Cambrian Indigenous Student Circle culturally-focussed, paints success

By Kelly Anne Smith

SUDBURY – The dedication of students who support other students, shines through the Cambrian Indigenous Student Circle at Cambrian College.

Barry Beaver is an active leader in the Cambrian Indigenous Student Circle. Beaver says the student council offers support and hosts events.

“We offer workshops for student interest to fuel development. Each of us are elected by students and we are all students in the council. We do workshops and events and partner with other student councils. For myself, I’m currently in the visual art and science program. I’m also taking general education as well.”

Beaver of Bigstone Cree Nation in Treaty 8 territory was raised in Wabasca, Alberta. He is a graduate of the Debajehmujig National Arts Theatre program, was the artist-in-residence and hosted workshops on Manitoulin Island.

Ashley Recollet of the Crane clan from Wahnapitae First Nation explains she is the Eko-Niizhing E-Niigaanzid, the second woman who leads on the Cambrian Indigenous Student Circle.

“That’s the equivalent to a vice-president at Cambrian Indigenous Student Circle. We connect the bridge between Indigenous students and non-Indigenous students in cultural teachings and awareness. We create programs that are inviting for all students to attend. Most of the time, we do programming on cultural teachings and beliefs.”

Barry Beaver works with the students on Tuesdays from 4 to 6 pm.

“I do Paint Night and facilitate workshops for students. Then they can take a break from their studies and they can learn some basic skills in drawing and painting.”

The college walls have come alive with colourful nature with Beaver creating murals at Cambrian College.

“Students are taking that [workshop] and I’ve been giving some basic drawing and painting skills,” says the artist. “I run guided workshops but also keep it open if they want to develop their own style. My main theme is landscape and wildlife.”

Beaver talks of partnering with Wabnode Centre for Indigenous Services where Anishinaabe artist Mishomis Leland Bell offers supports and teachings and Ryan Linklater-Wong is the Indigenous Student Engagement Officer.

“Leland Bell and Ryan Linklater-Wong, they host their own workshops as well. We are planning our first art exhibit with students and their paint night. It’s for the whole student body. We are planning the exhibition in March at the pow wow here at Cambrian.”

Recollet says the Indigenous Student Circle works closely with Wabnode.

“We’re like the cousins with Wabnode, which is the Indigenous student support centre. So, we do a lot of things with the cultural coordinator, the Indigenous student outreach and the Indigenous student success coordinator. We do a lot of drum workshops with students, drum teachings. We birth the drums on site in our arbour. We teach them how to feast the drums. We also do shakers and teachings around shakers. And I’ve created copper pail kits for necklaces and do teachings on the meaning of copper in the Indigenous culture. And we do the Water Walk teachings.”

Ashley has written out teachings to accommodate students with language differences, “so they are able to carry that with them.”

“We do have a feast coming up,” informs Beaver. “We plan events for students, trips out of town, down to Toronto or locally, and try to connect them with the Sudbury community to build their social networks.”

Recollet says the Indigenous Student Circle is currently working alongside the Pow Wow Committee for the pow wow on March 21 and 22.

“That’s a really big event that we’re hosting. The Cambrian Indigenous Student Circle is working together with Wabnode. I personally like to connect the students with culture. Culture is very important regardless if they’re Indigenous or not, to have that understanding of the First Nations within our communities. And acknowledging that in our area, Atikamesksheng [Anishnawbek] and Wahnapitae First Nation – these are their ancestral hunting grounds that we reside on right now.”

Recollet adds that she takes students to round dances. The students enjoy the round dances and connect with the culture. And then there is karaoke.

“We work on hosting karaoke nights, helping students find that inner voice that they have. And to break through on that nervousness that they feel within school. That helps build the smaller circles to make friendships. Networking and friendships are very important at Cambrian.”

Recollet continues to design educational workshops.

“Right now, I’m working on workshops for creating leather drum bags so that the students who birthed their drums can carry their drums. Leather is the best storage for high drums because it actually protects the drums from moisture. I don’t know if you ever heard a deer drum when you play when it’s been affected by moisture? It kind of sounds really deep and really low. It doesn’t have that pure sound.”

Ashley Recollet is a second-year student of Social Service Worker Indigenous Specialization. Recollet plans to gain her Bachelor of Indigenous Social Work at Laurentian University next.

“Compared to the main stream course, taking an Indigenous-led program is completely different: different teachings, more understanding, definitely cultural teachings and awareness. It really helps the students reconnect with the culture and helps revive what was disrupted.”

The Cambrian College Pow Wow Water is Life: Honouring our WaterWalkers is on March 21 and 22.