land as a commodity—rather than a sustainer, a moral responsibility, a source of knowledge, a healer, and most importantly, a home. She emphasizes the need for wisdom outside of the Western peripheral.

In the Indigenous paradigm, learning stems from many different sources, one of which is plants. In Indigenous lessons, plants are the oldest teachers as they can take light, water, and air to nourish themselves. They later give these elements away for other beings to consume. Plants are the largest and most powerful of our relatives; they tell us stories through their actions rather than words.

We often see solutions to climate change aligned with the development of new technologies, as opposed to nature-based solutions. Kimmerer takes the example of Richard

Branson’s Virgin Earth Challenge, where engineers are challenged to design technology that extracts and deposits the carbon in our atmosphere with a reward of $25 million. Kimmerer states that we do not need new technology to eliminate carbon when forests have been doing that for us all along. “[Forests] generate oxygen, build soil, protect biodiversity, and purify water at the same time,” she explains.

“They make us happy and peaceful. [Plants] don’t ruin the land, they heal the land.”

While Kimmerer invites us to align our thinking with plants and join the movement to “keep it in the ground,” it is not to say that nature can do its work alone. She explains that plants have become more futile, with less nutrients and water due to climate change: “We have crippled the plants’ ability to do their jobs, which is why they need our help.” Kimmerer suggests that nature-based solutions to halting climate change must be as strong as technology-based solutions. She refers to biomimicry, a technological approach that focuses on implementing nature’s practices.

To strive for a sustainable future, Kimmerer argues that we need a change in the system.

“The average American can recognize 100 different corporate logos but can only recognize ten types of plants,” she states. “It is no surprise that we live in a society where corporations are granted rights of personhood, but living beings are not.” She emphasizes that “knowing the beings with whom we share the [planet] with is a pathway to recognition to the world as a precious gift.”

Kimmerer ends the lecture with a story of hope and courage in times of crisis. First hearing it from Tom Porter, a Haudenosaunee Elder, the story follows the conflict between the twin grandsons of Sky Woman—the Indigenous mother goddess that descended from the sky to play an important role in the creation of the Earth—and all living beings. Sky Woman represents the forces of creation and destruction, as they decide on the future of the world through the “peach stone game.”

In the peach stone game, players use a set of “stones” (often peach pits), where one side of

the seed is painted white and the other black.

The stone is then put in a bowl to be shaken and thrown in the air. The winner is determined if all the seeds come up with the same color. If all the stones come up black, destruction will rule the Earth. If all the stones come up white, the world continues to thrive under “the generous hand of creation.”

One by one, the stones landed back in the bowl, and each of them came up black. All the creations, as narrated by Kimmerer, “the trees, the berries, the grasses, the four legged, the many legged, the no legged” held in their breath as the last seed made its way down to the bowl. They used their voices to shout so loud that it overruled human foolishness and turned the last stone white.

As Kimmerer puts it, “it was the mighty shout of creation that saved the beautiful world. But we gamble again with the fate of the Earth. All this time they have stood for us, and we have paid them with betrayal and silence as destruction reigned. Now, it is we as humans who must give the mighty shout.”

DOWNIE WENJACK FOUNDATION

The Downie and Wenjack Fund: How the story of a little boy who fled a residential school sparked a movement The fund is inspired by Chanie Wenjack’s story and Gord Downie’s legacy to build a better Canada.

Dalainey Gervais Features Associate Editor

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n the cold October weather of 1966, 12-year-old Chanie Wenjack was found deceased along the Canadian National Rail tracks in Farlane, Ontario. After having escaped from the former Cecilia Jeffrey Indian Residential School, which he attended for three years, Wenjack attempted to walk 600 kilometres from Kenora to Ogiki Post to reunite with his family.

Unfortunately, Chanie is one of the 150,000 Indigenous children that were forced into residential schools over the span of 150 years in Canada. A form of re-education system in Canada, residential schools were government-funded and church-run institutions. Residential schools are one of Canada’s many means of cultural genocide targeting Indigenous Peoples. It is part of the country’s dark history—one that we haven’t been willing to shine a light on for a long time.

Mike Downie is one of the co-founders of the Downie and Wenjack Fund, which aims to bridge the gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous people, alongside his late brother Gord Downie. In 2012, Mike was driving while listening to the radio when a short radio documentary by CBC reporter Jody Porter came on. The documentary told the story of a little boy running away from his residential school. “At the time, I had never heard of residential schools,” he recalls. “That was the start of my extensive research on the topic.”

Having previously worked as an economist in Toronto, Mike changed his career path after being inspired by his brother’s early success as lead vocalist for The Tragically Hip, a rock band based out of Kingston, Ontario. “It made my office downtown seem a little small,” says Mike while reflecting on the band’s tours during their early years. Now, he is an award-winning

documentary filmmaker, having co-founded a production company under the name of Edgarland Films.

A few days after being introduced to Chanie’s story, Mike presented his brother Gord with a printed copy of “The Lonely Death of Chanie Wenjack,” a 1967 article published in Maclean’s magazine. “We always thought about doing a film together. I showed him this article, and over that lunch we decided we would reach out to the Wenjack family,” shares Mike.

Over the next few months, Gord wrote poems that told the story of Chanie’s journey. Soon after, the Downie brothers recorded and released their studio album titled Secret Path.

“From there we went to [graphic novelist] Jeff Lemire, who came up with ten chapters to accompany Gord’s ten songs. That evolved into the graphic novel and animated film,” adds Mike.

It took a long time to conceptualize the project: the original idea was pitched in 2012, and the project was released in 2016.

“The original announcement of Secret Path was pretty big, and people were really curious about what Gord was going to do next,” says Mike. In 2015, Gord was diagnosed with an invasive brain tumour. He later announced a farewell tour for The Tragically Hip and the Secret Path project. “We wanted to create something during this time of intense attention that will last longer and keep the conversation going. That’s where the idea of the Downie and Wenjack Fund came in,” states Mike.

With a new office located in Toronto’s Union Station, the Downie and Wenjack Fund bridges the gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous people through different programs.

“Primarily through our legacy schools and legacy spaces,” explains Mike. With approximately 4,000 legacy schools, the Downie and Wenjack Fund helps bring “reconciliACTION”: a form of meaningful actions such as development and fundraising to support awareness and appreciation of Indigenous cultures and traditions. These are brought into classrooms by providing resources and support to those in need. “There’s a fear of doing the wrong thing or saying the wrong thing, so we

want to help guide these conversations in classrooms,” he says.

The fund also offers an Artist Ambassador Program, where Canadian musicians, artists, and performers go into legacy schools to perform for the students. The Legacy Spaces program provides a safe and welcoming place of awareness on Indigenous history and the journey of reconciliation.

Every year, the Downie and Wenjack Fund hosts the Secret Path Week from October 17 to the October 22. The Secret Path Week is an event that commemorates the days that Gord Downie and Chanie Wenjack passed onto the spirit world.

Along with school visits and film screenings by the Downie and Wenjack team, the event is also an opportunity for legacy schools and others in the community to participate in the Walk for Wenjack.

Often, legacy schools add up the mileage that students walk around the school field or the block to sum to 600 km—the distance that Chanie Wenjack tried to walk to get home. “The walk gives people a time to meditate on what it would have been like for a 12-year-old boy walking in the cold of northern Ontario and put [themselves] in the shoes of an Indigenous child,” adds Mike.

In 2016, Mike and a few others started the Walk for Wenjack at the former site of the Cecilia Jeffery Indian Residential School. They recreated the path that Chanie took in 1966 that led to the train tracks. Although the walk did not continue onto the tracks like Chanie’s walk did, it was an opportunity to experience some of his journey. “We went with the Wenjack sisters,” concludes Downie. “It was a really emotional time.”

Chanie Wenjack’s story reminds all Canadians that reconciliation must begin with sharing the truth. The Secret Path animation and album is available on all streaming services. To learn more about how to participate in “reconciliACTION” in your community, or learn more about the Downie and Wenjack Fund, please visit their website at www.downiewenjack.ca.

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Arts

Editor | Danica Teng arts@themedium.ca

Indigenous influencers put a spotlight on culture Social media has become the modern outlet of storytelling for creators like @Shinanova to share Indigenous traditions and issues.

Shruti Kamath Contributor

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ocial media has evolved from a convenient place to share pictures with your friends into a vast resource of information. It allows anyone to create a strong social media presence and develop a platform that represents their beliefs.

This has led to the rise of popular Indigenous content creators who use their platforms to gen-

erously share and provide an honest, essential representation of Indigenous culture.

Indigenous culture has a history of misrepresentation in media, which has developed a habit of conforming to stereotypes instead of conducting proper research for an accurate portrayal. People in Indigenous communities need to see themselves represented in media and acknowledged by society. As Michelle Chubb, known as @indigenous_baddie on Instagram, writes: “When I was [a] little girl, I always wondered why there weren’t people who looked like me on billboards, TV, you name it.

I’m so grateful that the younger generation can […] see someone who looks like them and know that it’s possible to achieve their dreams, too.”

Indigenous influencers choose to use

their platforms to educate others about their culture. Shina Novalinga, known as @shinanova on Instagram, is popular for sharing Inuit traditions—such as throat singing— with her four million followers. She addresses misconceptions, discusses Inuit legends, and wears traditional Inuit clothing in her posts. Novalinga uses her influence to promote other Inuit artists as well. Her popular throat singing videos have led to an album release with her mother. When announcing her album, which was developed with a team of Inuit creators, Novalinga shared on Instagram that she was “so happy to be able to keep [their] traditions alive through traditional songs […] [and they] are taking [their] power back and showing [us] how beautiful throat singing is.”

While sharing important traditions, Indigenous content creators also use the accessibility of social media to raise awareness and advocate for pressing issues that affect Indigenous communities. James Jones, found as @notoriouscree on Instagram, is widely known for his traditional hoop dancing. He consistently uses his platform to discuss the effects of residential schools and colonization, the negative implications of Canada Day, food insecurity, and other

concerns for Indigenous Peoples.

Chubb, Novalinga, and Jones all bring attention to the difficulties that the Indigenous community face. They also work to share resources that provide more details on these issues and have openly supported many charities that aid the Indigenous community, including other Indigenous artists, organizations, and businesses.

As Indigenous voices have often been silenced and dismissed, Indigenous content on social media prevents further erasure of the Indigenous community. The systemic abuse that Indigenous Peoples face is finally being recognized through their advocation.

These influencers highlight Indigenous contributions and share beautiful traditions with millions of people across the world— people who may not have access to this knowledge otherwise.

It is important to support the efforts of Indigenous influencers who educate and encourage others to take part in vital conversations while working to preserve their culture. In Jones’ words, “we are still here, we are still practicing our way of life, and our next generation will speak their language, they’ll dance, sing, and uphold all their traditions with pride.”

Observing oral tradition in Indigenous communities While the art of storytelling to preserve and transmit culture may change, its significance remains the same.

Ananya Aditya Contributor

T

he most common way of observing oral tradition in Indigenous communities is through the art of storytelling.

Through oral tradition, the Elders—older members of the community—pass down legends and history to future generations.

Traditional Indigenous stories have a different structure than European fairy tales because they do not have any real beginning, middle, or end. Stories told by the Elders are often ongoing and can be continued over a long period of time, ensuring that the stories have many layers which allow for unique interpretations. Usually, these stories are tailored to suit the age group of their audience and impart relevant life lessons.

The spiritual obligation of the Indigenous community to their Creator often ties into the stories that are passed down—

including how certain creatures, like the werewolf, were created. Storytelling and these oral records keep Indigenous cosmologies and aspects of their culture alive, like how stories told by the Métis have a spiritual aspect to them and are influenced by their ancestral cultures (Cree and Ojibwa). Within Indigenous communities, there are also stories for specific occasions, such as prayer offerings and expressions of gratitude. A few tales are considered sacred and told only to select people in the community.

While oral tradition preserves many aspects of Indigenous culture, it also significantly contributes to accurately portraying kinships and genealogy within the community. Oral records describing kinships and relationships are paramount for preventing marriage among close relatives. It was often the duty of the older women in the community to ensure that younger generations were aware of kinships.

More recently, storytelling has become essential for the survival of Indigenous communities. Elders tell stories about where food can be found, how to prepare and consume food, and how to harvest certain crops during the year; this knowl-

edge is beneficial for the survival of younger generations and their families. In modern times, the Indigenous oral tradition remains prevalent. However, their stories are now presented through print media—such as novels, poetry, films, and artworks. While the storytelling tradition has also been affected by societal pressure and assimilation of Indigenous cultures, not every aspect of Indigenous culture has been catalogued; stories told by Elders still play an essential role in imparting knowledge and lessons to younger generations in the community.

Even though storytelling in Western cultures is considered mostly “make-believe,” Indigenous communities use stories to express their view of the world. These stories are not fictional but serve as allegories to how the Elders in different communities view the world around them. The value of these stories should not be lessened by the assumption that they are myths or based on superstitions. These stories are often based on facts and have an underlying truth. There is significance in the oral tradition and the storytelling aspect of Indigenous cultures, as these stories are shared for the good of the community.

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Looking at the Canadian film scene through an Indigenous lens Indigenous filmmakers incorporate the realities of their experience to share stories that need to be heard.

F NATIONAL FILM BOARD OF CANADA

Hana Khan Contributor

or a long time, white filmmakers and their stories dominated the Canadian film scene. However, as the industry evolves, a change in storytellers continuously shows why diversity is essential. Within the Canadian film scene, Indigenous contributions are especially important and add to the diversity of filmmakers, allowing them to share their own experiences.

One Indigenous director and producer, Alethea ArnaquqBaril, creates films about Inuit life and culture. Her documentary, Angry Inuk, reveals how seal-hunting protesters have impacted Inuit communities. Arnaquq-Baril takes an empathetic stance on exploring Inuit culture, leading a positive change in how others view and understand Inuit traditions.

Kawennahere Devery Jacobs is another Indigenous filmmaker who uses her role as a distinguished Mohawk actress and model to create films like Stolen. Stolen brings light to the thousands of Indigenous women and girls who go missing. Like ArnaquqBaril, Jacobs’ films are moving pieces of art that bring awareness

to the unique challenges that the Indigenous community faces, specifically Indigenous women.

Events like the Sundance Film Festival allow Indigenous creators to highlight how the effects of colonization have rippled throughout Indigenous communities, as well as how colonization impacts other communities In addition to Arnaquq-Baril and Jacobs, many other Indigenous filmmakers focus their efforts on the power of self-representation and on-screen representation in film—including choosing the right cast to represent their stories.

Authentic casting and storytelling allow Indigenous communities to be heard and tell the stories of those who struggle the most. For many Indigenous filmmakers, storytelling is an integral part of their childhoods, and this aspect of their lives can translate beautifully into a filmmaking career. They merge their talents for storytelling with their various experiences to create art.

Green Grass, Running Water: A Compelling Conversation on Indigenous Issues in Canada Thomas King masks his novel with charming comedy only to reveal the mistreatment of Indigenous communities.

Kaitlyn Matthews Contributor

H

umour is undoubtedly one of the best ways to grip an audience and drive a difficult message home. Cherokee author Thomas King does just that in his 1993 novel Green Grass, Running Water—a wonderful tale woven with sharp satire, memorable characters, and subtle wit while addressing the unsettling realities of Indigenous Peoples’ experiences in Canada.

This saga follows a group of Indigenous characters from the Canadian prairie town of Blossom. Eli is a literature professor who spent 20 years away from the Blackfoot reserve, and Latisha is a restaurant owner and divorced mother of three. Alberta is a university professor who wants children without having to choose between her lovers: Lionel, a conflicted television salesman, and Lionel’s cousin, Charlie. The paths of these characters, alongside various others, converge as they head to the reserve for the Sun Dance. On their way, they meet four Indigenous elders, who recently escaped from a mental institution and alter the course of the characters’ lives.

King also blends these present-day plotlines with traditional folklore. Coyote, a trickster figure from Indigenous culture, and each of the elders narrate an Indigenous creation story in which they encounter figures from the Bible and Western literature. King satirizes these European stories by reimagining characters like Moby-Dick as the friendly female whale “Moby-Jane” or Adam and Eve as “Ahdamn” and “First Woman.” By reinterpreting these familiar, iconic tales, King disrupts the Eurocentric worldview, poking fun at the glorified pedestal on which Western culture and religion continue to stand. As a result, the novel highlights diverse

THOMAS KING/GOODREADS

perspectives and identities.

Saturated with spiritual, literary, and traditional references, the story can be confusing at times without sufficient historical knowledge. Nevertheless, it is accessible and engaging. King’s prose is alive with tireless comedy and is

structured with brief snapshots or clips, dipping in and out of various plotlines. The dialogue between characters unravels, dangles, and wanders through the pages as multiple narratives layer on top of one another. This ambiguity seems intentional—King blurs the divide between the past and present, reality and myth, or men and women. King’s deceptively simple style—fused by dialogue and storytelling—allows the novel to become an open, realistic conversation.

By using satire, King builds a layer of uncomfortable tension beneath the comedic surface. As one of Canada’s most critically acclaimed authors, King addresses many disturbing injustices Indigenous Peoples continue to face in Canada, such as lower unemployment rates, poor health care, cultural annihilation, and treaty rights (among many others). He also paints a broader picture of finding one’s identity—the balance between tradition and modernity, as well as the conflict between white and Indigenous culture.

As readers laugh, King leaves an uncomfortable aftertaste and uneasiness deep in the heart as they realize these issues are humourless, everyday realities—a nod to the powerful effect of comedy. The title references the government’s ironic promise to give the Indigenous Peoples’ rights over their land as long as the grass is green, and the waters run. Nearly two decades after its publication, a line from the novel startlingly echoes the attitude of Canadian government towards Indigenous populations today: “Who’d of guessed that there would still be Indians kicking around in the twentieth century?”

Fueled by oral and written storytelling, King’s satirical exploration of society, culture, and history is original and enduring, with characters who linger in readers’ memories long after the last page. Hilarious, wild, and provoking, Green Grass, Running Water is truly a novel to be read—and then reread.

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sports & health

Editor | Duaa Nasir sports@themedium.ca

Indigenous perspectives on health practices Indigenous practices offer a different way of approaching health.

Dellannia Segreti Associate Sports & Health Editor

I

ndigenous medicine does not have one standard–just as there is not one Indigenous community.

The Medium spoke to Kaitlin Rizarri, who currently holds a research assistant position at the Indigenous Creation Studio, a drop-in space and hub. Rizarri is of Filipina, Mi'kmaw, and mixed European descent.

UTM is based on the land of the Huron-Wendat, the Seneca, and the Mississaugas of the Credit. When speaking with Rizarri, she noted that questions she answered was informed by Anishinaabe, Haudenosaunee, Mi'kmaq and Filipino teachings she recieved from community and teachers.

Indigenous medicine does not refer to one homogeneous Indigenous medicine.

She says that Indigenous medicine does not refer to one homogeneous Indigenous medicine. Just as there are hundreds of diverse Indigenous communities within Turtle Island (known as North America) there is an abundance of medicine practices relating to health, each unique to communities and Nations.

Rizarri shared that many could be similar in ways of practices, but this does not mean that all Indigenous communities understand health the same way.

Indigenous medicines are rooted in cultural specific paradigms of seeing the world around us. Additionally, Rizarri ex-

plains that Indigenous medicines have been refined for thousands of years before Western medicine came along, and thus in this capacity have a robust scope to what they can offer.

One of the biggest differences is that Indigenous medicines recognize a holistic view to both physical and mental health, including spiritual, cultural, and communal aspects. Further, these elements are interdependent on one another.

An example Rizarri shared of Indigenous medicine is the impact of community and connection. Medicine can range from traditional foods, receiving good stories and laughter, and plant medicines for specific uses—all of which are rooted in good relationship to one another, and to non-human life around us.

Western medicine paradigms can learn from Indigenous medicines by recognizing that wellbeing and physical health are dependent on a good relationship to the land. This includes honouring Indigenous Sovereignty and listening to Indigenous Peoples who have intimate understandings of their traditional territories.

Western medicine paradigms can learn from Indigenous medicines by recognizing that wellbeing and physical health are dependent on a good relationship to the land.

Rizarri is excited to see Indigenous-led gardens in Toronto, including the one coming to fruition at UTM. If you are interested in learning more about the Indigenous Creation Studio, visit the Indigenous Centre’s website.

WEEKLY EXERCISE SERIES: Cycling Cycling proven to improve students’ psychological and physical health.

Shreya Joshi Contributor

I

t’s no secret that the first year of university is difficult and many struggle to acclimate to the added stress of balancing their schoolwork, social lives, and possibly part-time jobs. Many students, as they leave their routine high school lives behind, are unable to incorporate a regular exercise regimen when faced with these challenges. At the University of Toronto Mississauga (UTM), a group of first-year students have taken up cycling to improve their physical and mental health.

Sammy, a first-year science student, shares his experience with cycling and explains how he got involved in this hobby over the past year: “It was a good exercise. Especially when most dreams were put on hold, all you could do was run or follow workout videos,” he says. “There was not much motivation needed to simply move your arms and

legs.” Sammy goes on to state that he enjoys “taking in scenery” and that cycling “encouraged him to go out more.”

Similarly, Aary, a first-year management student, says that he’s been cycling for years. Aary states, “Cycling keeps me fit by increasing my muscle endurance.

It is also a good daily exercise because it isn’t very hard to do.” When questioned about the mental benefits of this exercise, Aary went on to say, “It clears the mind by helping you focus on concentrating as you pedal.”

Both Sammy and Aary’s sentiments are mirrored by the fact that cycling has proven physical benefits. According to Andrew Bellerby, the Recreation, Athletics and Wellness Centre (RAWC) fitness program coordinator at UTM, cycling is a “great way to improve one’s health and cardiorespiratory fitness.” Bellerby states that cycling boosts body composition, bone health, builds muscle around the thighs and the arms, and even increases aerobic capacity.

In addition, cycling is a time-efficient form of exercise known to improve fitness by increasing strength and stamina.

Compared to a high-impact sport such as running, cycling is a non-impact activity which is especially helpful for people who struggle to run due to joint pain and can

be done at either a high or low intensity.

Aside from the material aspects, cycling is known to reduce stress and anxiety levels along with increasing productivity. According to a 2018 survey, those who cycle are, on average, more productive and are less likely to take leaves of absence for health-related reasons. Furthermore, levels of depression are 25 per cent lower among cyclists. Moreover, 20 per cent of the cyclists involved in this study reported a 20 per cent score of high life satisfaction as opposed to their counterparts who only reported 15 per cent.

The RAWC offers numerous options for indoor cycling. The Fitness Centre, located on level one of the RAWC offers an array of bikes to choose from including spin bikes, upright bikes, and recumbent bikes. Personal trainers are employed to assist students in finding the bike which best fits them and making the most out of the cycling experience.

As part of the Group Fitness program, there are weekly cycling classes such as Indoor Cycling on Tuesdays from 8:15-9 a.m. and Wednesdays from 5-5:45 p.m., along with Cycle Fusion on Fridays from 12-12:45 p.m. In addition, the MoveU Consult & 3x30 Personal Training is offered for students who want to work out, but don’t know how to start.