UMSU board meeting highlights
Arifah Gheesah, staff
T his week’s UMSU board of directors meeting was brief but packed with updates for students.
UMSU shared ongoing developments in its federal advocacy efforts. On Nov. 3, UMSU hosted MP Heather McPherson for a town hall meeting focused on student issues such as funding, post-secondary affordability and the federal budget. The event gave students the opportunity to speak directly with the MP and raise questions and concerns.
Advocacy on the Winnipeg Transit system continues. UMSU has been gathering student feedback and meeting with representatives from both the City of Winnipeg and Winnipeg Transit. The union hopes to see several key routes reinstated to better support student commuters.
UMSU president Prabhnoor Singh reported on his meeting with U of M president Michael Benarroch and vice-provost Laurie Schnarr where they
discussed broader student advocacy priorities. The meeting focused on opportunities for UMSU and the university to jointly push for a safer and
more reliable transit network, the urgent need to reinstate provincial healthcare for international students and the possibility of the univer-
sity subsidizing the Manitoba International Student Healthcare Plan to ease financial burdens. They also addressed growing concerns around student housing, emphasizing the need for more affordable options both on and near campus.
UMSU’s annual Holiday Hamper initiative is back. This year, UMSU will provide $150 grocery gift cards to support students during the holiday season and allow them to purchase personalized items for the hampers.
Carolyn Wang, vice president of finance and operations, presented updates on her work with UMSU Services and Operations to develop a new UMSU community lounge in Helen Glass. The project is still in its planning phase.
International Centre hosts International Education Week
Five days of global programming brought students together across campus
Roy Albright Obah, staff
The U of M International Centre marked International Education Week (IEW) with a five-day series of events held from Nov. 17 to 21. The annual observance is part of a global initiative to recognize the role of international education and the contributions of international students.
Fanny Levy, International Centre executive director, spoke about the event. “International Education Week is an annual opportunity for our team and partners to celebrate and highlight the contributions of international students and the value of global engagement across our campuses and abroad.”
Levy said this year’s celebration offered several opportunities to participants. “Students had opportunities to build intercultural skills, explore global mobility oppor-
tunities […] and funding to access those experiences, meet peers from around the world and receive direct support from international student advisors.”
The planning of the week involved collaboration across multiple groups on campus.
Levy said, “We consulted with student groups, campus partners and International Centre staff to identify themes that resonate with our current students.”
“Our programming included cultural showcases, student-led sessions, academic and immigration support workshops, and partner-led activities from faculties, Student Affairs and student groups,” she added.
According to Levy, the programming also featured information for students “to learn
“That spirit of engagement is what defines IEW for me”
or collaborative workshops, we help build mutual understanding and reduce social barriers that can sometimes arise.” However, for Levy, “that spirit of engagement is what defines IEW for [her].”
She added, “For many, it was also a chance to showcase their identity and culture in a supportive environment.”
— Fanny Levy, U of M International Centre executive
Levy said this year’s IEW centred “on community building, cross-cultural learning and student success.”
Throughout the five days, activities were organized to help students engage with campus resources and programs.
Who runs the world?
UMMA hosts She Leads event, amplifying voices of women leaders
Videographer’s creed
How video game cutscenes can inform visual storytelling techniques
about study-abroad pathways and global partnerships, highlighting both inbound and outbound mobility.”
Levy expressed that IEW is significant for students as “[IEW] creates shared spaces where students can learn with and from each other […] Through food, conversation
Levy noted the planning and coordination of IEW came with challenges, particularly given the range of activities across multiple units. She said, “Our team addressed [these] through communication, early planning and leaning on our campus partners’ expertise. We’re fortunate to have a committed group of staff and many student volunteers who adapt quickly and
ensure students have a meaningful experience.”
Levy mentioned the International Centre intends to “continue expanding student leadership [and ensure] programming reflects their voices and priorities.” She added,“We want [IEW] to keep growing as an annual celebration that brings our entire community together and reinforces [U of M’s] commitment to global engagement.”
The International Centre serves as U of M’s main pillar of global engagement, supporting students and faculty interested in international opportunities or global collaboration.
The office is located in Room 541 of UMSU University Centre. For updates on upcoming events, follow @um.international.
Hot cups of knowledge
What role did coffeehouses use to play in cultural advancement?
Craic for drama lovers
The Shaughraun runs from Nov. 26 to 29 at John J. Conklin Theatre
Bisons sweep Cougars
Bisons women’s volleyball team wins 3-0, 3-0 against Regina Cougars Sports 18
PHOTO BY ZULKIFL RAFAH / STAFF
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Board of directors discuss advocacy, support and future student spaces
To increase financial transparency, UMSU will soon publish a spreadsheet on its website showing the status of all funding applications. This will help student groups track their submissions and stay informed.
UMSU’s annual audit and financial statements are now available on the website for students to review. UMSU is also partnering with the U of M Food Bank to provide ongoing food support to students.
The anti-choice group has been appearing on campus more frequently, raising concerns about harmful and graphic materials, as well as the lack of prior communication before their arrival. UMSU is currently working
with the university’s associate vice-president (administration) to update the language on the warning-sign sandwich boards to ensure students are informed and connected with appropriate resources both on and off campus.
Motion 0678 was brought to the table to investigate UMSU VPSL Hannah Le for violating workplace harassment policies following a complaint made to the judicial board on Oct 3, 2025. An ad hoc committee was formed at the meeting to investigate Le, and the committee’s results will be shared during an upcoming emergency meeting, to be held in closed session.
The judicial board also brought an emergency motion to the table to hold a hearing for an anonymous complaint
against UMSU accessibility students’ community rep Gurminder Singh filed on Nov 15. Other updates from the meeting included recommendations for two additional amendments to the UMSU
elections manual. The first proposes the implementation of a ranked ballot system. The second introduces revisions to the community by-election process aimed at improving transparency, representation
and overall fairness. Wang’s report also announced new microwaves in UMSU University Centre on the second floor across from the multi-purpose room.
Faith and identity take focus at UMMSA conference
U of M Muslim Students’ Association hosts 35th annual conference
Nafisa Al Lilo, staff
The U of M Muslim Students’ Association (MSA) held its 35th annual conference from Nov. 14-16, bringing together students and community members for a series of lectures, workshops and discussions on Muslim identity.
The event included speakers from across Canada, the U.S. and the U.K. Faisal Shamim Zahed current president of MSA, said the conference remains one of the group’s key events.
“[This is] one of the largest Islamic conferences we have in Manitoba,” he said. He added that the event was designed to welcome a wide range of attendees. “This is not for Muslims only[…] this is for everyone, from any religion.”
Zahed said the conference helps students “revive the faith” and hear different perspectives. He said the weekend programming allows students to “connect spiritually” and learn from speakers.
Adil Hayat, the MSA external relations manager, said the event carries a long legacy. “It’s the 35th annual conference, so we have a legacy that we keep up,” he said. According to Hayat, the event typically draws 300 to 400 attendees.
Hayat said there are two moments that stood out to him this year “The first one that sticks out is we’re hosting our first Reverts panel,” he said. “That means we had a lot of individuals […] who have
embraced Islam [..] they have reverted to Islam.”
The second highlight, for Hayat, was a presentation by children from Iqra Islamic school, where students between the ages of six and 13 recited the Quran and performed a nasheed — a hymn — accompanied by storytelling. Hayat said, “They did a great job, and it started off our conference with a big hit.”
Abu Ibrahim, a speaker from the i3 Institute, spoke about the difficulties Muslim students encounter in balancing religious life with Western cultural expectations. He said many students are “caught between two worlds” and experience pressure to “keep Islam to ourselves and to our families and to our mosques” rather than express their identity publicly.
Mariyam Mohammad, past president of MSA, addressed the audience on the subject of hypocrisy and righteousness among Muslims. She encouraged students to fully embrace their faith. “if you want to be within the fold Islam, you should be completely embracing it,” she said. She described her lecture as a “reminder, a wake-up call for the ummah (muslim community), for the students here.”
Farhin Mohammed, a firstyear international student and attendee, expressed her appreciation for the event. “It answered a lot of questions,” she said, especially guidance regarding friendships and actions in daily life.
Another student attendee, Ishraqul Alam , said the conference reinforced the importance of understanding Muslim identity in a Canadian context. He said the event
“brings the entire student body together, as well as the community,” and highlighted the challenge of defining Muslim identity in a multicultural setting. He said the main mes-
sage he will use in his daily life from the lectures is “of being righteous, treating other people right, embodying the values of Islam, not what you see in the media.”
PHOTO BY EBUNOLUWA AKINBO / STAFF
PHOTOS BY ZULKIFLRAFAH / STAFF
< Cont’d from front page
UMMA event champions women’s leadership
Event provides space for students to learn from women leading in the community
Nafisa Al Lilo, staff
T
he U of M Marketing Association (UMMA) hosted She Leads, a student-organized panel featuring women leaders from different professional fields including education, marketing and finance. The event was created to give students access to leaders whose work reflects the growing visibility and influence of women across industries.
The panel included four women — Maddie Thompson, the founder and CEO of MAD Social, Charlotte Vis Van Heemst, who leads student success and strategic initiatives at Asper school of business, Brenda Gibson, president and CEO of Red River Mutual and Chelsea Arns, who leads TutorBright Prairies.
The evening opened with remarks from UMMA co-president Sargis Sargisian, who explained the idea for the event came from ongoing conversations about how leadership, specifically women’s leadership, has shaped students’ experiences. He added that women’s leadership has played a major role throughout his career journey, and the event was designed to reflect that influence.
Sargisian explained that UMMA was hoping to create a greater impact within the lives of the students and community. “We thought that the new trajectory of UMMA should be about inspiring the younger generation and impacting the
community,” he said.
Sargisian’s goal was to bring together women who could demonstrate how leadership develops across different sectors. “We all start basically from the same place, mainly university for all of us,” he said. “But then it’s up to you to fully explore your opportunities.”
ations. He described entering the program without anticipating how strongly the discussions would shape his understanding of leadership.
“Know that in the end, everything always works out for you, but you have to be able to be willing to see that”
event. “Leadership is not a one-size-fits-all approach. We must understand who we are as individuals and how we want to carry ourselves,” he said. Shulman expressed how the discussion emphasized interper-
— Chelsea Arns, TutorBright Prairies lead
Toni Shulman, a fourthyear marketing student and one of the moderators, said the event exceeded his expect-
I think, as a student, this is incredibly inspiring,” Shulman said.
Shulman also shared his main takeaway from the
treated them,’” he said.
Arns offered practical advice to students navigating academic and career uncertainty. She advised students to view challenges as opportunities for reflection rather than signs of failure. “You need to look at every situation that you might think is a failure and [realize] that there is a blessing in it,” she said.
She encouraged students to stay committed even when the path ahead feels uncertain or when things do not go as planned. “Keep believing yourself,” she said. “Know that in the end, everything always works out for you, but you have to be able to be willing to see that.”
The event concluded with a question-and-answer session where students asked panelists about their achievements, networking and career direction. Students were also given time after the event to connect with the panelists and have one-on-one conversations.
Sargisian said he hopes the event will encourage students to step outside of their comfort zones. He emphasized that while university can feel like a contained environment, growth often happens when students look for opportun-
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ANEW hosts Women & Wellness Week
Women’s wellness and community take centre stage at Asper school of business
Arifah Gheesah, staff
The Asper Network of Empowered Women (ANEW) had their Women & Wellness Week from Nov. 17 to 22. The week started with free coffee and treats before giveaway baskets and a bake sale, followed by a sip and craft night in the middle of the week. It ended with Lagree classes at The Fitual.
During the sip and craft night, attendees made friendship bracelets while enjoying refreshments, and a variety of cupcakes, cake pops and cookies were available for purchase at the bake sale.
This initiative supported local women-owned businesses, and all the funds from the bake sale and the Lagree classes went toward the Women’s Health Clinic in Winnipeg.
Their giveaway baskets featured six different womenowned businesses, and three winners had the chance to receive a party-planning basket and a self-care basket.
Miranda Harder, ANEW
president, mentioned how the club had been inactive for a while, and this was a way to re-introduce the club.
“It was great to hear that a lot of people are looking forward to having that kind of women-based community in Asper,” she said. Harder also mentioned how ANEW is not just for Asper students but open to everyone. They have student participants from different faculties such as the science department, nursing program and University 1.
Even though their events are more business and networking-oriented, everyone is welcome at ANEW.
“It was great to see the excitement on people’s faces that the club existed. [...] I did a presentation [about ANEW] in the morning, and then right after a girl heard [and] she was all excited,” Harder mentioned. She added the girl was happy she found a community she could be a part of.
“It was heartwarming to see […] a big group of people that didn’t all know each other,
but everyone is all interacting,” she said. This initiative was a chance for people to come together, get to know one another, make friends and create a community, which a lot of women in the Asper
community felt was lacking.
“We didn’t really have a space to meet new people and feel included,” Harder explained. ANEW is “always looking for new members.” They will have another sip and craft
night soon, and they are open to event suggestions through their membership form. Their main vision is to create community.
U of M student wins Crime Stoppers design challenge
Haque’s winning prototype aims to modernize the nonprofit’s online presence
Roy Albright Obah, staff
This year’s Winnipeg Crime Stoppers website redesign challenge saw Hamza Haque, a U of M student, take home the top prize. The competition aimed to modernize and enhance the nonprofit’s online presence.
Haque’s interest in technology began in high school, where he built the foundation that later informed his work on the redesign.
“I
“During high school, I completed a software developer diploma at MITT through the PTEC [Pembina Trails Early College] program, which gave me a strong foundation in programming, cybersecurity and IT,” he said. The experience guided him “from building real-world projects to representing Manitoba at national tech competitions.”
own community here in Winnipeg,” he said. “I get to contribute my skills to an organization that plays such an important role in keeping our city safe and building a bridge between everyday people and the police.”
The challenge also gave him a chance to put his abilities into practice. Haque
really believe that if you’ve been given opportunities to learn a skill, you also have a responsibility to bring it back to your community”
He encouraged other students to give back and explore similar opportunities. “I really believe that if you’ve been given opportunities to learn a skill, you also have a responsibility to bring it back to your community,” he said. For students considering joining future competitions, his main advice is “to go into competitions not with the expectation of winning, but with the intention of learning.
— Hamza Haque, winner of the Winnipeg Crime Stoppers website redesign challenge
noted the process felt natural rather than overwhelming. “It didn’t feel ‘hard’ in a stressful way. If anything, it felt like another great opportunity to apply what I’ve learned and grow even more.”
Haque described the win as meaningful both personally and for his local community. “Winning this competition honestly felt very nice, especially because it’s something that directly impacts my
Discussing his design approach, he said, “The first thing I focused on was simplicity.” So “making the website easy to use was absolutely essential” for Haque. “I also plan to keep improving the Winnipeg Crime Stoppers website,” he added.
Don’t put pressure on yourself to build the ‘perfect’ project.”
Haque plans to continue “providing web development services for organizations […] using those skills to support nonprofits and community-focused initiatives across Canada.”
Looking ahead, he said his goal “is to keep learning, keep building [and] make a positive impact in [his] neighbourhood, [his] city, the province or beyond.”
The competition, limited to U of M students, offered a $1,000 award to the top individual or team. Entrants were
tasked with creating a functional website prototype along with a brief presentation showcasing their design and key features. The project was designed to provide students with practical experience in digital design, user experience and community-focused technology work.
Established in 1988, Winni-
peg Crime Stoppers is a nonprofit organization focused on enhancing public safety through anonymous tip submissions, education and community involvement. The group invites students and residents to volunteer in activities such as outreach, event assistance and awareness initiatives.
PHOTO PROVIDED BY ANEW / STAFF
PHOTO PROVIDED BY HAMZA HAQUE
The cinema of cutscenes
How video game cutscenes shaped me as a videographer
Zulkifl Rafah, staff
Before I ever picked up a camera or learned the language of film, I learned storytelling, framing and emotional resonance through a unique medium — video games. Growing up, video games weren’t just something I played, they were something I studied. Cutscenes, those crafted moments in which gameplay seamlessly blends with narratives, became my gateway into the world of visual storytelling. It shaped my understanding of visuals, character development and the power of a well-told story.
Video games are in a unique position in modern storytelling. Unlike films, they allow you to participate in the narrative, and the best ones always manage to deliver long-lasting emotions and unforgettable moments.
I have always been particularly selective about the games I choose to play. I look for titles where visual storytelling isn’t a side quest but the heartbeat of the game. Titles like The Last of Us, Assassin’s Creed and Uncharted became my teachers.
The Last of Us showed me how a single close-up, a shift in lighting and even a quiet pause can speak louder than dialogue. It also showed me how music can be blended with scenes to elevate a story. Every cutscene felt like a scene from a beautifully crafted film, focused and intentional. Particularly, whenever Ellie says something that reminds Joel of Sarah, his daughter that he lost just before the outbreak, there’s usually a moment of pause and a zoomed shot of Joel where he doesn’t say anything back, but his facial expressions combined with a brief glance at his broken wrist watch tell players that he was reminded of his daughter. It is from this game that I learned that cinematography isn’t just about what you show, it’s also about what you hold back.
Then there was Assassin’s Creed, an award-winning video game series developed by Ubisoft. This franchise
consists of 13 main titles as well as multiple spin-off games, several short films and various transmedia projects. A masterclass in world-building and visual immersion, Assassin’s Creed has been widely known for creating worlds that consist of beautiful landscapes, ancient cities with towering structures and cutscenes that make history feel alive. This series taught me
the importance of a wide-angle shot. It doesn’t just show a world — it sets the tone and the atmosphere of a story. Uncharted taught me the importance of motion. Its cutscenes mainly consist of energy, binding story and action through dynamic camera movement. This series taught me how the camera can move the story, creating tension, rhythm and excite-
ment without anyone saying a single word.
All of these games have one thing in common — they respect visual storytelling. Visual storytelling is important to me because at a very young age I discovered that I was able to express myself better with imagery than with words, and these games use imagery to project emotions that resonated with me long
after the credits rolled. The philosophy of visual narratives guides me every time I step behind a camera today. When I frame a shot or direct a scene, I carry the lessons from these games with me. The worlds that I explored on a screen helped me to create my own. These games didn’t just entertain me, they helped me find my voice as a visual storyteller and a videographer.
GRAPHIC BY EMMA GILLICH / STAFF
Research & Technology
Uncovering the history of reading without sight U of M professor’s new
Mansura Akter Meghla, staff
F or many readers today, braille is synonymous with blind literacy. But for Vanessa Warne, the story of how blind people learned to read provided a deeper look at the cultural history of disability itself.
Warne, a professor in the U of M department of english, theatre, film and media, studied how people in the 19th century understood disability. Her work explored the connections between poems, novels, paintings, sculptures and the history of blind readers who navigated the world through touch rather than sight.
Her interest in disability history began nearly two decades ago, after a colleague encouraged her to volunteer at the Canadian National Institute for the Blind. Warne spent her time in the organization’s recording studio, reading aloud everything from young adult novels to recipes that were not available in accessible formats.
The experience left a lasting impact on her. “The recording studio closed but I kept thinking about access to literature, including the history of 19th century blind people’s access to works of literature that I love and teach,” she said. “The more I learned about this understudied history, the more I wanted to know.”
That curiosity has culminated in her new book, By Touch Alone: Blindness and Reading in Nineteenth-Century Culture, published this summer. The book traces the history of the first generation of blind readers who became literate through inkless, tactile books created to be read by touch. Warne explained that while braille is widely recognized today, it was once just one of several tactile reading systems. “These inkless scripts both felt and looked very different from braille,” she noted. “Studying these now obsolete scripts taught me a great deal about how ableist attitudes toward disabled people have shaped technology and culture,” she added.
book traces how 19th century blind readers reshaped culture
Alongside the technical and historical aspects, Warne examined how sighted people responded when blind readers entered literary culture. As reading by touch became more common, sighted contemporaries had to reconsider what qualified as literacy and rethink long-held assumptions about blindness. Her research brings together
life writing from blind authors with the fiction, paintings and sculptures produced by sighted artists, revealing a
“Different modes of accessing text, such as touching raised text or listening to audio […] facilitate different kinds of engagement”
— Vanessa Warne, professor in the U of M’s department of english, theatre, film and media
more complex and culturally contested history of reading than many expect.
While her work is rooted
in reading practices, Warne noted the influence of tactile literacy extended far beyond books. She found unexpected connections between reading by touch and other 19th-century cultural activities, from handling museum specimens to practices of tactile graffiti. These insights have shaped her upcoming research, which shifts focus from reading to the material
history of blind craftsmanship. Many schools and asylums for blind students historically paired literacy education with craft training, producing baskets and other hand-made items intended both for income and rehabilitation.
Warne also saw contemporary relevance in her work, particularly as debates continue over accessibility, digitization and the future of braille. With 2024 marking the 200th anniversary of braille’s invention, she said ongoing cultural investment in braille, both in teaching and publishing may be declining as digital tools expand. She hopes the history of reading by touch will help today’s blind readers reflect on “how different modes of accessing text, such as touching raised text or listening to audio […] facilitate different kinds of engagement or support different degrees of comprehension.”
Warne hopes her work will contribute to richer understandings of disability history and encourage students to explore the vast cultural archive of the 19th century. “The Victorians wrote and published and painted and sculpted and crafted astounding amounts of cultural material,” she said. “We can learn a lot about them and about our own cultural moment by studying the things they created and collected.”
Warne’s work has been supported by U of M Libraries’ Archives & Special Collections, which houses rare 19th century tactile books. She recalled travelling with some of these volumes and offering blind readers the opportunity to handle scripts they had never encountered in their lifetimes. One moment stayed with her — exploring a 150-year-old book printed in William Moon’s tactile script with a disability activist who had only ever read braille. “I’m grateful for the chance to share these rare books and their history with readers today, both blind and sighted,” Warne said.
PHOTO PROVIDED BY VANESSA WARNE
Social media use linked to cognitive decline in youth Student experiences suggest
Nawal Semir, staff
Newly published findings from the ongoing Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) study, one of the largest studies on youth development, links increased social media use during adolescence to lower cognitive performance. Dr. Jason Nagata of the University of California San Francisco, along with his colleagues, explained in their research letter that “there is a paucity of studies that have analyzed the associations between distinct longitudinal social media usage patterns and multiple domains of cognitive functioning.”
Their project thus aims to contribute to an underdeveloped field of interest in cognitive science. As per Nagata’s findings, this study contributes to literature by “[examining] the relationship between longitudinal patterns of social media use and cognitive performance two years later in a diverse, national sample of early adolescents.”
The ABCD study tracked
study is necessary on effects of social media on adults
6,554 American adolescents, of which 51.1 per cent were male and 48.9 per cent were female. Data was collected from three time points — baseline (2016 to 2018, ages nine to 10 years), year one (2017 to 2019), and year two (2018 to 2020). The conclusions are based on results from oral and memory testing the adolescents were put through every other year, as well as the ongoing yearly surveillance of their social media usage.
Between ages nine to 13, three trajectory groups appeared — no or low social media use (roughly 58 per cent of participants), low increasing social media use (roughly 37 per cent of participants) and high increasing social media use (roughly six per cent of participants). The low increasing group’s social media usage reached about an hour a day by the age of 13, while the high increasing group spent about three or more hours on social media daily.
The ultimate findings from the study are comparisons made with the no or low social
media use group.
From these comparisons, Nagata concluded that both low and high increases in social media use throughout early adolescence “were significantly associated with lower performance in specific aspects of cognitive function, supporting a prior finding that greater screen time was negatively but weakly associated with adolescent cognitive performance.”
Although not participants in the study, U of M students who were adolescents during the study period shared their lived experience with social media and how they believe it has affected their cognitive abilities, mainly in terms of learning and time-management.
Gina Ali, a fifth-year English major in the faculty of arts explained that, like the study participants, her social media usage began at age 11-12. “I [didn’t have] a device of my own until I was 14,” she shared. Her limited access to social media, coupled with the structured regiment of mid-
dle school — including a ban on phones in class — helped her regulate her social media usage in adolescence. Now in adulthood, she said social media is directly impacting her ability to study as well as her overall productivity.
Ali believed her increased social media use to be a symptom of excess “free time” and the fact that “university is not as structured as […] other years of schooling.”
Zahra Lokwa, a secondyear student in the faculty of arts traced her earliest social media usage back to the age of nine, with her consistent usage increasing greatly at the age of 13. Now, Lokwa attributes a decrease in her attention span to her heavy social media usage. Like Ali, she believed that an increase in “free time” as well as a lack of involvement in extracurriculars in her adolescence has caused her to form a social media dependency.
In an attempt to mitigate the physical and cognitive effects she believed were linked to her social media
usage, Lokwa took a two-year break from social media at the age of 18.
“I found myself reading again, painting again,” she recalled. “I found myself to be sleeping earlier and having a good amount of sleep,” she added. Since returning to social media and devoting her free time during the day and at night to social media, she’s “back worse than ever.”
The adolescent years are known to be highly formative. However, university students’ experiences suggest social media may also shape the cognition of older teens and young adults, potentially influencing skills they have already developed. While research, including Nagata’s, focuses on adolescents, accounts from students reveal a need for further study on social media’s effects on an older age group, especially regarding perceived declines in focus and cognitive skills.
Museums in a world we only see through screens
As algorithms narrow our world, museums reveal what we have forgotten to look for
Kyra Campbell, staff
D
o you know anything about Flemish life and artifacts between the 1400s and 1700s? I definitely did not before visiting an exhibit at the Royal Ontario Museum over reading week. I am not an artistic person, nor have I really taken a deep dive into art in my free time.
However, I loved the way the exhibits were themed and ended up learning a lot about that time period. Along with admiring the art, I learned that in 1570, cartographer Abraham Ortelius shifted from mapping individual places to a more global view with Theatrum Orbis Terrarum, a collection of 53 maps widely considered the first true atlas, which was on display. In a completely different area of study, I also learned about significant scientific developments made by midwives in the 1500s, as most women gave birth at home and relied heavily on their knowledge.
This article is not meant to give you a full rundown of the exhibit, nor is it a retelling of 300 years of Flemish history. Instead, it is about the fact
that there is so much happening outside our ordinary bubble of learning that, even if it is not directly useful in our day-to-day lives, it still opens our eyes to fascinating ideas.
I have always been pretty “nerdy” and I get a lot of joy from constantly learning new things. But I have increasingly found that even though we can ask the internet anything and get an almost instant answer, this apparent abundance can actually feel like our world of information is shrinking.
Most of us wake up and get the same five stories pushed at us, likely fuelled by whatever is trending, to create the most outrage or to keep us scrolling. The internet feels infinite, but what we really see is filtered through algorithms, advertisements and our own search habits.
After all, you cannot Google what you do not know exists. Click on a video about the moon landing, and your feed becomes the moon landing forever. It can be convenient, but also a trap. Your curiosity becomes confined to what the search engine recommends and believes you’ll
engage with.
In a museum, you can go in to see dinosaurs and then stumble onto an exhibit about diamond mining. You wander into the interactive science lab and suddenly you are modelling how a virus spreads through a city. You turn a corner and there is a room about a local community you have lived near for many years and never really thought about. You did not search for any of this. It found you.
There has been a stark rise in anti-intellectualism, especially in the form of demonizing education. Along with a lot of online discourse calling university “woke” or only a place for fostering “radical left-wing ideologies,” I vividly remember one moment from our most recent federal election cycle. Leader of the Conservative Party of Canada, Pierre Poilievre, announced as part of the party’s platform that if elected to form government, they would eliminate university degree requirements for most federal public service roles.
This announcement raised two concerns for me. First,
when one of Canada’s major political parties downplays the value of education in the public service, it sends the message that education does not really matter. This is particularly troubling because public servants deliver essential programs and services to Canadians, so even if the policy never takes effect, the sentiment is still out there.
Cynically, I cannot help but feel that some politicians prefer their citizens to be less educated on all fronts, so they are less likely to push back against or fully understand the severity of certain government decisions. For a bolder example of this, you can look at President Donald Trump’s attacks on education in the U.S.
Second, it highlights the importance of educational institutions like museums, where you can learn a lot about different subjects without having a degree. Of course, visiting a museum does not compare to the intensity or length of a university education, but it is far more affordable and accessible.
That said, there is also a
democratic issue here. When attacks are thrown at institutions like museums and they are treated as optional extras, they become easier to neglect and defund. If we instead understand them as part of how we stay informed, how we remember and how we argue about how we live and who we are, then they are not luxuries. They are the backbone of an informed society. Along with protecting our post-secondary education system, we must also ensure we do not let our guard down when it comes to museums and similar learning institutions. This argument does not mean we need to reject the internet — it means we must refuse to let it be the only way we learn. You can absolutely read up on an artist before you go to a gallery or look into a scientific concept before you go to a lab, and you deepen both experiences by letting them inform each other. If we want to be an informed society, we cannot just scroll for answers — sometimes we have to go out of our way, stand in front of the real thing, and let it surprise us.
GRAPHIC BY TEEGAN GILLICH / STAFF
Does the U of M need more food options?
The diverse needs of students should be reflected in the food at U of M
Quinn Mayhew, staff
E verywhere I look on campus, there is a familiar feeling that wells up inside of me when I realize there’s nothing for me to eat.
Now, dear reader, you may be thinking there are many places to eat on campus, and to that I raise my glass and say yes, yes, there are — but are there any of them healthy?
If you have experienced finals in December or the pressure of every single project being due in November, you probably know there is little time to make and pack yourself lunch every day.
For students who have the willpower to pack a lunch every day, I applaud you. Every time I go to pack one, I am hit with an overwhelming feeling of laziness and never quite manage to follow through.
So, you turn to the food services that are offered on campus and quickly realize that
the choices are either very expensive or a bag of chips, a donut or Pepsi — and a can or bottle of Pepsi is not much of a meal.
So, the choice lies between a donut or an expensive meal at Degrees. I love Degrees, I really do, but going there
every day would be a hit to the wallet.
There needs to be a middle ground — something between the cost of a donut and an expensive café meal. Now, you may be thinking that you could grab a quick bite to eat from the Greenhouse Cafe
as a grab-and-go alternative, but even that is still quite expensive, and to be honest, the sandwiches are never my favourite.
The need for more diverse options at the U of M is important, especially in a society that often pushes us
Coffee cups and conversations
How the coffeehouses used to serve as idea hubs
Thandeka Katsika, staff
The Scientific Revolution during the Modern Age is often remembered for its monumental discoveries, like Newton’s laws of motion and Kepler’s planetary motion. Ideas like these transformed the intellectual landscape of Europe and continue to give physics students an incredibly hard time. Behind all these achievements stood an equally important social institution, the coffeehouse.
Early coffeehouses attracted a remarkably broad cross-section of society. Merchants, scholars, physicians and philosophers all mingled around shared tables. Unlike hierarchical institutions such as universities or royal courts, the coffeehouse offered a more egalitarian space. I think this openness was crucial because it allowed ideas to circulate more freely across society, rather than being confined to the elites. Anyone who had an idea or was interested in something could partake in the conversation, giving insights and learning from others. The coffeehouse created a space where class was no longer as large an obstacle for free thinking.
Coffeehouses also promoted collaboration. In cities like London and Hamburg, coffeehouse patrons often met strangers, engaged in debates
and formed networks that led to scientific, political or commercial innovation. I believe these open gatherings meant that a curious thinker could easily encounter someone with the resources to fund an experiment, publish a pamphlet or support an invention.
For example, a merchant might overhear a scientific problem and offer information gathered from overseas trade, or a physician might provide technical insight that reshapes someone’s initial idea. This kind of open collaboration was important because it broke down the barriers that normally kept knowledge siloed within specific professions or social classes. Instead, the coffeehouse allowed ideas to develop collectively, enriched by perspectives and expertise that would never have come together in more formal or exclusive settings.
Beyond science, coffeehouses were arenas for discussing and debating political philosophies. I think this was important because the coffeehouse was one of the first genuinely public spaces for discussing civic life. People were able to come in and truly express their ideas and opinions. And these ideas were open to challenge from others, which created a space for true intellectual growth.
Yet, as is evident now, this golden age of coffeehouses did not last forever.
Now, coffeehouses seem to prioritize commerce, and consumers seem to prioritize convenience. I don’t know about you, but I rarely walk into Tim Hortons or Starbucks with the intention of sitting down and listening to someone speak about their “great ideas.” I tend to walk in, get my coffee and walk out. I think this reflects a broader shift in culture. The rhythm of life is now structured around efficiency and schedules. But this decline in coffeehouse culture does not mean the end for open discussion, collaboration or debate. In fact, the conversations are still taking place, just on social media instead.
While I acknowledge all the good that social media does in facilitating conversations, I cannot help but wonder what our society would look like if we still had physical coffeehouses — the ones where you had to walk into the room, sit down, and be prepared to listen just as much as you were prepared to speak.
There was a sense of accountability that came with being face-to-face with other people. You couldn’t build an echo chamber around yourself. You had to be willing to be faced with disagreement.
into healthy diets. So, why aren’t there more healthy food options available to students?
And don’t even get me started on the vegetarian options available at the U of M — shocker, there’s next to nothing. Everywhere I look, there is either turkey, ham or chicken in the sandwiches on campus, but where are the vegetarian sandwich options that aren’t egg salad?
There needs to be healthy options available on campus — alternatives to the donuts and Pepsi. Believe me, I love consuming both of those things, but perhaps there could be more options for fruit, sandwiches and quick snacks such as granola bars.
The diverse needs of students need to be reflected in the food the U of M chooses to sell on campus. Whether celiac, vegetarian or vegan, these food options need to be available to students who need them.
If you shared insight, you had to be able to defend it. And if someone said something you disagreed with, you had to be courageous enough to challenge them. I think this is what gave political debates and scientific conversations in coffeehouses their unique importance. They were not simply exchanges of opinion, but exercises in civic responsibility.
Our modern coffeehouse, social media, does connect a much larger group of people, but it still misses some of the elements that made the original coffeehouses so special.
GRAPHIC BY TEEGAN GILLICH / STAFF
GRAPHIC BY TEEGAN GILLICH / STAFF
To complete Sudoku, fill the board by entering numbers 1 to 9 such that each row, column, and 3x3 box contains every number uniquely. In Straights, like Sudoku, no single number 1 to 9 can repeat in any row or column. But rows and columns are divided by black squares into compartments. Each compartment must form a “straight.” A straight is a set of numbers with no gaps but it can be in any order, eg [7,6,9,8]. Clues in black cells remove that number as an option in that row and column, and are not part of any straight. Glance at the solution to see how “straights” are formed.
Arts & Culture
Winnipeg Puppet Slam celebrates 15th anniversary
This year’s Puppet Slam event was a birthday party
Carrington Dong, staff
The Winnipeg Puppet Slam celebrated its 15th anniversary this year on Nov. 23. The anniversary of the local chapter entailed an evening of variety to celebrate the art of puppetry.
The Puppet Slam network began in the U.S. with puppeteer Heather Henson, daughter of The Muppets creator Jim Henson. The name, inspired by the practice of poetry slams, was meant to convey the idea of evening variety shows to celebrate puppetry. However, that is where the similarities to poetry slams end.
“The Puppet Slam is quite different than the poetry slam […] With the puppet slam, it’s not juried,” said Curtis L. Wiebe, one of the Winnipeg Puppet Slam’s producers. “It’s not a contest […] Puppet slams are more just a celebration of puppetry and the puppetry arts.”
The distinguishing feature of the Winnipeg Puppet Slam and other Puppet Slams is that they are intended for adult audiences — they are
created “by adults for adults.”
This combats the association that puppetry began to have in the 20th century, where it was seen as being limited to children’s entertainment.
“Puppetry has been used in storytelling since people were telling stories. They were using their hands to make shadows on the walls,” Wiebe explained. “It’s an ancient art form, but then it was relegated to this kid’s entertainment in the early 20th century […] Puppet slams are a way of trying to encourage adults to play with puppets and tell their stories with puppetry arts, whether they are seasoned puppet artists or not.”
Wiebe’s fascination with puppets began at a young age, when he created stories and adventures with stuffed animals alongside his brothers. His love for puppetry developed further through regular viewings of The Muppet Show and solidified when he saw a marionette performance while living in the U.S.
“We lived in the United States for a short time while my dad went to school there, and while I was going to
school there, there was a travelling marionette troupe that came through and they did a performance of The Wizard of Oz with marionettes,” he recalled. “I never forgot that.”
For the Winnipeg Puppet Slam’s 15th anniversary, the annual Puppet Slam event was held at the Gas Station Arts Centre. The event was styled as a birthday party, with party hats in the lobby and an open bar, as well as returning characters from past events. They had a variety of performers, with some returning from previous slams and others being newcomers.
In a time when technology and artificial intelligence are widespread, some might question what place puppetry has in today’s entertainment. However, Wiebe noted the continuing appeal of puppets and practical effects, even with the rise of such technologies, citing The Mandalorian with the popular character of Grogu, dubbed “Baby Yoda,” being portrayed by a puppet as an example.
“New things are always coming in, but we never give up the old stuff,” he stated.
“We’ll always have puppets because there’s something so tactile, so human, about that handmade thing […] When you puppeteer something […] you’re lending it your life’s source [and] lending it a soul […] And there’s something that’s just magical about [it] that I think everybody can see.”
Wiebe was thankful that the Winnipeg Puppet Slam has been able to succeed for 15 years and hoped that people will continue to be inspired to express themselves through puppetry.
“There’s really nothing else […] in Winnipeg in the way that we’re doing it, where it’s open to anyone to come and play and to express themselves in ways that maybe they couldn’t if they thought that puppetry was just for kids […] You can express your adult thoughts and your grown up problems through puppetry as well.”
For more information on future events and projects, visit Winnipeg Puppet Slam and Winnipeg Puppet Collective on Facebook.
PHOTO BY EBUNOLUWA AKINBO / STAFF
U of M students perform Handel’s Arminio
18th-century opera on the Roman Empire features timeless themes
Boris Tsun Hang Leung, staff
he Desautels Chamber
T
Opera Group, formed by voice students at the U of M, performed George Frideric Handel’s Arminio at the Desautels Concert Hall last weekend. Despite the opera being over 200 years old, many themes found in Arminio still ring true today.
Arminio is based on the Battle of the Teutoburg Forest in 9 CE, where the Romans tried to annex Germanic territories but failed. This was a pivotal moment in European history — the battle effectively ended Roman ambitions to conquer the Germanic tribes and bolstered Germanic autonomy.
Handel’s telling of the battle centres on its historical figures. In the opera, the Germanic chieftain Arminio is ambushed and captured by the Romans to be executed. His wife, Tusnelda, laments her husband’s imprisonment but quickly realizes that it was orchestrated by her own father, who is a Roman ally.
Katherine Twaddle, the stage director of the production and opera studies coordinator at the faculty of
music, pointed out that the story of violent annexation by a powerful country in Arminio is all too famiilar, and choices were made to modernize the 18th-century opera.
“We’re certainly not setting this [production] in a specific country of the 21st century. We’re keeping it between the Romans and the Germanic tribes, but we are setting it in 2025 because it just resonates with our time so much,” she said.
“The cast will be dressed in military garb. They will be wearing camo and khaki […] The first half is set in a military bunker, which is not the usual set for an opera, and we’ve got the military characters carrying and, let me emphasize this, toy guns.”
Twaddle explained there is also the theme of familial betrayal in the opera. This stands out as Arminio is betrayed and nearly executed by his father-in-law. She said that while the original has a “big forgiveness and happily ever after,” she did not think this was possible in their production and opted for an ambiguous ending instead.
In this production, Arminio is freed just as the battle begins, but there is no forgiveness to be found in the end. The father-in-law, defeated, drops his gun and walks off stage, leaving the other characters with a fractured family.
“I think the main thing is about [how] political conflicts
and military conflicts [and] belief conflicts [tear] families apart, and the importance of being loyal to your family and listening and not getting caught up in your own need for status. And that’s a big part of this story, [the father-in-law’s] need to have a high status, even if it means
C2 Centre for Craft magnifies their collection
New exhibit of global craft encourages play with magnifying glasses
Jordan Anglin, staff
The C2 Centre for Craft’s Manitoba Crafts Museum and Library’s (MCML) latest show, Craft at Large, exhibits a selection of pieces from their permanent collection in an unconventional manner — magnification.
Each piece is paired with respective projector lenses, save for one microscope. Visitors are given magnifying glasses upon entry for their own exploration. These tools give the viewer a unique opportunity to learn by examining the detail of each piece. One can see each bead on a thread, every stitch in embroidery, netting patterns in lace and more.
Andrea Reichert, curator at MCML, had the idea of using projector lenses for a show.
Dylan Stokes, a University of Winnipeg art history student, spent their summer internship surveying the museum’s collection to curate Craft at Large. They considered what could be learned from magnifying each piece while seeking to curate a variety of mediums, communities and techniques.
“Craft and art [do not] exist in a box,” Stokes said. “The
mediums [or] contexts that we view them in change their meanings. They allow us to take a look closer or step back.”
Stokes sought to curate ethically by showcasing global craftsmanship. Visitors to the show will find items such as Inuit sculptures, Chinese silk embroidery and a Congolese cigarette holder. Many items in the museum’s collection came to Winnipeg via the tourist trade. Some recent acquisitions were also made by diaspora communities.
Crafts of Anishinaabe and Cree origin can be found as well. Notably, the show displays birch bark biting pieces by Cree artists Sally Milne and Angelique Merasty, as well as beaded mittens which are believed to be from the subarctic region, but the origins remain unknown. The mittens have often been showcased at the museum.
Showcasing prairie Indigenous art was a priority for Stokes. “For thousands of years, there’s been a long tradition of craft here,” Stokes told. “As an Anishinaabe curator myself, it felt important to me to add that personal nod to my own practice of making
and beading and embroidery.”
Another prominent addition to the show is a lace parasol, which brings more fun and whimsical energy to Craft at Large. It is not new to the museum’s collection, but this is the first time it has been on display.
“[Parasols] really brighten up the space,” Stokes enthused. “I have a real soft spot in my heart for that parasol.”
There is power in embracing a more interactive model of exhibit curation. It is playful, creating accessible the means for visitors outside the fine art crowd to enjoy the show.
“I wanted people to feel like they could come up close to the pieces [and] take a look,” Stokes explained. “[I didn’t want the museum to be] a space where they should be quiet and mind their hands, but where they could pick up a magnifying glass and get a little closer [...] and really spend their time playing and enjoying the pieces.”
“The public has been really receptive,” they reflected. “Everyone who’s come in has felt that accessibility in terms of, ‘Come and play, come and
having a high status with the enemy […] The story echoes with many wars and conflicts around the world, not just one superpower,” said Twaddle.
Visit umanitoba.ca/music/ concert-hall-events for future performances by the Desautels faculty of music.
interact. This is a space for you.’”
Stokes elaborated that the inaccessibility of typical museum exhibits is a product of colonialism, and many Canadian institutions have been making efforts to change their practices since the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples was passed.
“We need to [decolonize] and democratize and enliven these spaces that were so long presumed to be these reli-
gious, bureaucratic spaces,” Stokes voiced. They have also taken a more relational approach to their work. Stokes described a sense of mutual care and reciprocity they have while stewarding the pieces in the show. They hope visitors will have experiences of personal exchange as well.
Craft at Large runs at the Manitoba Crafts Museum and Library until Dec. 18.
PHOTO BY EBUNOLUWA AKINBO / STAFF
PHOTO BY JORDAN ANGLIN / STAFF
Finger Eleven returns to Winnipeg
Canadian rock band releases first new album since 2015 with tour to follow
Jordan Anglin, staff
F
inger Eleven released their new studio album, Last Night on Earth, on Nov. 7. They are now embarking on a tour across the country with Headstones and The Tea Party, including a stop in Winnipeg at the Canada Life Centre on Dec. 1.
Scott Anderson, Finger Eleven frontman, said he will miss his son while on tour.
“My little five-year-old thinks the new album is great […] That’s the best review I’m going to get.”
The tour’s setlist includes new songs and older compositions. They touch on themes of connection and uncertainty, like in “Lock Me Up,” which Anderson described as “a song about not wanting to be forgotten.”
“It could be misconstrued as a romantic idea, but really it’s […] a plea to have us stay with you [musically],” he elaborated.
Steve Molella, Finger Eleven’s current producer and drummer since 2014, originally joined the band as a fan.
“[Molella]’s the hardest
working, best looking member of the band, which is annoying, but he’s great,” Anderson complimented.
Finger Eleven is prioritizing playing songs that audiences will be excited to hear.
“You’re going to see a band that is still invigorated by playing live,” Anderson promised.
One of Finger Eleven’s most well-known singles is “One Thing,” released in 2003. Anderson is proud of its wide-reaching resonance.
“I have so many people come up to me and tell me how much that song means to them […] Maybe it hit them at [an emotional] time in their lives,” he commented. “I’m so honoured by that.”
Their most successful single to date is “Paralyzer,” released in 2007.
Anderson and guitarist James Black’s first rehearsals were during their middle-school lunch breaks. Anderson started out on drums but switched to vocals when a more skilled drummer joined them in high school. They played covers at their
school’s assemblies under the name Rainbow Butt Monkeys until they won a radio contest for a record contract. The label cut ties with the band a week after releasing their debut album.
Contrary to popular belief, it was the band’s own decision to change their name to Finger Eleven as a sign of their changing sound.
“It is such a wild idea to still be able to say we’re a band […]
My last real job was working as a gas station attendant,” Anderson recalled.
Visit fingereleven.com for tickets and more information.
Royal MTC takes Elf from screen to stage Musical
adapted from the hit 2003 Christmas comedy comes
Carrington Dong, staff
To celebrate the holiday season, Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre (RMTC) will present the musical Elf. On its website, RMTC describes the show as “the gift we all need this Christmas.”
A musical adaptation of the hit 2003 comedy movie of the same name, Elf follows largerthan-life Buddy the elf from the North Pole, who happens to be quite large for an elf. Buddy soon learns that he is actually human and decides to look for his father in New York City. While he has envisioned his father as the “World’s Greatest Dad,” he soon meets his father and discovers he is not so great. However, throughout all his misadventures, Buddy is undeterred, spreading holiday spirit to his newfound family and friends.
“I think that this story is a love letter to your inner child,” said Jade Repeta, one of the actors in the production. “I think that some characters […] at the beginning of the story, they’ve forgotten their inner child, and I think Buddy brings that out in them in the most beautiful way.” Repeta, who is from Winnipeg, was enrolled in a dance class at the age of three on a
healthcare professional’s recommendation in hopes of fixing her turned-in feet. This eventually led her to singing and acting, and she found that she loved performing and telling stories through performance. Her career has taken her across Canada to perform in various cities.
In Elf, Repeta plays the role of Jovie, the love interest of Buddy, originally played by Zooey Deschanel in the film. She described Jovie as a “bitter, jaded” person who has moved to New York City from Los Angeles.
“She’s gone through things that have made her put up layer after layer of walls […] It’s caused her to be isolated and lonely, and I think she’s forgotten the Christmas spirit of it all,” she explained. “And then she meets Buddy, and Buddy does not give up in trying to tear down those walls […] When she meets Buddy, she’s sitting low and he’s riding high and I think they meet somewhere in the middle. She brings a little realism into his life, and he brings sparkle and whimsy into hers.”
Repeta, who feels that she is quite different from Jovie, described her approach to the role.
“I really wanted to ground myself in why Jovie is the way she is […] Thinking about what Jovie might have gone through, why she’s from LA and has moved to New York and what kind of hardships she’s gone through,” she stated. “Why doesn’t she sing anymore?”
Repeta and Julie Tomaino, one of the choreographers for the production, developed Jovie’s backstory, believing that Jovie was a singer who came to New York and experienced rejection, leading her to stop singing and develop her hardened exterior. “As hard of an exterior that Jovie has, she has such a soft and sensitive inside, so I wanted to tap into that,” she said.
Repeta has enjoyed the atmosphere of rehearsals, saying that it has already felt like Christmas. In Winnipeg, she has also been able to spend time with her family while working on the production. She also shared a bonus for audiences — at intermission, audience members will be able to get cookies and other sweets, including a nod to what Buddy says are the elves’ four food groups — candy, candy canes, candy corn and maple syrup.
to Winnipeg
When asked what audiences will love about the show and what is special about performing a show over Christmas, Repeta highlighted the joy that the show can bring during a season that is often stressful for many.
“It’s the best time of the year to do a show, in my opinion,” she raved. “As stressful as Christmas can be for people, it feels really cool to be part of something that might be relieving some of that pressure for people, that they get to come and see the show and have a break from the chaos.”
Ultimately, Repeta hopes that people of all ages will enjoy the show and be moved in some way.
“It’s really a show for every-
body […] With any story that we tell, the goal, I think, is not to get anyone to feel a certain way, it’s just to feel something […] I hope that people get to spend two and a half hours seeing this show with their family. It’s a lovely thing to share,” she said.
RMTC’s production of Elf will open Nov. 25 and run through Dec. 28 at the John Hirsch Mainstage, including a relaxed performance on Dec. 7 and an ASL-interpreted performance on Dec. 17. For tickets and further information, visit royalmtc. ca. For more on Jade Repeta, follow her on Instagram @jaderepeta.
PHOTO PROVIDED BY JESSE MILNS
PHOTO PROVIDED BY RACHELLE BLATTA
U of M students perform The Shaughraun
A melodrama filled with Irish shenanigans comes to the Conklin Theatre
Boris Tsun Hang Leung, staff
T his week, U of M theatre students are bringing
The Shaughraun to life, promising a night of fun, laughter and Irish shenanigans.
Written by Irish playwright Dion Boucicault in 1874 and set on the west coast of Ireland, this melodrama follows the tale of Robert Ffolliott. Robert is deported to Australia after being falsely accused of being a Fenian — a member of an Irish movement fighting
for independence from Britain. While he is away, Corry Kinchela tries to take Robert’s fiancée, but Robert escapes and finds his way back to Ireland with the help of Conn the Shaughraun (meaning “wanderer” in Irish).
Bill Kerr, the director of the play and instructor of the theatre course producing it, explained that The Shaughraun is subversive in how it celebrates Irish identity during a time when it was not viewed favourably, particu-
larly due to Irish retaliation against the British Empire.
“It’s mentioned in the play that for the first time, the Fenian brotherhood, who are the precursors to the IRA (Irish Republican Army), have taken the battle to English soil […] There had been bombing and police officers killed [in England], and yet Boucicault was able to make this play, which celebrates the Irish and the Fenians and make it popular in England,” said Kerr.
“What Boucicault did is he
took the figure of the stage Irishman, who was always seen as the fool and an idiot and the butt of all the jokes, and made him the instigator of all the jokes and the winner.”
The actors and production team have been hard at work and in rehearsal since the first week of September. Clifford Emelumba, who plays Robert, explained he focused on getting the accent and emotions of his character down.
“I have put in so much work
[…] to make sure that I have an Irish accent when saying my lines, and also just trying to develop the emotion I think Robert has. I’m trying to […] bring that out and make sure the audience also feels that the same way I feel it,” he said.
Sam Fergus, head of props, had to make many of the props from scratch, including a gun holster, curtains and a massive barrel.
“I had to build this crazy five-foot-tall barrel, so [there was] a lot of woodworking and a lot of painting for that project. Shane [Stewart], one of the faculty advisors, came up with the design, but in terms of all of the cuts and of attaching everything together, that would have been me.”
For Kerr, a special aspect of The Shaughraun is that, unlike other plays, he wants the audience to be a part of the viewing experience.
“There’s lots of music, there’s lots of laughs. We get to interact with the audience, and in fact, we want the audience to come and boo the villain […] The roots of melodrama are interactive, right? The audience is supposed to not sit quietly in their seats,” said Kerr.
“When you go to a movie and people are talking back to the screen and you’re like, ‘I wish people wouldn’t do that,’ but here we wish people would do that, so we’re looking forward to that experience.”
The Shaughraun runs from Nov. 26 to 29 at the John J. Conklin Theatre in the Taché Arts Complex. For tickets ($10), visit eventbrite.ca/e/the-shaughraun-by-dion-boucicaulttickets-1708750481689.
PHOTOS BY ZULKIFL RAFAH / STAFF
Bisons win sixth game of the season
Bisons women’s volleyball wins both games against Regina Cougars
Israel Adeogo Abejoy, staff
The Bisons women’s volleyball team continued their winning streak from the previous weekend, sweeping the University of Regina Cougars 3-0, 3-0 over the weekend.
On Friday, Nov. 21, the Bisons won the three sets 25-23, 25-22, and 25-14.
In the first set, the Bisons got off to a strong start, scoring the first four points to take a 4-0 lead. The Cougars retaliated, scoring two points to make it 4-2, but the Bisons maintained their momentum. The teams traded points, with the Cougars nearly leveling the score at 6-5. The Bisons then took a 12-8 lead, but the Cougars fought back to tie up the game at 16-16.
The teams continued to trade points, with the score tied at 20-20, before the Cougars took a 20-22 lead. However, the Bisons rallied, tallying points to tie the score at 23-23. Despite the Cougars calling two timeouts, the Bisons emerged victorious, winning the set 25-23.
In the second set, the Cougars initially took a 0-3 lead, but the Bisons quickly regained their footing, tying the score at 5-5. The teams con-
tinued to trade points, with neither gaining a significant advantage, until the Cougars took a 16-20 lead from 14-14. The Bisons then responded with three consecutive points, reducing the gap and eventually tying the score at 22-22.
They then scored three additional points to win the set 25-22.
The Bisons dominated the third set, scoring the first two points and never looking back. Eve Catojo’s seven successful consecutive serves helped the team build a comfortable lead, and they went on to win the set 25-14.
Catojo expressed how pleased she was with the win after the Cougars tried to level up the points despite the Bisons’ early lead. “I would have really liked to be able to close it out a little bit faster and maybe not give them so many points at the end there, just to know that we can pull ourselves up by our bootstraps when we need to and finish off a set. But I’m still really proud.
We worked really hard to be able to have that advantage, and that gives us the privilege of playing with a little bit more freedom at the end, and we still were able to pull off a great win with a big deficit. So I’m proud of everyone,” she said.
Joe Moore, the Bisons women’s volleyball assistant coach, also thought that the team was confident in the third set after gaining a significant advantage earlier. “It’s a natural thing to relax and let your guard down a little bit when you start build-
gars’ 30.
In the rematch on Saturday, Nov. 22, the Bisons continued their winning streak, winning all three sets 25-12, 25-21, and 27-25.
In the first set, the Cougars scored the first point, but the Bisons quickly retaliated with three consecutive points to take a 3-1 lead. The Bisons continued to dominate, creating a larger margin and eventually taking a 20-9 lead. The margin proved to be too much for the Cougars to recover, and the Bisons won the set 25-12.
“We worked really hard to be able to have that advantage [...] to pull off a great win with a big deficit. So I’m proud of everyone”
— Eve Catojo, Bisons women’s volleyball player
ing a big lead, and our focus was trying to ignore the score and just play in the moment. I think the girls did a good job collecting themselves and staying steady,” he stated.
The Bisons’ performance was fuelled by a total of 39 kills, compared to the Cou-
In the second set, the Bisons started strong, winning four consecutive points to take a 4-0 lead. The Cougars retaliated with three consecutive points to make the score 4-3. After both teams traded points to make a 5-3 lead for the Bisons, the Bisons scored seven more consecutive points to take a 13-4 lead. Despite the Cougars’ comeback, scoring five more points to make the score 19-17 and eventually 21-20, the Bisons held strong and won
the set 25-21.
The third set was a tightly contested battle, with both teams trading points and neither gaining a significant advantage. The Cougars mounted a comeback from 22-19 to tie the score at 22-22 and eventually took a 24-25 lead. However, the Bisons showed their resilience, scored three consecutive points to win the set 27-25.
The Bisons’ strong performance was fuelled by a total of 40 kills, compared to the Cougars’ 35. The sweep improves the Bisons’ record to 6-2 and solidifies their position in the standings.
The Bisons women’s volleyball head coach, Ken Bentley, explained the key to his team’s success. “It started in June with preparing to play these tough matches and getting fit and being prepared to go the distance of a long season,” he said.
The Bisons play the Thompson Rivers Wolfpack on Friday, Nov. 28 at 7:30 p.m. CT and Saturday, Nov. 29 at 5 p.m. CT in Kamloops, British Columbia.
PHOTO BY EBUNOLUWA AKINBO / STAFF
Bisons lose 4-0 and 5-3 to Calgary Dinos
Power plays and late goals cost the herd games against Dinos
Faiyaz Chowdhury, staff
T
he Bisons men’s hockey team faced the University of Calgary Dinos at the Wayne Fleming Arena on Friday, Nov. 21 and Saturday, Nov. 22.
In game one, the Dinos won the game 4-0 with goals from Brendan Lee in the first period and Hayden Pakkala plus Stephen Kirkpatrick in the second period. They sealed the win with another goal by Jake Poole in the third period. The Dinos had 22 shots on goal to 18 shots on goals by the Bisons. The Dinos were effective on the power play, scoring two of five opportunities, while the Bisons went zero for four, showing a clear advantage in execution. Goaltender Carl Tetachuk recorded the shutout for the Dinos. The game was quite physical, leading to the herd getting seven minor penalties and one game misconduct while the Dinos had six minor penalties.
The second game started off with the same intensity the first game ended with. Within 10 minutes of the first period, Bisons forward Skyler Bruce received a penalty for interference. Following this, Pakkala scored a goal in power play. However, before the herd could launch any effective counterattack, Carter Massier scored a shorthanded goal for the Dinos. The first period ended with the Dinos leading by 2-0.
The second period started off with the herd trying to attack, leading to a penalty by Adam Kydd for the Dinos. Taking advantage of this powerplay, Luke Brenton scored for the Bisons — the herd had found their rhythm. Blake Swetlikoff went on to score the second goal for the herd and tied the score. The Dinos again took advantage of the power plays with Lee scoring another goal, followed by Massier scoring his second goal for the game. By the end of the second period, the Dinos were leading the game 4-2.
The third period had both teams trying to dominate with possession. With three minutes left, Pakkala scored another goal, although an empty netter, and the Dinos were up 5-2. However, Swetlikoff scored one last goal for the herd before the buzzer went off, reducing the gap and finishing the game 5-3.
saying, “It’s a tough loss, but I though the boys battled hard.” He added, “Blake Swetlikoff
Joss also mentioned that the Bisons “battled well and had good possession in the offensive zone on five-on-five.”
“Unfortunately, special teams-wise, we have some work to do” — Gordon Burnett, Bisons men’s hockey head coach
Bisons forward Mitchell Joss commented on the second game,
played a really solid game, as well as Matthew Kieper.”
Bisons men’s hockey head coach Gordon Burnett commented on the games against Calgary. “[The Calgary Dinos] have a good goaltender, and they have a
good hockey team. [They’re the] number two ranked team in the country for a reason. That being said, I thought when we played five-on-five, not just tonight, but last night as well, I thought it was really good hockey,” he said.
Burnett said the Bisons’ play at even strength was solid, but special teams remained a problem. “Unfortunately, special teams-wise, we have some work to do,” Burnett said. “Our [penalty kill] wasn’t
good enough last night, it wasn’t good enough today, and that essentially decided the hockey game, but when we played even up it was really good hockey.”
The Bisons men’s hockey team will face the Regina Cougars on Friday, Nov. 28 at 8 p.m. CT and Saturday, Nov. 29 at 6 p.m. CT in Regina, Saskatchewan. The last time the Bisons faced the Cougars, the herd won the match 4-3.
PHOTOS
Bisons men’s basketball beats Lethbridge Pronghorns
Lead assistant coach talks about the win and next game against Dinos
Abdul-Jalilu Ahmed, staff
isons men’s basketball
B
lead assistant coach, Elijah Lostracco, has stated that the team refocused and adjusted its game plan, a move that helped them secure an away win against the University of Lethbridge Pronghorns.
“I think we just came out in that game with a completely different mindset”, said Lostracco. “We came out way more physical, way more locked in on defense. We definitely set the tone defensively early in the game and physically just using our size to our advantage, getting the ball in the paint, getting great shots for our team and just sharing the ball a lot more than we did the night before. And then that just carried over throughout the game. They made the little run in the late third, early fourth, but we were just able to weather the storm and continue to get good shots for our guys.”
“I think we just came out in that game with a completely different mindset”
—
Elijah Lostracco, Bisons men’s basketball lead assistant coach
He explained why every win during the season matters and how each win can help a team earn the right to host playoff games. “The way our league is this year, there’s no team that has a massive advantage over anybody else. Every night, any team can win. So, every victory is huge. [...] I think,
just that mindset every night that every game is crucial […] is super important.”
After seven games, Lostracco reflected on how the season is unfolding, even at this early stage. “It’s had its ups and downs for sure. I think we had high expectations for ourselves this year and I don’t want to say we haven’t lived up to them yet because the season [is] still early, but we’ve definitely learned some tough lessons early on — being four and three, dropping a few games [where] we know we could have played better. I think […] it’s just made us a better team in the long run learning from those losses.”
He previewed the upcoming game against the University of Calgary Dinos. He said the Bisons will be ready and focused on their opponent. “Calgary is always a really tough match. They’re always one of the top programs in Canada West and they’re kind of in the same position as us. They are [four and two], I believe we’re four and three.
“They’re hosting nationals this year so they’re in it for the long run [...] It’s just going to be a dog fight. Everyone’s fighting for [a] playoff position. Every team has taken some tough losses early on in the year. We have the weekend to watch film on them and just rest and regroup for that matchup. Hopefully that plays into our advantage, but it’s going to be a tough game for sure.”
The Bisons men’s basketball team will host the University of Calgary Dinos on Friday, Nov. 28 at 8 p.m. CT, and Saturday, Nov. 29 at 6 p.m. CT at the Investors Group Athletic Centre.
PHOTO PROVIDED BY ZACHARY PETERS LEAD ASSISTANT COACH ELIJAH LOSTRACCO.