Congress 2021 blog edition
It began with a territorial acknowledgment, a reflection on our role in truth and reconciliation, the burning of sweetgrass, and a song. The opening ceremony of Congress 2021 promised a strong commitment to its Northern Relations theme this year, which was developed by the University of Alberta in collaboration with the Federation, Indigenous students, scholars, leaders and Elders, and northern partners including Yukon University.
Florence Glanfield, member of the Métis Nation of Alberta and Vice-Provost (Indigenous Programming and Research) at the University of Alberta, welcomed attendees to the virtual conference and invited forth Indigenous Knowledge Holders, Dr. and Elder Francis Whiskeyjack, Elsey Gauthier and Edna Elias to lead in ceremonial teachings.
The teachings asked attendees to be attentive to the relationships they build at the conference. Whiskeyjack explained their welcome “has to do a lot with our connection to one another as human beings.” At this conference, attendees will be kind to one another, will keep an open mind, and will be open to learning what people are offering in academia. The teachings also stressed the importance of learning what we can of our own cultures and where we came from.
Edna Elias, Inuit Knowledge holder from Nunavut, illustrated this point when she lit a qulliq, a traditional Inuit lamp, to mark the ceremony. Elias explained how the traditional use of the lamp is being reclaimed by Inuit women after many years. She echoed the spirit of this year’s Congress, saying “Inuit were, and are still, in constant relations with their environment, our universe, and our spiritual world.”
Words of welcome
Michael DeGagné, Chair-elect of the Federation Board of Directors, expressed his gratitude to the attendees and Elders. Bill Flanagan, President of this year’s partner institution, the University of Alberta, said the university is “thrilled to play a part in staging vital conversations” about northern relations, anti-Black racism and decolonization.
Aspirations for Congress 2021
The ceremony concluded with a montage of University of Alberta scholars describing what they hope to see at Congress 2021:
- Going virtual means a lot for accessibility. Let’s let disability continue to positively disrupt how we do things.
- “In the North, parents eat once so their kids can eat three times in a day.” Congress is a time where we can put attention and compassion towards food scarce conditions northern communities face.
- Congress will lead us to reflect and unpack, and take concrete action. "Let’s have discussions on Indigenous governance and how we can build Black, Indigenous and POC coalitions on campus.”
- “We need to talk about complicated and harder topics like systemic racism and Black Lives Matter.” Discussions at Congress will be identifying steps to make lasting change against anti-Black racism.
- What’s shared and experienced at Congress will provide an inspiring model for moving forward; it will show us the possibilities of virtual engagement, and how to create radically inclusive spaces.