Thursday, November 4, 2021 | Volume 92
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Education
The Silhouette
& Reconcilation Our annual issue with McMaster Indigenous Studies Program // PAGE 3
INSIDE:: INSIDE
FEATURES: Sil sit down with ISP Director Adrianne Xavier // PAGES 10-11 HUMANS: McMaster Chancellor Santee Smith // PAGE 20 A&C: Artist creates murals to tell Indigenous stories // PAGE 22 SPORTS: The story behind Canada’s oldest sport, lacrosse // PAGE 28
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The Silhouette
Volume 92, Education & Reconcilation Issue Thursday, November 4, 2021 The Silhouette | McMaster University’s Student Newspaper
Looking back . . . 1946
A historic change for students In November 1946, The Silhouette reported that McMaster Student Government would change their constitution to incorporate a new name “McMaster Students Union”. Years later, the MSU is still serving students and even publishes the paper!
Andrew Mrozowski editor-in-chief | eic@thesil.ca Derrick Chappell digital media specialist | dms@msu.mcmaster.ca Adrian Salopek managing editor | managing@thesil.ca Graham Wyndham-West online editor | online@thesil.ca Christina Osadchuk production editor | production@thesil.ca News
Elisa Do Amarah Hasham-Steele news staff writer Abonti Nur Ahmed news@thesil.ca news editor
news reporter
Features features reporter
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Diya Ahmad
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Arts & Culture arts & culture editor Nisha Gill arts & culture reporter Subin Park arts & culture staff writer Sarah Lopes Sadafi humans of mcmaster staff writer Esther Liu artsandculture@thesil.ca Sports sports editor
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Land Acknowledgement Jovan Popovic
sports reporter Sava Jankovic sports staff writer sports@thesil.ca
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Cover & Design Travis Nguyen & Andrew Mrozowski
McMaster University is located on the traditional territories shared between the Haudenosaunee confederacy and the Anishinabe nations, which was protected by the Dish with One Spoon Wampum agreement. The “Dish” represents the shared land, while “One Spoon” reinforces the idea of sharing and peace.
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Education & Reconcilation
The first annual Silhouette/Indigenous Studies program collaboration issue Adrianne Xavier ISP Director
t has been a year of learning. Ordinarily in a Icomes University setting, this is not something that as a surprise, and certainly not here at
McMaster. However, the learning has been across boundaries, and barriers and it has been unique. On a global scale, our lives have changed as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Like most others this year, Indigenous studies have been undertaken virtually. We have found different, innovative ways to connect and teach and learn. It has not been without challenges, but there have been great successes as well. This has been a year that gave us the opportunity to be aware of the many realities of people across the globe. It has given me personally the chance to reflect on some of the successes. As an eternally hopeful person, we have seen great hardship and harsh truths this past year; however, some of those truths were worth learning. We have also had a chance to learn more of the history of Indigenous Studies here at McMaster University. We have worked and we have grown. This year we saw the first Day for Truth and Reconciliation. Sept. 30 was another Orange Shirt day for us. The reminder that every child matters was brought into sharp focus this year with the announcement of the 215 children found at the residential school in Kamloops. The milestones this is creating across the country are painfully stark reminders to Indigenous people of the history that our generations have experienced and that we continue to live
with today. For many people of the country however, these announcements, confirmations of the death and devastation that the residential school system left in its wake were shocking and painful realities. Even those who know there is a legacy of trauma that has been created, the stark truth of children, buried in a school yard is something each person must come to terms with. This is especially true when you understand that the system that created that school is the very government and organizations that we are told are here to guide and protect the country. This is just one part of the learning process mentioned above. The learning and growing did not stop there and on a more hopeful note, Indigenous education at McMaster has grown. There are new Indigenous faculty, the McMaster Indigenous Research Institute has a new director; Indigenous health has a new associate dean, Indigenous Studies is working through the process to transition from a program to its own department. These are not small steps, they are strides forward, that are years in the making. Over 30 years ago, when members of Six Nations approached McMaster; Indigenous education at McMaster began in earnest. All those years later, we have grown and more than five years ago when the Truth and Reconciliation commission completed their calls to action, it reminded us: we have even more things to strive for. When I think about what I have seen and learned since coming back to McMaster, I am struck by something small. As a McMaster undergraduate alumna, I remember taking courses and having favourite classes, classrooms and professors. I made friends, I learned and my
life changed. Since I have come back and am the current acting director of the Indigenousstudies program, I am finding new favourites. I am in awe of the power and strength of my colleagues, the welcoming spaces I have been brought into, the students that ask great questions, strive for more knowledge and work hard to make a difference in the world. Indigenous studies has become my home and I have been able to navigate the learning and trials of the last year, all while traversing this global pandemic with new and returning students of all ages. This year has brought histories to life, and stories have been shared. I don’t want to forget this time, these long strange months of working teaching and learning virtually. The friends and family I have found here have taught me more than I thought possible. I can hardly wait to see you all, in person, so we can find new favourite classes, classrooms and friends.
TRAVIS NGUYEN/PHOTO EDITOR
The Silhouette | 3
News
Indigenous studies courses and insight into Indigenous affairs
McMaster’s Indigenous studies courses offer historical and contemporary insight into Indigenous affairs Amarah Hasham-Steele News Reporter ounded in 1992, the Indigenous studies Fvariety program at McMaster University offers a of courses related to Indigenous affairs.
The program’s website discusses their unique approach to teaching, which emphasizes the importance of community knowledge. “This community-driven approach encourages students from various cultural backgrounds to learn about the history and lives of First Nations, Métis and Inuit peoples from an Indigenous perspective,” the website stated. Adrianne Xavier, director of the Indigenous studies program, discussed the method of teaching that the program uses and how important it is for developing an understanding of Indigenous affairs. “Ultimately, it’s not any one particular class for me. It’s the approach that our faculty have, which is giving [students] unique perspectives and ideas around what is truly possible and what Indigenous ways of knowing look like,” said Xavier.
“Ultimately, it’s not any one particular class for me. It’s the approach that our faculty have which is giving [students] unique perspectives and ideas around what is truly possible and what Indigenous ways of knowing look like, ” Adrianne Xavier
Director of Indigenous Studies Program According to Xavier, all of the classes are taught with this community-focused approach in mind, and they all provide valuable learning experiences. However, Xavier highlighted a few specific courses that are especially significant. One of the courses that Xavier highlighted was INDIGST 1AA3, introduction to contemporary Indigenous studies. The course description states that students will explore the relationship between Indigenous peoples and mainstream society in the 20th century. Specifically, the course will examine governmental policy, land claims, economic development and self-determination. Xavier noted that this course is valuable
PHOTO C/O Kevin Patrick Robbins
“I think that everybody should have some base of knowledge on Indigenous issues, Indigenous history [and] Indigenous contemporary concerns.” Adrianne Xavier
Director of Indigenous Studies Program for giving students foundational knowledge about Indigenous affairs and introducing them to the conversation. “It’s really about understanding that there are a lot of different ways for students to engage in the knowledge of what’s going on with Indigenous communities today,” said Xavier. Xavier further emphasized the importance of students educating themselves regarding Indigenous history and issues. “I think that everybody should have some base of knowledge on Indigenous issues, Indigenous history [and] Indigenous contemporary concerns,” explained Xavier. Xavier said that, although no program is perfect, she believes the Indigenous studies program has been effective at reaching students and helping them to better understand Indigenous history and contemporary affairs.
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“No school has it done perfectly right. No instructor does everything exactly the way that every student needs. Every student learns a little differently [and] every instructor teaches a little differently,” said Xavier. However, Xavier said the Indigenous studies program has been able to connect students to the faculty, to each other and to the content. Xavier expressed hope that even more students will seek out Indigenous studies courses in the future. “I will urge students to always be looking at Indigenous studies for different new courses [and] for what’s being offered each year because we don’t always have the faculty to offer everything every year,” Xavier said. As settlers on Indigenous lands, it is crucial that students acknowledge their use of the land and educate themselves regarding Indigenous culture. At McMaster, taking an Indigenous studies course is one way to do so.
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Shedding light on Indigenous culture and traditions
Dawn Martin-Hill combines her knowledge of anthropology with Indigenous research
PHOTO C/O GEORGIA KIRKOS
Abonti Nur Ahmed News Staff Writer n 1992, when McMaster University’s IndigeIDawn nous studies program was first introduced, Martin-Hill of the Mohawk Wolf Clan
was one of the founders of the program. As an associate professor for both the department of anthropology and the ISP, she has worked through several projects that have brought attention to the Indigenous community and educated the people of the McMaster community. Martin-Hill’s current research focuses on Indigenous knowledge and cultural conservation, Indigenous women, traditional medicine and health and the contemporary practice of Indigenous traditionalism. In a recent interview with Mongabay, Martin-Hill explained how she was inspired to do the work she does. “I am an anthropologist in my field research. I worked in northern Alberta, which was dealing with the oil industry and the logging industry. I spent a lot of time up there and saw the destruction to their land and the impact it was having on the community and how they had no resources whatsoever. But yet they managed to get to the [United Nations]. They managed to get decisions against Canada. I was impressed with the fortitude,” said Martin-Hill. Martin-Hill noted the contrast between what she saw while working in northern Alberta and the conversations happening at university. “When you see people putting everything on the line for the land and then you go to university and it’s all very ivory tower and theoretical — it made no sense to me,” said Martin-Hill. In 2007, Martin-Hill wrote The Lubicon Lake Nation: Indigenous Knowledge and Power to give a voice to the Lubicon Nation, a Cree First Nation in northern Alberta. The book aims to illustrate the history of the Lubicon using its documented history and talk about the hurdles
“When you see people putting everything on the line for the land and then you go to university and it’s all very ivory tower and theoretical — it made no sense to me.” Dawn Martin-Hill
Mohawk Wolf Clan and Co-Founder of McMaster Indigenous Studies Program they face from the Canadian government. At McMaster, Martin-Hill has focused her research on issues faced by Indigenous communities. Currently, she is working on Ohneganos, a Global Water Futures project that looks into Indigenous water research. The work they do aims to integrate western science with Indigenous and local knowledge. “Our research uses an innovative research framework, informed by the Indigenous community partners, to facilitate sharing and integration of western science[,] Indigenous and local knowledges. This process of “co-creation” enables us to develop appropriate, place-based [and] sustainable solutions to the water crisis impacting our partner communities and other Indigenous communities across Turtle Island,” said Martin-Hill. The research focuses on two different projects. One of them is co-creation of Indigenous water quality tools. Within this research project, there are three different focuses: traditional ecological knowledge, ecosystem health and sensor system and data synthesis. This specific water project aims to target the Six Nations of the Grand River, which is comprised of Mohawk, Cayuga, Onondaga, Oneida, Seneca and Tuscarora. It hopes to keep track of the water quality and environmental health of both areas. This can then be used to
make models that help develop sustainable solutions.
“This process of “co-creation” enables us to develop appropriate, place-based [and] sustainable solutions to the water crisis impacting our partner communities and other Indigenous communities across Turtle Island.” Dawn Martin-Hill
Mohawk Wolf Clan and Co-Founder of McMaster Indigenous Studies Program “Building capacity to monitor source waters with environmental sensors, we will investigate ecosystem health and the cause of health issues related to contaminated water, design inclusive poly-centric decision-making models for water governance and develop appropriate place-based sustainable solutions,” stated the Global Water Futures website. Martin-Hill works tirelessly to advance the field of anthropology and shed light on the
The Silhouette | 5
Justice stems from decolonization
SACHA brings the community together online to take back the night on stolen land formances and films and sharing important projects surrounding Indigenous issues. The virtual event kicks off with an impactful clip of community members holding signs saying things such as, “We have the power. We have the might. These lands are Indigenous. Take back the night,” and, “Claim our bodies. Claim our right. Take a stand. Take back the night,” while shouting loud and clear, “Taking back the night on stolen land. We believe survivors.” Following a land acknowledgment and theme introduction, Jessica Bonilla-Damptey, Director of SACHA, explained the message that Take Back the Night holds. “We will not tolerate gender-based violence. We will not tolerate sexual violence. We will not tolerate street harassment. We shout loud and proud that we deserve a world where we are not only safe, but to be free, to thrive as our full selves. We shout. We cry. We know that you are not alone and we shout that we believe survivors,” said Bonilla-Damptey.
“We shout loud and proud that we deserve a world where we are not only safe, but to be free, to thrive as our full selves. We shout. We cry. We know that you are not alone and we shout that we believe survivors.” PHOTO C/O Wenzdae Dimaline
Elisa Do News Editor cw: sexual assault very year, the Sexual Assault Centre HamilENight. ton holds an event known as Take Back the SACHA is a feminist, non-profit, commu-
nity-based organization that raises awareness of sexual assault and provides support for people who have experienced sexual violence. At Take Back the Night, community members gather together to walk an hour-long march to show solidarity for ending sexual violence in front of the Hamilton City Hall. Aside from the march, Take Back the Night also involves other solidarity events leading up to, and following, the rally for folks to join in on. This year, for their 40th anniversary, Take Back the Night had a unique theme — taking back the night on stolen land.
This year, for their 40th anniversary, Take Back the Night had a unique theme — taking back the night on stolen land. Bringing the focus on Indigenous women,
two-spirit and gender-diverse folks, this year’s theme aims to raise awareness of how colonization leads to sexual violence, gender-based violence and sexual harassment. “The theme we hope will be a reminder to people that all justice work must be rooted in decolonization and Indigenous sovereignty,” stated SACHA’s announcement. “Take Back the Night has always been about taking up and reclaiming space, but when we take to the streets and take up space we have to remember we are taking up space on stolen Indigenous land that has been the land of the Haudenosaunee and Anishinaabek peoples for long before colonization.”
“The theme we hope will be a reminder to people that all justice work must be rooted in decolonization and Indigenous sovereignty.” Sexual Assualt Centre (Hamilton and Area) Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, this year’s Take Back the Night event was conducted online. On Sept. 16, SACHA posted a YouTube video for the main event, showcasing per-
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Jessica Bonilla-Damptey Director of SACHA
Two different honour songs sung by Indigenous folks were then played. The first song was sung by Nicole Jones from Mississauga of the Credit First Nations to honour women, girls and Two-Spirit folks. The second song was sung by Jordan Carrier who is Plains Cree to honour the water. Next, the Red Dress Project was discussed. The project involves red dresses hung up on trees and across cities each year to draw attention to the missing and murdered Indigenous women, girls and Two-Spirit folks issue. Tristan, a Two-Spirit Indigenous community member, explained the significance behind the red dresses. “Their colour symbolizes the emotion, the anger and the rage we feel — the blood of these women and our connection to them. Over 4,000 women are missing in Canada and the [Royal Canadian Mounted Police] reports maybe less than a quarter of that. But these aren’t just statistics; these are people. These are mothers and aunties and sisters who supported us and took care of us and now they’re gone. Missing or murdered and nobody’s looking for them,” said Tristan. Tristan explained their frustration with the lack of awareness that non-Indigenous people have of the issue. “That’s just how things were growing up and continued to be. And now I’m hearing people start to realize what’s going on that
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PHOTO C/O SACHA
aren’t a part of this community with this shock. And I get surprised when I feel my own shock when I think, how did you not realize this was happening? How did you not realize that I show up with somebody one day and they’re gone the next? And that’s just another number missing,” said Tristan.
“But these aren’t just statistics; these are people. These are mothers and aunties and sisters who supported us and took care of us and now they’re gone. Missing or murdered and nobody’s looking for them.” Tristan
Two-Spirit Community Member By the halfway mark of the online event, SACHA pieced together a multitude of messages from community members dedicated to Indigenous youth. “Dear Indigenous youth, you are loved. Dear Indigenous youth, you bring so much joy and brightness into the world and you have my thanks for being wonderfully you. Dear Indigenous youth, you don’t have to look or sound a certain way to be Two-Spirited. You are who you are. End of story,” the message stated. Finally, before closing off the event, Joan, co-chair of Sisters in Spirit, an organization that works to educate the public about missing and murdered Indigenous women, addressed the Red Ribbon Skirt Project.
“Dear Indigenous youth, you are loved. Dear Indigenous youth, you bring so much joy and brightness into the world and you have my thanks for being wonderfully you. Dear Indigenous youth, you don’t have to look or sound a certain way to be Two-Spirited. You are who you are. End of story,” Message from Community Members The project began with a group of women gathering together in response to a lack of police action regarding the Picton case when 33 women were found murdered in Vancouver, many of whom were Indigenous women. The project involves sewing skirts for the members of the families and marching every year on May 5 to raise awareness. Joan touched on the impact that the project has and what it means for the families of the missing women. “The families really need to have the support and they need to have the acknowledgement that they haven’t been forgotten . . . It’s not just one day that people go missing. It’s every day,” said Joan. As a closing honour song, singers and dancers from a performance group known as Spirit Vision performed a song called Red Dress. The song holds a message saying that Indige-
“The families really need to have the support and they need to have the acknowledgement that they haven’t been forgotten. . . It’s not just one day that people go missing. It’s every day.” Joan
Co-Chair of Sisters in Spirit nous men need to protect Indigenous women from further harm. Although Take Back the Night might only be a few days a year, Bonilla-Demptey emphasized the importance of justice going beyond one event. “The focus for this year’s Take Back the Night was meant to be an ongoing conversation. We know that for some folks it might be the first part of a conversation or a conversation starter, especially with what’s going on right now on these lands. We just hope that the conversation is ongoing and we will continue to do the work that we need to do to keep the conversations going, [and] not just conversations, [but also] actions to support Indigenous peoples,” said Bonilla-Demptey. Take Back the Night is more than just about showing solidarity against sexual violence. At its core, it is an event that brings together the community, reminds people that they are not alone and brings issues that are often dismissed into the limelight. This year, even without an in-person rally, the community found its own ways to remind all of us that there is still work to be done.
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What is McMaster doing for reconciliation?
How McMaster observed the first official National Day for Truth and Reconciliation
PHOTO C/O Marcus Urbenz, Unsplash
Amarah Hasham-Steele News Reporter n Sept. 30, the National Day for Truth and O Reconciliation was observed across the country. Meant to acknowledge the tragic legacy of the residential school system and honour those who were and are impacted by it, the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation became a federal statutory holiday in June 2021 and was celebrated for the first time in September. Although it is a federal statutory holiday, it is not recognized as a statutory holiday by numerous provinces, including Ontario. At McMaster University, this day was observed through a series of events on campus. Katelyn Knott, coordinator of Indigenous-focused events at McMaster, explained the significance of these events. “As part of the Orange shirt campaign, we did a commemoration event at the beginning of the day, which included a sacred fire, some drummers and dancers. The drum group was called Spirit Vision and they’re a local Hamilton group. We put this on to commemorate the
uncovering of Indigenous children at residential schools as well as acknowledging [Phyllis Webstad],” said Knott. A survivor of the residential school system, Phyllis Webstad founded Orange Shirt Day in 2013, as a way to acknowledge the history and legacy of residential schools in Canada. As of this year, Orange Shirt Day became officially recognized as the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. “[This was] significant because music and dance is a great way for Indigenous people to come together to celebrate, to honour or to heal each other. And so we did that and we invited the McMaster community to join in with us for some teachings and some honoring,” explained Knott. Knott also discussed how on National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, many Indigenous faculty and staff members at McMaster called on the community to take steps towards reconciliation. “Some of the recommendations were to pick [just one call to action] and make that commitment to addressing it. Other ones were to read and familiarize yourself, if you haven’t already, with the Truth and Reconciliation
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“[This was] significant because music and dance is a great way for Indigenous people to come together to celebrate, to honour or to heal each other. And so we did that and we invited the McMaster community to join in with us for some teachings and some honoring,” Katelyn Knott
Coordinator of Indigenous-Focused Events at McMaster Commission, to look into the National Inquiry
S into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls, to do that self-education beyond September 30,” said Knott.
“Some of the recommendations were to pick [just one call to action] and make that commitment to addressing it. Other ones were to read and familiarize yourself, if you haven’t already, with the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, to look into the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls, to do that self-education beyond September 30,” Katelyn Knott
Coordinator of Indigenous-Focused Events, McMaster University Despite the on-campus events that acknowledged the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, classes and tests continued to operate at McMaster. While instructors had the option to cancel their classes or to use their classes for relevant discussion, they also had the ability to continue classes and assessments as usual. One on-campus event, A Conversation about Indigenous Inclusion, was originally scheduled to take place on Sept. 28 but was cancelled on Sept. 27. This event, organized by McMaster’s Equity and Inclusion Office and Indigenous Link, was advertised as a discussion about how to best include Indigenous peoples in the workplace. On Sept. 24, the Cooperative of Indigenous Students Studies and Alumni at McMaster published an Instagram post calling for the cancellation of this event. In their post, CISSA highlighted the lack of on-campus Indigenous voices included in the planning of this event, the questions about identity raised by the description of the speaker as having Métis ancestors and the focus on Indigenous inclusion rather than self-determination. “[F]rom Indigenous perspectives, the idea of ‘identity and inclusion is highly problematic. Grounded in a [World Health Organization] Commission, Indigenous peoples have largely rejected a social inclusion framework — our goal is to self-determine,” CISSA stated. When the Silhouette reached out to the Equity and Inclusion Office to discuss the cancellation of this event, they declined to interview. When discussing McMaster’s approach to reconciliation and support for Indigenous peoples, Knott expressed appreciation for the services available on campus. “They have so many different programs, so many different initiatives and supports. In
“[F]rom Indigenous perspectives, the idea of ‘identity and inclusion is highly problematic. Grounded in a [World Health Organization] Commission, Indigenous peoples have largely rejected a social inclusion framework — our goal is to self-determine,” Cooperative of Indigenous Students Studies and Alumni McMaster University
my time as an undergraduate and graduate at McMaster University, they were foundational to my success. If folks are looking for support or just a sense of belonging, [I really encourage] that they reach out to Indigenous Student Services and Indigenous studies program,” said Knott. Adrianne Xavier, director of the Indigenous studies program, noted that McMaster’s Indigenous studies program has been in place for a long time and as a result, McMaster is somewhat ahead of other universities in their reconciliation efforts. “There were a lot of movements that have been made, but those were things that McMaster chose to do before the TRC. They didn’t need to be asked by the government; they were asked by Indigenous communities,” said Xavier. However, Knott also highlighted that there is much more progress to be made. “[Regarding] the dialogue that we’re having as Indigenous people with the institution, I think that there are definite positive parts and positive people. But we can always do better,” said Knott.
Truth and Reconciliation has opened a wider conversation about Indigenous affairs. For many individuals, Xavier explained, the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation is their first introduction to this conversation. “We aren’t a problem. At the end of the day, Indigenous people have history in this country, but we aren’t an issue. We aren’t a problem to be solved. We are people to be celebrated. We are people to be acknowledged. We are histories that have to be understood,” said Xavier.
“We aren’t a problem. At the end of the day, Indigenous people have history in this country, but we aren’t an issue. We aren’t a problem to be solved. We are people to be celebrated. We are people to be acknowledged. We are histories that have to be understood,” Adrianne Xavier
Director of the Indigenous Studies Program at McMaster University
“[Regarding] the dialogue that we’re having as Indigenous people with the institution, I think that there are definite positive parts and positive people. But we can always do better,” Katelyn Knott
Coordinator of Indigenous-Focused Events, McMaster University In discussing how McMaster can continue to take steps towards reconciliation, Knott emphasized the need for more Indigenous staff and faculty members. “Indigenous staff and faculty do really incredible work and are overburdened by the demands that are put on Indigenous people,” explained Knott. Xavier emphasized that reconciliation is a long process, but that the National Day for
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Sil Sit Down: Adrianne Xavier
Professor Adrianne Xavier on her research, Indigenous food security and increasing dialogue and awareness at McMaster
PHOTO C/O McMaster University
Novera Shenin Features Reporter s an outspoken advocate for the voices A of Indigenous people in her Six Nations community and on campus, Adrianne Xavier
is serving as the acting director of the Indigenous studies and anthropology department. A part of McMaster University since 2019, Xavier recently defended her dissertation on Indigenous food security and food sovereignty at Six Nations, her home community. Xavier served as the recipient of the Indigenous In-Community Scholar Fellowship in 2020 and this year received the Petro-Canada McMaster University Young Innovators award for her work on community building and her efforts to mentor students to engage with the research process. According to Xavier, community building has two components: building community with a research project and building community within any given group. She is a firm believer that community and health research go far beyond the formalities of methodology and the true spirit of research. Especially within Indigenous communities, lies in building a positive relationship with its inhabitants and leaders. “I’m allowing the students to design what would theoretically be the pieces of a research project and what actions you must take to do real and whole Indigenous research. I want my students to know that there must be clear communication and understanding between them as researchers and the community they
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are engaging with,” explained Xavier. Students under Xavier are working together to build relationships with each other and with fellow researchers regarding how to engage in the community of Indigenous spaces and Indigenous services. Xavier intends for this process to be a safe space for student researchers to learn how to ask questions — such as how to interact productively with Indigenous communities — and how to find sustainable solutions within the community itself. Xavier emphasizes relationship building to her student researchers, given that as outsiders, many researchers are unable to assess the needs of Indigenous communities and in turn produce research and subsequent solutions
Students under Xavier are working together to build relationships with each other and with fellow researchers regarding how to engage in the community of Indigenous spaces and Indigenous services. that are not reflective of the community’s circumstances. “As an individual, I know that the history of research with Indigenous communities has been very impersonal and the direction of
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research is often driven by researchers’ desires and interests’ and not the communities who should always be the central focus,” said Xavier. Xavier’s research area of focus is Indigenous food security, food sovereignty and food as it relates to land repatriation. She promotes an understanding of food security and food sovereignty as the appropriate cultural access to healthy and sufficient food. Xavier is careful
“As an individual, I know that the history of research with Indigenous communities has been very impersonal and the direction of research is often driven by researchers’ desires and interests’ and not the communities who should always be the central focus.” Adrianne Xavier
Acting Director of Indigenous Studies Program and Anthropology Faculty
S to draw the distinction between security and sovereignty; however, as food sovereignty does not always equate to food security, given that having enough food is different from being empowered enough to have the choice of choosing cultural foods. Similarly, food sovereignty cannot happen without food security, as if one has just technically had enough food does not equate to having the capability to decide one’s diet. “Just having enough food to eat is not enough. Food must be personally fulfilling alongside being physically nourishing. Caloric intake is therefore not the only criteria for nourishment,” explained Xavier. When she talks about Indigenous food sovereignty, Xavier is referring to the conversation of relationships: where do we get this food from, do we have agency to choose that relationship. A person who has enough money may not have food sovereignty if they are not able to make choices about their food. During her time running a food sovereignty program with her mother, Xavier observed that despite teaching community members how to grow and preserve their own food, it was not always feasible for people to be able to do so. “I live in a community where there is no grocery store. I have to travel to other towns to get groceries. For me to have food sovereignty myself, I would have to choose the foods that I would like to have that are both culturally relevant, personally fulfilling and physically fulfilling within my community. I’m still unable to do that,” said Xavier. True to her vision of Indigenizing solutions to community issues, Xavier is determined to center Indigenous perspectives on how to address Indigenous issues. Through her work with ISP, Xavier is actively working to expand Indigenous studies at McMaster by hiring new Indigenous faculty, with the goal of guiding her program towards becoming a department. “As a university, I’m very fortunate McMaster is very supportive of me presenting my way of thinking in the classroom. I have felt welcome, I have felt supported and I will do the same for others,” said Xavier. However, given the traditionally discriminatory policies of Canadian universities towards Indigenous peoples and the dismissive nature of academia to tra-
ditional knowledge, Xavier has found the settings of Western academia and it’s approaches to her teachings to not always be compatible. To combat this disparity, Xavier strongly advocates for the addition of Indigenous scholars in every department, as there are no facets of knowledge in the university where Indigenous ways of knowing are not present. “We have our own understanding of the sciences, math, astronomy, religion, food, study, nature and the climate. Our way of knowing the world is crucial to building a more concrete understanding of these subjects,” explained Xavier. While McMaster continues to open itself up to be mindful and welcoming of Indigenous knowledge, for new Indigenous students, faculty and staff, Xavier stresses that at Mac, there are opportunities to grow and have a strong community where Indigenous knowledge and lives are welcome. “One of the reasons why I felt so embraced by the university is because of how
much Indigenous women are leading the way at McMaster, many of whom are women I know. The placements of Dr. [Allan] Downing, Dr. Trac-
“We have our own understanding of the sciences, math, astronomy, religion, food, study, nature and the climate. Our way of knowing the world is crucial to building a more concrete understanding of these subjects.” Adrianne Xavier
Acting Director of Indigenous Studies Program and Anthropology Faculty ey Bear are milestones. This is a huge testament to Mac’s ability to bring in Indigenous women,” said Xavier.
PHOTO C/O McMaster University
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The McMaster Students Union
PRESIDENT’S PAGE
DENVER DELLA-VEDOVA President president@msu.mcmaster.ca 905.525.9140 x23885
With the University’s recent announcement that most of the academic schedule will return to full, in-person learning for the second semester, I imagine we will witness more of a return to the normalcy of campus life in the coming weeks. Specifically, I expect to see restrictions on in-person events hosted by MSU clubs and other student groups lifted shortly; and rightly so, as McMaster students boast a high vaccination rate, our city and province are seeing an overall improving health situation, and now that classes are scheduled to return to the classic in-person model
msu_mcmaster msumcmaster.ca text “MSU” to 71441
for January of 2022, I see little reason to justify the University’s continued ban on student-run events. On campus, the food and hospitality services of TwelvEighty, the Grind, and Union Market, as well as the services of Underground Media + Design are open to the public. As well, students are welcome to sit inside the Grind to enjoy its great selection of coffee and baked goods. Also available to students are the services of the Ombuds office. Ombuds is jointly funded by the MSU and McMaster University. The office helps students navigate conflicts which relate to the policy landscape of the University. If you have experienced any issues of fairness thus far, such as those related to the hybrid nature of this semester, McMaster’s vaccine policy, or issues concerning the administration of your education, the Ombuds office will meet with you to help ensure you have been treated fairly. Learn more by visiting www.mcmaster.ca/ombuds. Though campus life is steadily coming back online, one thing that has not slowed is the MSU’s
The President’s Page is a space sponsored and used by the Board of Directors of the McMaster Students Union (MSU) to communicate with the student body. It functions to highlight the Board’s projects, goals, and agenda for the year, as well as the general happenings of the MSU.
advocacy work. As a member of the Ontario Undergraduate Student Alliance (OUSA), the MSU helps shape the policies that come before OUSA’s General Assembly (GA). OUSA is a provincial advocacy group, which represents over 150,000 students in Ontario from across eight post-secondary institutions. OUSA has worked with the government of Ontario to have hundreds of millions of dollars invested into post-secondary programs and support for students. OUSA GA will focus on four policy paper topics: Indigenous Students, Student Mobility & Credit Transfer, Responding to Covid-19, and Accountability & System Vision. The papers are thoroughly researched and reviewed prior to the GA, with further debate taking place when representatives from all schools meet. Once adopted, the policy papers and their specific recommendations become the main lobbying priorities of OUSA. In turn, they are shared with relevant members of the provincial government. Learn more about OUSA at www.ousa.ca.
DENVER DELLA-VEDOVA President
NT ’STPAG E E www.thesil.ca 7, 2021 1212 | PR www.thesil.ca | |Thursday, Thursday,October November 4, 2021 | EPSRIEDSEI D EN ’S PAG
CHRISTINA DEVARAPALLI Vice-President (Adminstration)
Finally, I would like to highlight the Student Life Enhancement Fund (SLEF). SLEF is a pool of money set aside by McMaster University each year to provide seed capital and financial support for student service providers to expand their infrastructure and improve the student experience. The committee that oversees SLEF is comprised of both university officials and student leaders. However, ideas for new projects come directly from students! Visit http://enhance.mcmaster.ca and submit any idea(s) that could improve student life. No idea is too big or too small. All ideas will be reviewed by the committee for feasibility after the submission portal closes. In January 2022, a list of projects based on these ideas will be presented to students for voting. As annual funding permits, the project(s) with the most support from students will receive guaranteed funding and become a reality. I encourage everyone to visit the SLEF website and share some thoughts on how our campus can improve into the future.
SIOBHAN TEEL Vice-President (Education)
JEGANIYAH (JJ) JAYACHANDRAN
Vice-President (Finance)
Education
Editorial &
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What’s with all the special issues? Reconcilation
The reason we’re doing what we’re doing and why we’re going to keep doing it Our annual issue with McMaster Indigenous Studies Program // PAGE 3
Andrew Mrozowski Editor-in-Chief n June 11, 2020, my predecessor released O an editorial titled “Assessing our past and committing to change and accountability” in
which Justin Parker laid out tangible steps for the Silhouette as an organization to do better. What does “do better” mean? Parker created actionable items that would allow the McMaster community to hold the Sil accountable in order to best represent you — our readership. We’ve sucessfully completed all of these goals, but there’s always room for improvement. At the start of the year, I sat down and thought to myself what more can we do? I quickly realized that I wanted to share continue to share the voices of marginalized communities. To amplify the voices of those who don’t normally have the chance to stand up on a podium and speak their truth. I was lucky that with each staff member I hired this year, they all shared the same vision that I did. They all felt the same importance that I did — to uplift the voices of these
PHOTO C/O Sil Archives
communities — many of which my staff and I throughout this process in order to put togethbelong to. er an issue that both of our organizations are You might have noticed that 2/3 print isproud of. An issue that was long over due. sues thus far have been community-based. We “Education & Reclamation” will be the first started with our “Love is Love” issue that gave annual issue that the Sil does in collaboration the 2SLGBTQIA+ community a dedicated space with ISP to share Indigenous culture, research, FEATURES: Sil sit down with ISP Director Adrianne Xavier // PAGES 10-11 in the HUMANS: newspaper to share culture, artwork and issues — a theme that is at the McMaster Chancellor Santeecommunity, Smith // PAGE 20 issues,A&C: artwork and tips totobe better you. Artist creates murals tell a Indigenous stories // PAGE 22heart of the work we are doing with Volume 92. SPORTS: The story behind Canada’s oldest sport,issue: lacrosse // PAGE 28Journalism is not just about breaking Now, I’d like to introduce you to this “Education & Reclamation”. I can’t begin to news. It’s about sharing stories and experiences describe how important it was to me that we to illuminate the readership into all that’s hapdid an issue that celebrated Indigenous folxs pening around them — the good and the bad. on and off McMaster campus and it didn’t feel Cheers to this first issue and a big thank right to do it without the Indigenous Studies you to the Indigenous Studies Program for all Program. Adrianne Xavier has been such a the amazing work you do. We’re looking fortremendous guiding force to my staff and I ward to seeing this relationship bloom.
INSIDE:: INSIDE
Remembrance Day Virtual Service Lest We Forget November 11, 2021, 10:50 AM Alumni.mcmaster.ca/RemembranceDay2021
Organized by the McMaster Alumni Association, for more information: Alumni@mcmaster.ca
T h e S i l h o u e t t e | 13
Opinion Why Indigenous people can’t just “get over it” Being aware of Canada’s historical atrocities helps one understand why Indigenous people can’t just “get over it” Kimia Tahaei Opinions Contributor cw: suicide, abuse, violence, drug use ime after time, we hear non-Indigenous Tmunity individuals criticize the Indigenous comwith demands to get over it and move
on. Although it is seemingly perspicuous why the community cannot simply move past the decades of cultural erasure, mass genocide and racial discrimination, I will provide an even deeper insight in this article in hopes of educating the few. Imagine being discriminated against on your land and then being forced to absorb the colonizer’s culture. Not only was the land of Indigenous peoples strategically stripped away from them, but so was their culture, language and children. Since land confiscation was seemingly not enough, they are racially profiled and systemically discriminated against up to the present time. Taking into further consideration barbaric acts such as forcefully seizing children into the residential school system and coercing adults into working for plantations, it is naive to assume that long-term trauma doesn’t form as a result. Fred Kelly, a citizen of the Ojibways of Onigaming of the Anishinaabe Nation and an IRS survivor, described his experience as “agonizing”. In his writings in The Confessions of a Born Again Pagan, Kelly describes how the residential school system would brainwash young Indigenous children into shame and guilt because of their language, traditions and cultural practices. Kelly was taken away from his parents at a young and vulnerable age, had his hair cut as a symbol of cultural confiscation and faced physical abuse in numerous encounters. I wonder if colonizers ever saw the irony of committing these merciless acts against defenceless children and yet convincing them that they were the savage ones and in need of civilization.
I wonder if colonizers ever saw the irony of committing these merciless acts against defenceless children and yet convincing them that they were the savage ones and in need of civilization. 14 | O P I N I O N
PHOTO C/O Dulcey Lima, Unsplash
Experiencing such intense traumatization at an impressionable age can lead to psychological issues such as an inferiority complex, post-traumatic stress disorder, crippling depression and future violent behaviour. Taking a deeper psychological dive, after centuries of exploitation and experiencing European standards of right and wrong, it’s unsurprising that some Indigenous individuals questioned whether the Europeans were truly superior and how this societal hierarchy has remained constant through time. It is wholly unacceptable how the colonizers set themselves as a standard of success and have judged everything by that standard to this day.
It is wholly unacceptable how the colonizers set themselves as a standard for success and have judged everything by that standard to this day. Not only does this haunt Indigenous individuals who directly experienced this trauma in their lifetime, but it can also be passed on to subsequent generations. The transmission of this type of trauma caused by oppressive historical events is defined as intergenerational trauma.
www.thesil.ca | Thursday, November 4, 2021
The transmission of this type of trauma caused by oppressive historical events is defined as intergenerational trauma. Although the mechanisms of transmission of intergenerational trauma are still unclear to scientists, the data is definite. According to the Aboriginal Peoples Survey, children and grandchildren of those who attended the residential schools were more likely to report signs of psychological distress, attempt suicide, experience learning difficulties and participate in drug use. Furthermore, with many Indigenous people living in rural and isolated areas, individuals have minimum access to mental health resources. Therefore, since the Indigenous community cannot approach their grief easily, historical traumatization and cultural dislocation, it becomes increasingly difficult to simply get over it. I strongly believe that through historical education, the stigmatization of the Indigenous community can be altered if non-Indigenous individuals truly understand the depths of trauma that they have faced in all stages of life.
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How climate change is disproportionately affecting Indigenous communities Imagine contributing the least to climate change, but being affected by it the most Hadeeqa Aziz Opinions Contributor he climate crisis: you’ve heard about it, you Tsometimes see it everywhere in the news and maybe you just can’t escape its widespread
acknowledgment – that’s a good thing. Yet, despite the media’s best efforts to spread information about it, the climate crisis continues to get buried under other, seemingly larger and more “urgent” issues such as the pandemic. What most individuals fail to understand is that global climate change is perhaps the most time-sensitive issue that we’re facing. At the moment, you and I may not be directly experiencing the effects of climate change, but I promise you that others are. In particular, marginalized groups such as Indigenous communities are often the first to face consequences of climate change due to their close relationship with the environment. Indigenous communities are generally the most affected by events such as extreme weather conditions, depletion of natural resources and water contamination. Direct consequences have resulted in restricted access to traditional areas for resources like medicine and food and forced relocation or displacement. If that wasn’t enough, climate change effectively exacerbates the pre-existing issues Indigenous peoples face, such as economic and political marginalization, discrimination, unemployment and human rights violations.
If that wasn’t enough, climate change effectively exacerbates the pre-existing issues Indigenous peoples face, such as economic and political marginalization, discrimination, unemployment and human rights violations. This is ironic, to say the least. Although Indigenous communities face the greatest threats from climate change, they contribute the least to greenhouse gas emissions. The larger issue is that, although we know climate change does not affect everyone to the same degree, many proposed solutions seem to assume exactly that. We’re advised to ditch the cheeseburgers, receive passive death glares upon requesting a straw at Starbucks and penalized if we don’t use compostable coffee cups. Though changing small habits like these can definitely have an impact when done on a larger scale, it’s rather unfair to single out
PHOTO C/O Amy Rollo, Unsplash
individuals, especially Indigenous peoples, for not complying. Veganism is not feasible when it may be a struggle to put food on the table, conserving water would be difficult when there’s limited access to it and contemplating the purchase of a metal straw seems silly when there’s no cup to stick it into. See the pattern? Developing eurocentric solutions for an intersectional problem is simply classist, racist and will not get the job done. What’s more is that most of these short-sighted solutions may not be applicable to Indigenous groups to begin with. Asking a community that has relied on animal husbandry for thousands of years without depleting wildlife populations or inflicting permanent harm to the earth to suddenly go vegan is a questionable approach. Meanwhile, industrial agriculture and capitalism’s insistence on competitive factory farming is slowly but surely demolishing our planet.
Meanwhile, industrial agriculture and capitalism’s insistence on competitive factory farming is slowly but surely demolishing our planet.
the means to apply these changes to their lives. Better yet, let’s pretend for a second that these changes are feasible for everyone and executed on a sizable scale. According to the Internation al Energy Agency, in one of the biggestpandemics, carbon emissions have only dropped by eight per cent. What does this tell us? When the world supposedly shut down and individual impacts significantly decreased, the effects of climate change didn’t follow very far. We continue to promote individual contributions without looking at the bigger picture. So what exactly does this bigger picture look like? Let’s take a young start-up located on the Mississaugas of New Credit First Nation reserve just south of Hamilton, for example. They work in proximity with local Indigenous partners to develop projects such as wind farms, sustainable fishing for companies and sustainable forest management programs through which they’ve created carbon offsets. These offsets can then be used to help large businesses reduce their environmental impacts. It’s funny how, despite facing the harsh consequences of issues created by multinational corporations, Indigenous community leaders are at the forefront in designing innovative solutions to combat climate change. Indigenous communities protect and nurture 80 per cent of the earth’s biodiversity but instead of giving them a seat at the table, we’d rather focus on metal straws.
Want to know who popularized the idea of individual carbon footprints in the first place? It was none other than British Petroleum, which is currently the sixth largest polluter in the world. Go figure. All this being said, some Indigenous communities may very well be capable of and have
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Moving from symbolic to tangible advocacy True advocacy entails more than just empty words
PHOTO C/O Don Craig, Flickr
Ardena Bašić Opinions Contributor cw: abuse & neglect iven the increased attention on human G rights issues and the overall mistreatment of the Indigenous population, reconciliation
has gained an increase in discussion in many institutions. Professors and leaders are now acknowledging the ownership of the land they work and live on. The orange shirt has become a symbol of support for victims of the residential school system. Political leaders are making promises to address the issue of water advisories in Indigenous communities and inequities in education and housing. While these symbolic actions exemplify desires to make positive changes, they are still only symbolic acts. Whether these intentions lead to actual change is contingent on whether leaders and members of society translate their intentions and words into tangible action. Advocacy may very well begin with words, promises and acknowledging mistakes and atrocities of the past. However, as it pertains to the issues that many marginalized and oppressed groups such as the Indigenous population of so-called Canada experience, words represent only the preliminary step in building a better world. Both Stephen Harper and Justin Trudeau have given formal apologies to the Indigenous
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community in regards to the residential school system. In 2021, Canadian catholic bishops also communicated their remorse for the role of religious bodies in the residential school system. Unfortunately, the Catholic Church and Pope have not followed suit. Calls for the church to take accountability for its role in the residential school system became widespread this past year given the many bodies of Indigenous children found in unmarked graves across Canada in what used to be residential schools. Some action has been taken on the part of the Canadian federal government to follow up on their apologies and address the calls to action of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. For example, the government has budgeted for their intent to address the lack of access to clean drinking water, develop better health and social services on and near reserves and contribute to preserving Indigenous languages. Moreover, Sept. 30, 2021 marked the first National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. This day sought to commemorate the victims of the residential school system and entailed memorials and other events held across the nation. There are also calls for institutions to remove statues and names of people who were involved in the residential school system. For example, Ryerson University will be changing its name, given its eponym, Egerton Ryerson, was an important architecture in designing the residential school system. However, changing an institution’s name is only a symbolic act and must be followed by more tangible action to support reconciliation and contribute to social
www.thesil.ca | Thursday, November 4, 2021
progress. When Stephen Harper apologized to Indigenous communities years ago, he failed to fund significant projects like the Aboriginal Healing Foundation. Justin Trudeau’s follow up was equally as inadequate, as the campaign promises he made to Indigenous communities during his 2015 election campaign have still not been fulfilled as of publication. There are still water advisories in place and the presence of inadequate infrastructure and services across Indigenous communities despite promises to address these issues. In fact, government funding for awards that serve to honour leaders in Indigenous communities has decreased. It is clear the government wants to take accountability of its past actions and do its work in laying the foundation for reconciliation, but this is not followed by proper, tangible action. Only when tangible actions are taken after communicating an intent to do so will greater equity become a possibility. It is time Canadian society and its government follow suit on their promises and intents and invest more towards showing accountability and working towards reconciliation. In sum, symbolic reconciliation is communication of an intention to right the wrongs of the past. However, this needs to be followed up by real action in order for true societal change to occur.
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Slacktivism is negatively affecting activism Why we need to stop relying on social media to address injustices Ana Mamula Opinions Contributor cw: abuse, violence, death, suicide rowing up in the age of social media, the G way we receive and react to social injustices has changed immensely. We have the privilege of receiving news minutes after its occurrence, have many forms of information right at the tip of our fingers and can show our friends these injustices so that we educate those around us. Although these aspects may all seem beneficial for society at the surface, there are still many things we lack when it comes to social media and social injustices. Today, due to the quick and easy nature by which posts can be made, seen or shown, we tend to have the same mindset when it comes to dealing with social injustices online. Our society sees a like on a post, a tweet or using a trending hashtag as the fix to social injustice.
Our society sees a like on a post, a tweet or using a trending hashtag as the fix to social injustice Our society feels as though they are genuinely helping the issue at hand and that they can simply pat themselves on the back for doing something that takes a second. Yet, in reality, it truly does not do much, especially in the long run. And that is why this generation is full of “Slacktivists.” Slacktivism is working to achieve political or social change by using the internet to carry out actions that require little effort or time. With regards to issues faced by the Indigenous community, they are either not recognized at all and if they are, Slacktivists merely like or repost the post that discusses the issue and carry on. We have forgotten what activism truly is. It requires us to be diligent and concerted in our efforts — not just clicking on our mouse. If our society keeps thinking that a like or a post is going to solve the whole issue, this will only make it so much more acceptable for future injustices and future generations to take performative action. Although posting about an issue and sharing it brings some benefits, it does not truly aid the situation as a whole. Moreover, individuals may think that is all they can do. By limiting our activism to reposting hashtags like #prayforparis and #blm, we are
Although posting about an issue and sharing it brings some benefits, it does not truly aid the situation as a whole.
effectively teaching our society that these injustices are just trends. This summer, hundreds of remains of
PHOTO C/O Sara Kurfess, Unsplash
children who attended residential schools in Canada were found. Even as an individual born and raised in Canada, I did not learn about residential schools until grade six and rarely, if ever, did I see it spoken about in the media. This summer was the first time I personally saw society recognizing the traumas the Indigenous community faced and continue to face, with respect to residential schools. A 22 year-old Inuk creator named Shina Novalinga became immensely popular on TikTok. On the platform, she creates educational videos on the Inuit culture, such as videos about their foods, traditions and practices such as throat singing. I fell in love with Shina’s videos as she broke down the stereotypes and sugar coated information the media has taught all of us. It was a surprise to me to read the comments and see how some were trying to argue with her and her beliefs, as well as being shocked by the information she would share about her culture. There are many stereotypes surrounding Indigenous folks in our society, thus showing how our society and mainstream media ignore
and individuals still face countless injustices. We need to do better and be better. We need to educate ourselves and others, listen, share, be supportive and speak out against a government that does not care. We need to do more than like a post or retweet and we need to stop believing everything we see online is true. We need to stop believing the media is going to change and solve everything. It is only us who can do it.
We need to stop believing the media is going to change and solve everything. It is only us who can do it.
It was a surprise to me to read the comments and see how some were trying to argue with her and her beliefs, as well as being shocked by the information she would share about her culture. their struggles. Today, Indigenous communities
T h e S i l h o u e t t e | 17
Give a listen to our latest playlist, CFMU’s Top 30 Chart for October 2021! With music by SUUNS, Arkells, Japanese Breakfast and more! https://bit.ly/OctTp30
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Humans of McMaster: Santee Smith Esther Liu HOM Staff Writer he Silhouette: Please introduce yourself. T Santee Smith: Santee Smith, Tekaronhiáhkhwa iónkiats, Kahnyen’kehàka, niwakonhwentsio:ten, Wakeniáhten. Ohswekén nitewaké:non. My name is Santee Smith, Tekaronhiáhkhwa, I’m from the Kahnyen’kehàka Nation, Turtle Clan from Ohswekén also known as Six Nations of the Grand River. I have a long connection to McMaster University, first as an undergraduate student in the faculty of physical education and psychology. [Now], I am the current chancellor of McMaster University. Please give a brief description of what you do as the chancellor and at the Kaha:wi Dance Theatre. I’m also the artistic director of the Kaha:wi Dance Theatre. Kaha:wi in the Mohawk language means to carry. We are a performing arts organization who is really focused on embodied storytelling and sharing Indigenous narratives that are often underrepresented or misrepresented in popular mainstream culture. As chancellor, I have the honorary position of being the head of the university. I am responsible for convocation, my name is on every single student’s diploma. I am also the chair of the honorary degree committee and I also am a speaker at events. For example, the upcoming Remembrance Day event, I’ll be delivering a message and [am] responsible for any other messaging and connection to faculties that would like the chancellor there to connect with the students, staff and faculty.
called the Mohawk Institute Residential School. My job not only as a creative, but as an Indigenous artist, is to share that truth and to educate others. I was invited by Patrick Deane to consider being chancellor. That was a wonderful surprise and something that I didn’t plan for or didn’t know was coming down the road for me in my life. So I gave it some important thought because of what I can contribute, especially due to my very busy artistic career, but also the important parts of representing the Indigenous and representing the arts and experiences that I would bring forward as chancellor. What inspired you to become involved with the Kaha:wi Dance Theatre? I was a dance artist and my training is in classical ballet. Since I was little, I attended the National Ballet School for six years. And then really, when I was a teenager, thinking about identity and being away from my home community and family, I felt something was missing. And I returned home. Then I pursued academics, but nothing really filled that passion and drive for performing arts. The first opportunity I had to be creative and create choreography based on stories that are within my culture, I put two things together: my love of performance and body storytelling and sharing about my culture and being an Ohswekén Indigenous woman. My first choreography was in 1996. Since that time, I have been dedicated to creating, introducing new work and sharing with audiences around the world. Collaborating is a big part of it, being able to share with Indigenous and non-Indigenous collaborators.
What inspired you to go into this work? It was an invitation. I have a very back-andforth connection to academia. I have a professional artistic career but also my background is supported through two degrees at McMaster University and a master’s degree from York University. One of the interesting things about being a chancellor at McMaster University is that you have to be a McMaster alumna, so I fit the hat. Also, I had a connection over the years to the president’s office and especially past president Patrick Deane, who visited Six Nations, who visited my family. I also have connections to the Indigenous studies department. Recently in 2018, [I was] a part of the Socrates project which brought in community artists and speakers to share their work with the McMaster campus. So I was in-residency through Socrates and the Indigenous studies department and that’s really how I became even more present in McMaster. The work that I was doing as part of that was called the Mush Hole. The Mush Hole is a performance that shares the history of Canada’s first residential school
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What are your goals as Chancellor and as a dancer? My goal for both is Indigenous representation and visibility. It’s nice to see even for myself, people in positions that are — I don’t want to say powerful in a colonial hierarchical power way, but that they’re in positions of prestige and influence in offering that different perspective, in offering Indigenous perspective. For example, when I was growing up and studying classical ballet, I didn’t have any role models who were Indigenous, except for one: Maria Tallchief. She was from the United States and she was a prima ballerina dancer. My parents showed me her and wanted me to have an Indigenous role model. So I think that representation is really important, that offering different perspectives and stories, narratives that come from this land, Turtle Island, is really important. I want to do that as Chancellor, as an artist, as a speaker and offer that out both for role modelling within Indigenous communities and for everyone. Do you have a favourite memory as chancellor? For being chancellor, it was my installation in November 2019. That was the first time I became officially chancellor. Being a part of that ceremony and putting on my robes for the first time, being in the presence of all the graduates and the faculty on the stage and being able to hear the singing of my Indigenous colleagues and being dressed in robes with students within the Indigenous faculty. I would have to say that was a major highlight — a major life highlight — it was a bit surreal and it has a very ceremonial feeling to it. Do you have a favourite memory regarding dance? I had so many dance memories. Because all of my experiences are quite different and all of my productions are quite different, it would be hard to choose one. I love performing and I love performing artists. I just feel like out of all of the times of performing, the experience of falling into performance and being able to share with audiences in an 100 per cent committed, talk-inspired and dedicated way is why I do what I do. Do you have a big takeaway from your experiences or message to others? I think the biggest takeaway, for myself personally, that I continue to hold, is lifelong learning. Learning is never-ending. It keeps you inspired. It keeps you curious. It keeps you asking questions and developing and transforming. So, I hope to continue to be a lifelong learner. And I encourage everybody else to find that for themselves as well.
Arts & Culture
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Reclaiming culture, one bead at a time
Local artist Paige Porter is rediscovering her Indigenous heritage through her beadwork Porter had created. Her mother’s encourageSarah Lopes Sadafi A&C Staff Writer has a historical and cultural signifiBnitieseading cance among Canada’s Indigenous commuas an art form passed down through generations. For Paige Porter, the Hamilton-based Indigenous beadwork artist behind House of Beads, it is a means of reconnecting with her heritage and carving out a cultural identity of her own. Porter’s small business specializes in Indigenous beaded jewellery, accessories and custom commissions. Though beading is traditionally passed from parent to child within Indigenous communities, Porter’s journey to beading arose out of a self-driven search to learn more about her heritage. She is Haudenosaunee and On^yota’a:ka from Six Nations of the Grand River. As an intergenerational survivor of the residential schools system, Porter described feelings of disconnection from her culture within her family in her formative years. “Growing up, I didn’t know that much about my culture. Down the line, my family was afraid to acknowledge and speak the language. Over the years it died off, which is sad to say, but because of residential schools I know some older Indigenous people went through especially traumatic experiences and were ashamed of being Native. That’s how they were brainwashed. Being Indigenous, I grew up and had to learn about my culture myself,” explained Porter.
PHOTO C/O @beadsintobeauty
In her efforts to reconnect with her heritage, Porter became involved with the Hamilton Regional Indian Center, where she gained more exposure to resources and other Indigenous community members. She began beading in November 2019 to rekindle the traditional art form within her family, entirely through self-teaching and her own devices. “Beading is usually a tradition passed down generations and generations, but in my case, my family was never taught beading . . . It’s not only for myself, but also so I can pass it down to my family and my grandkids — I can be that grandma that teaches them how to do it,” said Porter.
PHOTO C/O @beadsintobeauty
“Beading is usually a tradition passed down generations and generations, but in my case, my family was never taught beading . . . It’s not only for myself, but also so I can pass it down to my family and my grandkids — I can be that grandma that teaches them how to do it.”
ment incited the transformation of her passion into a business, now with over 1,500 followers on her combined social media platforms. Porter fondly recalled memories from the Together in Dance Festival at Mohawk College, which she attended as a vendor in February 2020. The celebration of diversity and multiculturalism was one of Porter’s first times presenting her work to the public. After the festival, Porter went on to collaborate with Sweet Peas Baby Company, a seasonal subscription box for parents of young children, where her bead art was featured. “My products are handmade and take time. You’re getting something that is authentic and handmade by an actual Indigenous person rather than Indigenous-inspired and when you support an Indigenous business, then you’re also supporting the Indigenous community. When you go and shop in Canada, those proceeds go into Canada,” said Porter. Beyond her bead art, Porter stressed the importance of bringing awareness to injustices committed against Indigenous peoples in Canada. She called students to action to educate themselves on Orange Shirt Day, Truth and Reconciliation Day and the missing and murdered Indigenous women, girls and two spirit. Porter’s small business has helped her to build a bridge back to the Indigenous culture that was stolen from her and her family and her art is a reminder of the importance of Indigenous culture and legacies.
Paige Porter
Owner of House of Beads Porter began learning to bead through online resources and imitating designs, before beginning to create original designs of her own. The learning process has provided her with a sense of resilience and pride in her heritage. Initially, Porter never saw herself as a business owner. Along her self-teaching journey, she began posting her work on Instagram. She started to amass a following and it was her mother who first had the idea to sell the art
PHOTO C/O @beadsintobeauty
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Sharing indigenous stories through mural art
For local artist Kyle Joedicke, murals are an opportunity to honour his Indigenous roots and share stories with the Hamilton community He found the experience of creating the mural at St. Matthew’s House cathartic and an opportunity for reflection. “While I was working on the mural, it gave me a lot of time to reflect on the fact that it isn’t specific to me. It is an issue that has affected thousands and thousands of families. It also gives you a sense of the community because of the outpouring [of ] support from the Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities,” explained Joedicke. Art can be an important catalyst for conversation and change and Joedicke has felt that the important role art plays in social progress in creating his artwork. “It was impossible not to feel the added weight behind the art because, at that point, when you are trying to convey the particular images and ideas, it is too emotional to not be
PHOTO C/O @killyourmasters_
Edwin Thomas A&C Contributor s students, many of us are familiar with the A difficult dialogue that is often involved in learning, particularly in conversations about
Indigenous justice and reconciliation. However, most of us might not be aware of the importance of art in fostering these conversations. For local artist Kyle Joedicke, his murals are a way to honour his Indigenous roots and share Indigenous art, culture and stories with the Hamilton community. Joedicke is Cayuga Turtle Clan from Six Nations of the Grand River and grew up between the Six Nations reserve and Caledonia on the border of Hamilton. Although he describes himself as being not very connected to his Indigenous identity during his adolescent years, he began rediscovering his Indigenous roots in his twenties. His work has helped him become closer with the Indigenous community as well, which in turn teaches him more about the culture. For Joedicke, the relationship he has developed with his Indigenous community is a gift. His first mural was of an orca commissioned by Merk Snack Bar in 2020, dedicated to his late grandmother. He soon realized the spaces he was creating Indigenous art for could be used to support urban Indigenous communities and provide opportunities for conversation between both Indigenous and non-Indigenous folks. “I want people to be able to come to see this art and feel that they are welcomed and included. It’s something they can be a part of and interact with,” said Joedicke. Joedicke was recently featured on CBC, for his mural depicting The Seven Grandfather Teachings, which is an oral teaching and tradition centered on the Indigenous way of life. 22 |A R T S & C U LT U R E
Joedicke uses his art to explore intergenerational trauma among Indigenous communities. “I think being Indigenous means being resilient in a lot of ways. From the inception of the colony of Canada, it’s been the goal to have us not exist, to put it in blunt terms. To be an Indigenous person in 2021 is to be living proof of an entire civilization’s will to live,” said Joedicke. The discovery of the unmarked graves of Indigenous children at residential schools over the past few months has shocked the nation and impacted Indigenous individuals and communities in complex ways. This extends to
“I think being Indigenous means being resilient in a lot of ways. From the inception of the colony of Canada, it’s been the goal to have us not exist, to put it in blunt terms. To be an Indigenous person in 2021 is to be living proof of an entire civilization’s will to live.” Kyle Joedicke Local Artist
Joedicke, whose grandparents were survivors of the residential school system. Recently, Joedicke has been working on a mural in the memory of children who died while attending residential schools. The mural is located at St. Matthew’s House.
www.thesil.ca | Thursday, November 4, 2021
“While I was working on the mural, it gave me a lot of time to reflect on the fact that it isn’t specific to me. It is an issue that has affected thousands and thousands of families. It also gives you a sense of the community because of the outpouring [of] support from the Indigenous and nonIndigenous communities.” Kyle Joedicke Local Artist
present for it,” explained Joedicke. Youth, representing the future generations of our society, are pivotal to social progress and change and embody people’s growing openness to learn. Joedicke encourages students from McMaster University to learn more about Indigenous culture as much as they can. “It’s never wrong to ask questions. Education is important, especially in terms of understanding different cultures. Look into the teachings; [they] can be applied to your own life without being associated with a particular religion or culture. The stories are one of the major things that help us learn in life,” said Joedicke.
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Education for reconciliation
The McMaster student-run Indigenous Health Movement is encouraging education and reconciliation within issues relating to Indigenous health Meg Durie A&C Contributor Indigenous Health Movement at McMasTandheterdedication University embodies the passion, drive to social justice of this gener-
ation of Indigenous folks and allies. Involving both Indigenous and non-Indigenous ally students, the group aims to educate others about and promote reconciliation within the area of Indigenous health. The student-led movement and club, which started in 2016 and has been flourishing ever since, was initially a group project by classmates Yotakahron Jonathan, Yipeng Ge, Alex Liu, Sharon Yeung and Deepti Shanbhag. While their main event is the annual Indigenous Health Conference, which is organized in collaboration with the Indigenous Health Learning Lodge, IHM also runs learning circle workshops, speaker events and outreach activities with local Indigenous groups. Current co-chairs Jayden Rivers and Alexa Vrzovski have both been involved with IHM in previous years. Both appreciated the opportunity the organization provided them to connect with other Indigenous students and become more involved in the community. An interdisciplinary project, the IHM team is made of a unique group of students from all across McMaster faculties and years. “Something that I find special about this team is how we are welcoming of people with all different levels of knowledge regarding Indigenous culture and health. For example, I was initially hesitant to join in first year because I feared I may not ‘know enough’, but they welcomed me with open arms so I could learn amongst my peers and figures in the community,” said Rivers. “Not to brag, but we have an amazing team. Everyone has always been so genuine and kind and interested in making change in the world. If you are interested in Indigenous rights and health in general and want to fight against inequalities on a local level, IHM is a great student-led club to apply to!” explained Vrzovski. It’s particularly important to Rivers and Vrzovski that all Indigenous students feel welcome at IHM. “As reconnecting Indigenous women, Jayden and I also really wanted to make sure IHM was a really inclusive place for all Indigenous people, whether you live on or off reserve, are a mixed native person or you’re reconnecting to your culture for whatever reason,” explained Vrzovski. A highlight of IHM’s year is their annual health conference. Each year, the conference features a number of accomplished and renowned speakers. It is a powerful and educational conference, aimed at promoting Indigenous voices and knowledge and providing opportunities to learn to workers and students in health-related fields. Typically, the conference is held in February. As mentioned, IHM also hosts a variety of other events throughout the year that provide opportunities for both Indigenous students
PHOTO C/O McMaster Indigenous Health Movement
“As reconnecting Indigenous women, Jayden and I also really wanted to make sure IHM was a really inclusive place for all Indigenous people, whether you live on or off reserve, are a mixed native person or you’re reconnecting to your culture for whatever reason,” Alexa Vrzovski
Indigenous Health Movement Co-Chair and non-Indigenous allies to come together, engage in activities and learn. “We also have amazing, lighthearted events that allow allies to join beading circles or cooking classes and really appreciate Indigenous culture firsthand,” said Vrzovski. In all their events, IHM strives to better educate and inform the McMaster community about issues relating to Indigenous health including environmental health and the climate crisis. IHM determinedly strives to encourage reconciliation in this realm. IHM will be recruiting more members in the weeks to come, with applications to come out early November. “IHM provides a welcoming space for both Indigenous and non-Indigenous students to learn from one another on important topics surrounding not only Indigenous health, but also community engagement and advocacy. It’s been amazing to see all the different initia-
tives this team has facilitated the last couple of years,” said Rivers. Make sure to stay tuned to what this student group has in store for this academic year and to ensure to keep learning and unlearning on your own time.
“IHM provides a welcoming space for both Indigenous and non-Indigenous students to learn from one another on important topics surrounding not only Indigenous health, but also community engagement and advocacy. It’s been amazing to see all the different initiatives this team has facilitated the last couple of years,” Jayden Rivers
Indigenous Health Movement Co-Chair
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Uncovering truth, one story at a time GoodMinds.com provides voices to Indigenous authors and their stories Serena Habib A&C Contributor oodMinds.com is the largest Indigenous G bookseller in Canada, but its impact extends far beyond that of a typical bookstore. It
is a source of inspiration, a well of knowledge, a voice for Indigenous authors, an educational hotspot and a support for Indigenous communities across North America. Dave Anderson, whose spirit name is Wahwahbiginojii, is Bear Clan of Dene and Anishinabe descent born in Atikokan, Ontario. As an educator with a doctorate in Indigenous education, he has been involved with Goodminds.com on a number of projects and is constantly directing students and teachers to GoodMinds.com in order to help them learn about Indigenous peoples. Founded over 20 years ago by Jeff Burnham and currently run by Achilles Gentle, the company’s owners have personally looked at every single book before choosing to sell it, ensuring it accurately represents Indigenous peoples in an honest and prideful way. Anderson described how each book will keep your mind growing in the spirit of having “GoodMinds”. “Respect, responsibility and relationship: that’s what GoodMinds is about . . . Understanding our relations, understanding the knowledge of each other, respecting that knowledge and being responsible to do what needs to be done,” explained Anderson. Another important part of GoodMinds vi-
“Respect, responsibility and relationship: that’s what GoodMinds is about . . . Understanding our relations, understanding the knowledge of each other, respecting that knowledge and being responsible to do what needs to be done.” Dave Anderson
Indigenous educator sion is to support Indigenous libraries through their initiative, Supporting Indigenous Libraries Today. Since many Indigenous communities have neither libraries nor access to books, five per cent of every sale goes towards SILT. In addition to selling books, the company support Indigenous education in both Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities. The company tries to ensure libraries purchase Indigenous books from Indigenous booksellers and reach out to schools and their teachers to help with the delivery of educational concepts and issues relating to Indigenous communities. GoodMinds have also begun to publish works by Indigenous authors and present interviews and reviews with Indigenous authors 24 |A R T S & C U LT U R E
PHOTO C/O @goodmindsindigenousbooks
on their YouTube channel in their collection, “13 Moons 13 Reads.” For Indigenous peoples, stories are a critical way of remembering and celebrating their life on this land. “We’re learning our teachings again, we’re learning to laugh again . . . The resiliency and the life that these authors bring in spite of what’s happened — that needs to be shared. There’s a vision . . . there’s a life. And we need to celebrate that life,” explained Anderson. For non-Indigenous people, this is an important opportunity to finally listen to the stories of Indigenous peoples. We all can learn from these teachings and from the interactions of Indigenous peoples with the land we live on today. They have been offering their teachings for 500 years to help us understand our land. It is time we embrace one another and learn so we can step towards a better future. “We are in a time of truth and reconciliation and educating everybody, understanding everybody,” said Anderson. Reading one story is taking one step on a road towards learning and understanding our place and responsibility as human beings on this shared land. The path of learning is ever-expanding; every book illuminates a path to infinite more for us to discover. GoodMinds’ catalogue feature lists so that every individual can find multiple books for themselves. Anderson also recommended 500 Nations and the Truth About Stories as places to start reading Indigenous work. To complement university courses, there are books in every subject ranging from engineering, medicine, astronomy and many more. The children’s books, novels and poetry collections also share wisdom from an Indigenous perspective that are beneficial for everyone to become more aware of. “It’s your first step on [your] road — your road to knowledge [and], to being. If you’ve
www.thesil.ca | Thursday, November 4, 2021
taken that first step, it means there’s something that has brought you here. And now, there’s more . . . There’s so much for us to learn,” explained Anderson. The truth about stories, as Anderson pow-
“It’s your first step on [your] road — your road to knowledge [and], to being. If you’ve taken that first step, it means there’s something that has brought you here. And now, there’s more . . . There’s so much for us to learn.” Dave Anderson
Indigenous educator erfully described, is that everything we need is in the story. GoodMinds provides us with these stories in a way that allows us to help our communities by making a purchase and by reading a book. Let us open a story and join hands and minds for a future of flourishing and friendship. “It’s a time when we live together and for us to share with you. [Y]ou can listen in and we’ll grow together to build a better world, a world that we can be proud of to leave for our children [and] our grandchildren,” said Anderson.
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Going together with the people The Wiiji’iwe Collective supports Indigenous artists by breaking down accessibility barriers Subin Park A&C Reporter oing together with the people. Although G not a direct translation, it closely describes the meaning behind Natasha Davey’s the
Wiiji’iwe Collective. The Wiiji’iwe Collective is an Instagram-based shop that carries beaded accessories, moccasins, artwork and other hand-made items by Indigenous artists from Northern Ontario. In 2014, Davey started her teaching career working with Grade 7 and 8 students in Aroland, a northern First Nations community. As a non-Indigenous person herself, the opportunity to teach there for three years allowed her to gain a deeper understanding of the Indigenous community and develop life-long friendships, many of which were with Indigenous artists. “I went [to Aroland] without knowing what the North was and with little understanding of the Indigenous people in Canada,” explained Davey. When Davey returned to her home in Hamilton, she missed her friends in the northern community very much. She also had people inquire about where to get similar beaded accessories and moccasins she owned. Recognizing the demand for Indigenous art and artifacts as well as the difficulty of connecting with Indigenous artists living in remote reserves, Davey was inspired to create The Wiiji’iwe Collective. “I [want it] to be known that, from this collective, I’m not profiting from the Indigenous community and I’m really doing it to support the Indigenous artists who are in remote northern places, who don’t have as much exposure as [they would] in southern Ontario,” explained Davey. Davey launched the collective last year in consultation with Elders and friends in the Indigenous community. It was important for her to discuss the project idea with Indigenous members and gather their input as she was conscious of her place as an ally and wanted to hold space for the Indigenous community. In support of Davey, two of the Elders she consulted with gifted her the name Wiiji’iwe for the project. “When I was thinking about [starting the Wiiji’iwe Collective], I wanted to do it in a good way. Because I am not Indigenous myself, I recognize myself as an Indigenous ally. So when starting it, I didn’t want to go about things without consulting the Elders and my friends in the Indigenous community,” said Davey. Davey sources her inventory directly from Indigenous artists who she knows from her time working in northern First Nations communities or have been referred to by friends in the community. When purchasing new items from Indigenous artists, Davey often pays more than the rate of the artists to ensure fair, equitable wages. Davey uses the profit from the sales to raise money for the collective’s Indigenous Youth Artists Fund. Interested applicants can message the Wiiji’iwe Collective on Instagram
“When I was thinking about [starting the Wiiji’iwe Collective], I wanted to do it in a good way. Because I am not Indigenous myself, I recognize myself as an Indigenous ally. So when starting it, I didn’t want to go about things without consulting the Elders and my friends in the Indigenous community.” Natasha Davey
Creator of the Wiiji’iwe Collective and fill out a Google form to access the fund. She is also keen on maintaining transparency and sharing the operation behind the business. A common question she receives is whether a non-Indigenous person can buy from the shop. Davey has consulted with many members in the Indigenous community to answer this question, including Elders, who have shared that as long as it is not appropriating Indigenous culture and the non-Indigenous person remains respectful, it is okay. For items with a ceremonial purpose, the artists will always indicate it. “The artists know I’m not Indigenous and these items are being sold to everyone. The
Elders and community also know and want people to support their work and their art,” said Davey. To accommodate the growing community under the Wiiji’iwe Collective, it will soon partner with Grandmothers Voice, an Indigenous organization based in Halton aimed at bringing Elders to various groups, events and ceremonies to reclaim and restore their Indigenous culture. With their support and guidance, Davey hopes to eventually open a Shopify account and ultimately help the artists to open their own websites as well to help them gain more autonomy in selling and promoting their work. “I want to support the artists to be autonomous, build their capacity, build understanding about shipping, receiving and social media and promoting themselves so they can eventually go off on their own and have their own platform . . . For now, I’m happy to support them and show them there’s a lot of worth in the work they do and people are interested in it,” said Davey. The Wiiji’iwe Collective is a place of sharing, appreciating, supporting and celebrating Indigenous art and creators. Whether you are Indigenous, non-Indigenous, wanting to feature your work, connect Indigenous artists or curious about Indigenous art and how to support Indigenous artists, the collective welcomes all students to reach out and go together with the Indigenous community.
PHOTO C/O Natasha Davey
T h e S i l h o u e t t e | 25
Sports McMaster Athletics is not doing enough The athletics department is failing promote their athletes, and it’s time to hold them accountable. Jovan Popovic Sports Editor Sava Jankovic Sports Reporter hat is the difference between American W varsity sports and Canadian varsity sports? Simple: only one actually has a following. The quality of varsity sports and their following is greater in the United States. However, the onus to develop this quality and following is not on the athletes, but rather on the athletic departments at universities that promote their teams. When it comes to promoting Canadian university sports, especially at McMaster University, there is a high level of neglect. Some sports get more coverage than others, but all the way through, it’s lacking. From two posts in the last four years about the highly successful golf team to outdated information and missing headshots for the baseball team to completely empty individual bios for all McMaster athletes, the effort from McMaster athletics has been subpar to say the least. According to Justice Allin, a member of McMaster’s football team, the situation has been getting better over the time he has spent with the team, but there is still far to go. There aren’t enough posts, there aren’t enough articles, the content is lacking and the athletes aren’t happy about it. “There definitely wasn’t enough content. Even when the content was there, it was pretty bland. There wasn’t anything in depth . . . They
“There definitely wasn’t enough content. Even when the content was there, it was pretty bland. There wasn’t anything in depth . . . They lack compared to other universities when it comes to their media department and the media that they post.” Justice Allin
Marauders Football, Running Back 26 | S P O R T S
YOOHYUN PARK/PRODUCTION COORDINATOR
lack compared to other universities when it comes to their media department and the media that they post,” said Allin. Allin, like many of his peers on the team, is hoping to pursue a career in football after graduation, meaning athlete promotion is critical. When compared to similar schools, such as the University of Toronto, McMaster’s athletics site is quite poor and could potentially be hurting his chances as a result of their lack of coverage, outdated information, and more. With the football team being one of the most covered teams in the school, one can only imagine the negative effect this holds on athletes in other sports also hoping to pursue their sport further. On a positive note, Allin noted that social media coverage has improved and that they must continue on the current trend. He also suggested that although it isn’t at the level it should be at, it isn’t as dead as it once was. “They’re on the rise now with their content, at least on Instagram and social media, but I don’t want to see it die down. It has to only improve . . . You definitely need to get the students more involved and more aware of what things are going on,” explained Allin. When asked about the level of media now, Allin discussed the recent successes of the baseball team, who finished with a silver medal in the Ontario University Athletics provincial championship. “I had no idea that the McMaster Marauders had a baseball team and then I found out
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that they placed second in the OUA. And that’s because of social media — otherwise I never would’ve known,” said Allin. Despite all the success the team had been having over the last few years, Allin wasn’t even aware that they existed. The baseball team is just one of many that have gotten lost in the lack of media surrounding McMaster sports. Like the baseball team, the golf team hasn’t seen a large share of publicity either.
Despite all the success the team had been having over the last few years, Allin wasn’t even aware that they existed. The baseball team is just one of many that have gotten lost in the lack of media surrounding McMaster sports. Jovan Popovic Sports Editor
S Experienced golfer and computer engineering student, Kavith Ranchagoda spoke about his recent golfing success and how it felt to finally play again. “We did really well at the provincial tournament, tying in third place out of about ten teams. It felt good being back on the fields again after a long COVID break as it felt like it was going on forever,” explained Ranchagoda However, Ranchagoda did shed light on some disadvantages and setbacks that the golfing team has to go through. “We have to pay $1,000 to be a part of the team, which can be expensive. Also, our coach is the one that purchases equipment for the team, not McMaster,” said Ranchagoda When asked about transport, Ranchagoda said that while the athletic department does of-
“We have to pay $1,000 to be a part of the team, which can be expensive. Also, our coach is the one that purchases equipment for the team, not McMaster.” Kavith Ranchagoda Golf Team
fer a chance for team transport, it is very hefty and does not suit their small group of students. “The university does offer their own option for transport through their contract, but it is cost prohibitive for us to utilize it,” explained
Ranchagoda. Even though the golf season is well underway, the roster page on the Marauders website is still showing a “404” error when one tries accessing it. Additionally, apart from an article published on Oct. 16 about the provincial tournament, the last article the athletic department published on the golf varsity team was in 2017. The golf team is a prime example of what many teams have become: a sport lost in a lack
Even though the golf season is well underway, the roster page on the Marauders website is still showing a “404” error when one tries accessing it. Additionally, apart from an article published on Oct. 16 about the provincial tournament, the last article the athletic department published on the golf varsity team was in 2017.
of media promotion. Aside from the most highly posted sports (football, soccer), it’s become difficult for students to remain up to date with McMaster sports, even those who try.
Aside from the most highly posted sports (football, soccer), it’s become difficult for students to remain up to date with McMaster sports, even those who try. Sava Jankovic
Sports Reporter Despite the poor track record, there is always a chance to improve, and now It’s time for McMaster athletics to step up and put their athletes in the spotlight.
Sava Jankovic
Sports Reporter
... Season 2
Sometimes when we think we have it all planned out, we suddenly come to the realization that there is good in the unexpected. And that is exactly what these Mac grads can attest to! We're excited to present to you The MacCast: Unconventional, our podcast series which aims to highlight how McMaster graduates paved their way into the world, and found themselves in their current positions. Now available on Spotify, Apple, Soundcloud, and Google Podcasts.
HTTPS://LINKTR.EE/MACCASTUNCONVENTIONAL
The Creator’s Game, Canada’s oldest sport While lacrosse may be a game many Canadians are familiar with, its history often goes unnoticed
YOOHYUN PARK/PRODUCTION COORDINATOR
Acacia Lio Sports Staff Writer n 1994, by the National Sports of Canada Act, Isummer lacrosse was officially declared as the national sport of Canada. The term lacrosse
came about in 1636 when French missionary, Jean de Brebeuf, compared the stick they played with to a bishop’s crozier, or la crosse. However, the game has existed for centuries, originally played by Indigenous tribes across North America, referred to as stickball, The Creator’s Game, Baggataway by the Algonquin and Tewaaraton by the Iroquois, both of which translate to “little brother of war.” The Creator’s Game was an essential part of Indigenous culture and religion. This name came from the idea that lacrosse was gifted to the people by the Creator, the being responsible for creating everything on earth. As such, the game was used by the Iroquois to teach lessons, for instance, that everyone has struggles and that the key to survival is friends and allies. The other name, “little brother of war,” stems from the Iroquois using the game as a way to train young men to be warriors and to settle disputes without going to war. The game could include anywhere between 100 and 1,000 players at a time, playing until the predetermined number of points were achieved by one team. The game was vicious, injuring players with cuts, broken bones and the occasional death. Indigenous lacrosse was played with three to five foot long sticks made of wood and the 28 | S P O R T S
netting was made of dried out animal hide. Alf Jacques is an Onondaga Turtle Clan lacrosse stick carver. Jacques explains the significance of the wooden stick in an interview with The Equinox. “You make that stick from nature. That’s a living piece of wood that you make that out of. The energy of that living tree then transfers to
“You make that stick from nature. That’s a living piece of wood that you make that out of. The energy of that living tree then transfers to the player.” Alf Jacques
Onondaga Turtle Clan Lacrosse Stick Carver the player,” explained Jacques. This fits with the Iroquois culture and belief that, when a man dies, his lacrosse stick is buried with him. The first thing he does when waking up in the afterlife is to take the stick and begin playing. However, after the Indigenous people were colonized and assimilated into Canadian culture, so was the game of lacrosse. In 1834, a group from the Caughnawaga tribe demonstrated the game in the city of Montreal. In 1856, Canadian dentist, Dr. William George
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Beers, founded the Montreal Lacrosse Club and ten years later came up with an adjusted set of rules for the game including a rubber ball and newly designed stick. Allan Downey (Dakelh, Nak’azdli Whut’en) is a McMaster professor in the department of history within the Indigenous studies program. His first book, The Creator’s Game: Lacrosse, Identity andIndigenous Nationhood, traces the history of lacrosse in Indigenous communities and demonstrates how lacrosse is an example of the appropriation, then reclamation, of Indigenous identities. In his book, Downey describes why he played lacrosse, but also the inherent appropriation he recognized within the game. “When I was a kid, I was always told that field lacrosse . . . was a “gentleman’s game,” and we as players would be penalized if we swore. Later, I learned that this dated from an 1860s effort to construct lacrosse as a gendered white middle-class sport for Canadians who were naturalized as gentlemen,” said Downey. The book examines the process through which identity is created, articulated and the transformation within Indigenous communities as they continue to play their sport and maintain it as an Indigenous game amongst external and internal challenges. While lacrosse is a sport that may sometimes be overlooked in mainstream media, it is important to recognize its Indigenous roots and reflect on how Indigenous culture has shaped the Canadian landscape. There is still much to learn and many inherent biases to recognize and put aside as we work to reconcile the past and create an equitable future.
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Across 1. These are found in the corners and ceilings of a haunted house. 7. A witch’s pet. (5-3) 11. Bloody and gross. 12. A monster made from bones. 14. A monster from Egypt. 16. Another word for scary. 18. She wears black clothes and rides a broom. 21. It looks like a mouse but much bigger. 22. What kids wear on Halloween. 24. The creature that makes cobwebs. 25. Have a ghost inside. 27. The Cyclops has one. 31. What you get on your skin when you are scared. 32. These slam shut or creek open. 33. Witches ride this. 34. Vampires hate this. 35. Another word for strange. 38. October 31st. 39. What a ghost says. 40. A big black bird. 41. A monster with stitches on his face. 45. What children carve. 46. The month of Halloween. Down 1. What children get at Halloween. 2. Flying animal found in haunted houses. 3. The kind of bullet you need to kill a werewolf. 4. A place with many tombstones. 5. Where you get goose bumps. 6. The weather around haunted houses. 8. The walking corpse. 9. The color of blood. 10. Dracula. 13. You can hear these in the hallways of a haunted house at night. 15. Little animals with long tails. 17. This wears a patch and has a sword. 19. This wears bright colorful clothing. 20. A big black pot that witches use to make potions. 23. The kind of light that vampires hate. 26. The monster __________ the stairs. 28. What vampires drink. 29. The time when werewolves come out. 30. What kids say on Halloween. 31. Something that haunts houses. 36. A monster that changes from human to wolf. 37. Makes me scared; gives me the ___________. 42. A monster from space. 43. The opposite of good. 44. Frighten. 47. A night bird.
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SORRY! NO JOKES FOR THIS WEEK Y2
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NO TIME TO DO THE SPEC!!!! Colour and send photo to eic@thesil.ca to win a $5 gift card to The Grind! KRISTOFF BROADWAY Good morning, Baltimore
PER ISSUE: COLOURED PUMPKIN INCL. HST, PST & a box of crayola
Disclaimer: The Hamilton Speculator is a work of satire and fiction and should not under any circumstances be taken seriously. Submissions must be sent to eic@thesil.ca by November 31, 2021 to be eligible for a $5 gift card to MSU The Grind. Sil staff not eligble.
S SORRY! NO JOKES FOR THIS WEEK Y2
THE
THURSDAY
NEED TO PRINT? HAMILTON SPEC ULATOR NO JOKES SINCE 1934
NOTSPEC.COM
NOVEMBER 4, 2021
Underground now open NO TIME TO DO THE SPEC!!!! for self-serve printing Colour and send photo to eic@thesil.ca to win a $5 gift card to The Grind! KRISTOFF BROADWAY
Good morning, Baltimore
Store Hours:
Tuesday - Thursday 10AM - 4:30PM For all other services, please contact us at: ugmanager@msu.mcmaster.ca Or visit our website at:
www.undergrounddesign.ca PER ISSUE: COLOURED PUMPKIN INCL. HST, PST & a box of crayola
Disclaimer: The Hamilton Speculator is a work of satire and fiction and should not under any circumstances be taken seriously. Submissions must be sent to eic@thesil.ca by November 31, 2021 to be eligible for a $5 gift card to MSU The Grind. Sil staff not eligble.
The Silhouette | 5
S SORRY! NO JOKES FOR THIS WEEK Y2
THE
THURSDAY Get
NEED TO HAMILTON SPECULATOR NO JOKES SINCE 1934
NOTSPEC.COM
YOUR PRINT? Card!
NOVEMBER 4, 2021
Underground now open NO TIME TO DO THE SPEC!!!! for self-serve printing Colour and send photo to eic@thesil.ca to win a $5 gift card to The Grind! KRISTOFF BROADWAY
Good morning, Baltimore
Store Hours:
Tuesday - Thursday 10AM - 4:30PM
Get the BMO McMaster MasterCard to reward yourself with AIRMILES®† Reward Miles or cash back while supporting programming for students and alumni, at no extra cost to you! Choose how you get rewarded and apply today!
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www.undergrounddesign.ca PER ISSUE: COLOURED PUMPKIN INCL. HST, PST & a box of crayola
Award of AIR MILES reward miles or CashBack is made for purchases charged to your account (less refunds) and is subject to the terms and conditions of your BMO Mastercard Cardholder Agreement.TM/® Trade-marks/registered trade-marks of Bank of Montreal.® *Mastercard is a registered trademark of Mastercard International Incorporated. ®† Trademarks of AIR MILES International Trading B.V. Used under license by LoyaltyOne, Inc. and Bank of Montreal. 1
Disclaimer: The Hamilton Speculator is a work of satire and fiction and should not under any circumstances be taken seriously. Submissions must be sent to eic@thesil.ca by November 31, 2021 to be eligible for a $5 gift card to MSU The Grind. Sil staff not eligble.
The Silhouette | 5
