CHANCELLOR’S AND PRESIDENT’S REGALIA

In the fall of 2022, in consultation with members of the Indigenous community at UM and a committee led by Catherine Cook, Vice-President Indigenous, new academic regalia were commissioned for the Chancellor and the President. The new robe designs honour the first peoples of these lands, demonstrating UM’s commitment to Reconciliation and supporting a graduation experience that feels more welcoming for Indigenous students.

Jacqueline “Jackie” Traverse, a UM alum and Ojibway woman from the Lake St. Martin First Nation, developed the designs in partnership with beader Shannon Denney-Edwards and robe fabricator Beverli Barnes. An accomplished multi-media artist, Ms. Traverse draws her inspiration from her culture and her experiences as an Indigenous woman living in Winnipeg.

The robes are constructed of black silk and employ gold piping as a nod to the design the President and Chancellor have worn to date, which were modeled after the University of Oxford’s academic dress. On these re-imagined gowns, motifs have been applied through a combination of embroidery and traditional beading using gold accents. Ms. Traverse explains how each aspect has a deeper meaning:

“The crocuses represent Manitoba and give us our sense of place. The use of the white, yellow, black and red represent the four nations. The use of red and orange represent the missing Indigenous women and children. The roots symbolize our connections to this institution and to one another.”

The robes will be worn for the first time at Spring Convocation 2023.