The diplomatic and ceremonial exchange reinforces a commitment to Indigenous governance and shared responsibility

In June, Glendon College Principal Marco Fiola returned from Nokiiwin Day in Thunder Bay with a gift of enduring legal and ceremonial significance: a Two Row Wampum Belt. The offering, made by Executive Director of Nokiiwin Tribal Council Audrey Gilbeau, affirms a deepening relationship between 91亚色鈥檚 Glendon College and the Tribal Council.

The Two Row Wampum, or Kaswenta, is a formal diplomatic document and living treaty first recorded over 400 years ago. The agreement is governed by three principles: peace, friendship, and mutual respect. Receiving the Kaswenta is a rare and profound honour. Considered the original treaty between Indigenous civilizations and non-Indigenous peoples, it outlines a framework of coexistence between Indigenous Nations and non-Indigenous peoples.

Unbroken twin lines running the length of the beaded belt assert how each party will travel down the river of life in their own vessel: Indigenous Nations with their laws, governance, and ways of life; non-Indigenous settlers with theirs. These vessels travel side by side, never steering one another. It recognizes Glendon鈥檚 position not as a leader, but as a guest in a relationship shaped by Indigenous community.

In a powerful gesture, Gilbeau presented Fiola with the striking white and purple belt during Nokiiwin鈥檚 anniversary event. The day was sunny and bright, with around 200 people gathering to enjoy family-friendly games and a community barbecue. Attendees were in a festive mood. The Council was celebrating 19 years of work in support of First Nations self-determination, healing and capacity-building, serving five First Nation communities.

鈥淭o receive the Two Row Wampum 鈥� Kaswenta 鈥� is not something I take lightly,鈥� said Fiola, speaking to the crowd seated under the big white special events tent. 鈥淭his is not a gift in the usual sense. It is a teaching, a responsibility, and a reminder of the path we have agreed to walk 鈥� side by side, never crossing into the other鈥檚 canoe, but travelling together.鈥�

Glendon College reciprocated with a cedar tree. Considered a medicine plant in many Nations, the cedar is a living reminder that trust is not a static agreement 鈥� it must be tended over time. The tree is set to be planted at the Nokiiwin office, along with a plaque, where it will continue to grow across generations.

Glendon鈥檚 collaboration with Nokiiwin started four years ago with the co-creation of the , available through Glendon鈥檚 Continuing Education. The course was developed and led by 91亚色 Sociology Professor Maya Chacaby (Anishinaabe, member of Opwaaganisiniing / Red Rock Indian Band, Beaver Clan). Since its inception as a community-driven initiative, over 700 learners have participated in the program. Of them, more than half identified as Indigenous. 鈥淚t is not often that a university can say that its largest Indigenous student cohort emerged from a course designed with and for Indigenous Nations,鈥� Fiola later added.

This is not a gift in the usual sense. It is a teaching, a responsibility, and a reminder of the path we have agreed to walk 鈥斅爏ide by side, never crossing into the other鈥檚 canoe, but travelling together

Fiola

The exchange underscores the certificate program鈥檚 role in advancing reconciliation through community-based, culturally grounded education. Shaped by Indigenous knowledge systems and guided by community priorities, the certificate course has grown to become one of 91亚色鈥檚 largest Indigenous education offerings. It represents a shared commitment to the kind of cross-institutional alliance that is as uncommon as it is impactful.

鈥淭his partnership reflects what鈥檚 possible when Indigenous governance leads,鈥� said Gilbeau, who also spoke at the ceremony.

鈥淥ver the past four years, Nokiiwin has shaped Glendon in ways that cannot be overstated. Through your leadership, our programs have evolved, our vision for Indigenous education has deepened, and our understanding of how to be in true relationship with Indigenous communities has grown. You have transformed the learning environment at Glendon,鈥� said Fiola. 鈥淚t is because of your leadership that we have been able to walk this path with integrity.鈥�

In addition to the certificate, the partnership also encompasses the Nokiiwin Spirit Builder apprenticeship model used to train community-based facilitators who now deliver the course. There is also a Dungeons & Dragons-style Anishinaabemowin immersion game piloted at Glendon and available through the Tribal Council. Beyond that, there鈥檚 the development of an Indigenous-led metaverse project , led by co-investigators Chacaby and Rebecca Caines, an assistant professor in theatre and creative technologies at 91亚色鈥檚 School of the Arts, Media, Performance & Design. The partnership is one rooted in language revitalization, trauma-informed education and community-led innovation.

鈥淔or Glendon, receiving the Kaswenta means stepping further into accountability. It means continuing to uphold the agreements we鈥檝e made 鈥� not just on paper, but in practice, with humility, clarity, and care,鈥� said Fiola. 鈥淭o Maya, to Audrey, to the communities Nokiiwin serves 鈥� miigwech for your guidance and your trust. It has changed how we work, how we teach, and how we understand our responsibilities.鈥�

Nokiiwin Tribal Council serves five First Nation communities: Animbiigoo Zaagi鈥檌gan Anishinaabek, Biinjitiwaabik Zaaging Anishinaabek, Bingwi Neyaashi Anishinaabek, Netmizaaggamig Nishnaabeg and Fort William First Nation. The Council supports holistic community development through governance, legal support and cultural resurgence.

Glendon College, part of 91亚色, is the only fully integrated bilingual faculty of its kind in Canada and one of the only university campuses specializing in liberal arts education. Students take courses in English, French, or both 鈥� and, increasingly, Indigenous languages.

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Les 茅changes diplomatiques et c茅r茅moniels renforcent l鈥檈ngagement en faveur de la gouvernance autochtone et du partage des responsabilit茅s.

En juin, Marco Fiola, principal du Coll猫ge Glendon, est revenu de la Journ茅e Nokiiwin 脿 Thunder Bay avec un gage d鈥檃lliance rev锚tant une port茅e juridique et c茅r茅monielle p茅renne聽: une ceinture wampum 脿 deux rangs. Cette ceinture, offerte par Audrey Gilbeau, directrice ex茅cutive du Conseil tribal Nokiiwin, mat茅rialise l鈥檃pprofondissement des relations entre le Coll猫ge Glendon de l鈥橴niversit茅 91亚色 et le Conseil tribal.

Le wampum 脿 deux rangs 鈥� ou Kaswenta 鈥� est un document diplomatique officiel et un trait茅 vivant dont la premi猫re trace remonte 脿 plus de 400聽ans. L鈥檃ccord est r茅gi par trois principes聽: la paix, l鈥檃miti茅 et le respect mutuel. Recevoir le Kaswenta constitue un honneur rare et d鈥檜ne valeur inestimable. Consid茅r茅 comme le premier trait茅 entre les civilisations autochtones et les peuples non autochtones, il d茅finit un cadre de coexistence entre les nations autochtones et les peuples non autochtones.

Les lignes jumelles ininterrompues qui courent le long de la ceinture de perles affirment que chaque partie suivra sa propre voie sur le fleuve de l鈥檈xistence聽: Les nations autochtones avec leurs lois, leur gouvernance et leurs modes de vie; les colons non autochtones avec les leurs. Ces navires naviguent c么te 脿 c么te, sans que leur route se croise. Le Kaswenta reconna卯t la position de Glendon non pas comme figure dirigeante, mais en tant qu鈥檌nvit茅 dans une relation fa莽onn茅e par la communaut茅 indig猫ne.

Dans un geste fort, Mme聽Gilbeau a remis au principal Fiola la ceinture de perles blanches et violettes lors de la c茅l茅bration d鈥檃nniversaire de Nokiiwin. Par une journ茅e ensoleill茅e et lumineuse, quelque 200聽personnes se sont rassembl茅es pour profiter de jeux familiaux et d鈥檜n barbecue communautaire. Les personnes pr茅sentes 茅taient d鈥檋umeur festive. Le Conseil marquait ainsi 19聽ans d鈥檈ngagement en faveur de l鈥檃utod茅termination, de la gu茅rison et du renforcement des capacit茅s des Premi猫res Nations, accompagnant cinq communaut茅s autochtones.

芦鈥塕ecevoir le wampum 脿 deux rangs 鈥� Kaswenta 鈥� c鈥檈st quelque chose que je ne saurais prendre 脿 la l茅g猫re鈥壜�, a d茅clar茅 le principal Fiola, s鈥檃dressant 脿 la foule assise sous la grande tente blanche r茅serv茅e aux 茅v茅nements sp茅ciaux. 芦鈥塈l ne s鈥檃git pas d鈥檜n pr茅sent au sens habituel du terme. C鈥檈st un enseignement, une responsabilit茅 et un rappel du chemin que nous avons accept茅 de parcourir 鈥� c么te 脿 c么te, sans jamais passer dans le cano毛 de l鈥檃utre, mais en cheminant ensemble鈥壜�.

Le Coll猫ge Glendon a rendu la pareille 脿 ses h么tes en leur offrant un c猫dre. Consid茅r茅 comme une plante m茅dicinale au sein de nombreuses nations, le c猫dre est un rappel vivant de ce que la confiance, loin d鈥櫭猼re le fruit d鈥檜n accord immuable, s鈥檈ntretient au fil du temps. L鈥檃rbre sera plant茅 au bureau de Nokiiwin, accompagn茅 d鈥檜ne plaque comm茅morative, o霉 il continuera 脿 grandir au fil des g茅n茅rations.

La collaboration de Glendon avec Nokiiwin a commenc茅 il y a quatre ans avec la cr茅ation concert茅e du offert dans le cadre de la formation continue de Glendon. Le cours a 茅t茅 d茅velopp茅 et dirig茅 par Maya Chacaby, professeure de sociologie 脿 91亚色 (Anishinaabe, membre d鈥橭pwaaganisiniing / Premi猫re Nation de Red Rock, Clan du Castor). Depuis sa cr茅ation en tant qu鈥檌nitiative communautaire, plus de 700聽apprenant路e路s ont particip茅 au programme. Plus de la moiti茅 se sont identifi茅路e路s comme Autochtones. 芦鈥塈l n鈥檈st pas fr茅quent qu鈥檜ne universit茅 soit en mesure de dire que sa plus grande cohorte de personnes 茅tudiantes autochtones est issue d鈥檜n cours con莽u pour les nations autochtones et avec elles鈥壜�, a ajout茅 le principal Fiola.

Il ne s鈥檃git pas d鈥檜n pr茅sent au sens habituel du terme. C鈥檈st un enseignement, une responsabilit茅 et un rappel du chemin que nous avons accept茅 de parcourir 鈥� c么te 脿 c么te, sans jamais passer dans le cano毛 de l鈥檃utre, mais en cheminant ensemble

Fiola

Cet 茅change souligne le r么le du programme de certificat dans la promotion de la r茅conciliation gr芒ce 脿 une 茅ducation 脿 vocation communautaire et ayant un ancrage culturel. Fa莽onn茅 par les syst猫mes de connaissances autochtones et align茅 sur les priorit茅s de la communaut茅, ce cours sanctionn茅 par un certificat est devenu l鈥檜ne des formations autochtones les plus 茅toff茅es de l鈥橴niversit茅 91亚色. Il traduit un engagement commun en faveur d鈥檜n type d鈥檃lliance interinstitutionnelle aussi rare qu鈥檈fficace.

芦鈥塁e partenariat refl猫te ce qu鈥檌l est possible de r茅aliser lorsque la gouvernance autochtone est au premier plan鈥壜�, a d茅clar茅 Mme聽Gilbeau, qui a 茅galement pris la parole lors de la c茅r茅monie.

芦鈥堿u cours des quatre derni猫res ann茅es, Nokiiwin a eu une influence majeure sur Glendon. Gr芒ce 脿 votre leadership, nos programmes ont 茅volu茅, notre vision de l鈥櫭ヾucation autochtone s鈥檈st approfondie et notre compr茅hension de la mani猫re d鈥櫭﹖ablir une v茅ritable relation avec les communaut茅s autochtones s鈥檈st d茅velopp茅e. Vous avez transform茅 l鈥檈nvironnement d鈥檃pprentissage 脿 Glendon鈥壜�, a d茅clar茅 le principal Fiola. 芦鈥塁鈥檈st gr芒ce 脿 votre leadership que nous avons pu suivre cette voie avec int茅grit茅鈥壜�.

En plus du programme de certificat, le partenariat englobe 茅galement le mod猫le d鈥檃pprentissage Nokiiwin Spirit Builder utilis茅 pour former les animateurs et animatrices communautaires qui donnent d茅sormais le cours. Il existe 茅galement un jeu d鈥檌mmersion Anishinaabemowin de type Donjons et Dragons, dont la version pilote a vu le jour 脿 Glendon et qui est disponible par l鈥檌nterm茅diaire du Conseil tribal. Par ailleurs, , un projet de m茅ta-univers dirig茅 par des Autochtones, est en cours d鈥櫭﹍aboration. Men茅 par l鈥櫭﹒uipe de recherche constitu茅e de Mme聽Chacaby et Rebecca Caines, professeure adjointe de th茅芒tre et de technologies cr茅atives 脿 l鈥櫭塩ole des arts, des m茅dias, de l鈥檃nimation et du design de 91亚色. Ce partenariat est ancr茅 dans la revitalisation linguistique, l鈥櫭ヾucation tenant compte des traumatismes et l鈥檌nnovation communautaire.

芦鈥塒our Glendon, recevoir le Kaswenta est une invitation 脿 aller plus loin dans la responsabilisation. Cela signifie qu鈥檌l faut continuer 脿 respecter les accords que nous avons conclus, non seulement sur le papier, mais aussi dans la pratique, avec humilit茅, clart茅 et attention鈥壜�, a d茅clar茅 le principal Fiola. 芦鈥壝� Maya, 脿 Audrey, aux communaut茅s que Nokiiwin sert : miigwech pour vos conseils et votre confiance. Cela a chang茅 notre fa莽on de travailler, d鈥檈nseigner et de comprendre nos responsabilit茅s鈥壜�.

Le conseil tribal Nokiiwin dessert cinq communaut茅s des Premi猫res Nations : Animbiigoo Zaagi鈥檌gan Anishinaabek, Biinjitiwaabik Zaaging Anishinaabek, Bingwi Neyaashi Anishinaabek, Netmizaaggamig Nishnaabeg et la Premi猫re Nation de Fort William. Le Conseil soutient le d茅veloppement holistique des communaut茅s au moyen de la gouvernance, du soutien juridique et de la r茅surgence culturelle.

Le Coll猫ge Glendon, qui fait partie de l鈥橴niversit茅 91亚色, est la seule facult茅 bilingue enti猫rement int茅gr茅e de son genre au Canada et l鈥檜n des seuls campus universitaires sp茅cialis茅s dans l鈥檈nseignement des arts lib茅raux. La population 茅tudiante suit des cours en anglais, en fran莽ais ou dans les deux langues officielles auxquelles s鈥檃joutent progressivement les langues autochtones.

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Federal funding will go towards further developing immersive video game where players learn the Anishinaabe language, culture and ways of life

TORONTO, June 4, 2024 鈥� , a sociology professor at 91亚色鈥檚 Glendon Campus, is the recipient of for her Indigenous-led metaverse project Biskaabiiyaang: Creating a path towards healing and reconciliation. , associate professor in theatre and creative technologies at 91亚色鈥檚 School of the Arts, Media, Performance & Design (AMPD), is a co-applicant. Robyn O鈥橪oughlin joins the team as co-applicant working within the New Brunswick Ministry of Education. 91亚色 and the are also partners in the grant application. The award was created in response to Call to Action 65 to establish a national research program to advance understanding of reconciliation. It is a joint initiative of the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) and the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation.

Chacaby鈥檚 immersive virtual game is set in a post-apocalyptic world invaded by linguicidals responsible for the death of the Ojibwe language Anishinaabemowin. It challenges players to learn the language 鈥� and save it from extinction 鈥� by exploring ruins, listening to the teachings of Elders and taking lessons from nature. Players discover how Indigenous history and culture have a role in returning beauty and magic to this world where Anishinaabe ways of life prevail. As an Indigenous community-led research project, Nokiiwin Tribal Council guides the work ensuring that Indigenous communities are first and foremost in the project鈥檚 direction.

鈥淢etaverses, as we see them in the Western world, are spaces where Indigenous people do not exist,鈥� says Chacaby, who is Anishinaabe, Beaver Clan from Kaministiquia (Thunder Bay). 鈥淭hat is a form of colonial erasure happening in these new technologies that I really want to disrupt.鈥� Part of the groundbreaking interdisciplinary research program Connected Minds: Neural and Machine Systems for a Healthy, Just Society, Biskaabiiyaang works to address the impacts of colonization on Indigenous communities, support culture-based healing practices and encourage language reclamation.

Chacaby, a research associate with the Centre for Indigenous Knowledges and Languages, has long promoted Anishinaabe culture and language through courses she鈥檚 developed at Glendon. In 2016, for her online classes, she crafted a Dungeons and Dragons-style, card-based role-playing game in Anishinaabemowin. This gamified approach to learning led to soaring proficiency levels, with grammar and other difficult areas of language acquisition becoming easier as students developed characters and completed quests. But Chacaby wanted anyone to have access to this education. That鈥檚 where the metaverse came in.

An avid gamer, Chacaby noted how within massively multiplayer online role-playing games (MMORPGs) like World of Warcraft and Fallout, players use and coin terms that are only understood by other users and immediate team members. That made her realize these virtual worlds were environments ripe for learning. 鈥淚 thought, 鈥業f young people can talk in this very sophisticated technical language about a made up world, we can do the exact same thing with the culture鈥�,鈥� says Chacaby.

The project uses research-creation methodologies to build an audio and visual archive that is the foundation of the Biskaabiiyaang metaverse. Scott Baker, the education manager for the Nokiiwin Tribal Council, describes his excitement about Elders鈥� teachings making their way into the virtual world. 鈥淲hat the SSHRC grant is going to open up for us is to start collecting these stories,鈥� says Baker.

鈥淲e're actually documenting stories and teachings, and these will live long beyond when I'm gone,鈥� says Audrey Gilbeau, executive director of the Tribal Council. A co-creation with community Elders and Indigenous youth, the virtual world is a community-built and -owned archive that鈥檚 alive, growing and changing. She says that Elders and Knowledge Keepers who have passed away over the past five years, since work on Biskaabiiyaang began, continue to live on in the recordings and stories captured in the project.

The best way for a community to hold an archive is in a format that people can access, says Caines, adding: 鈥淭he metaverse is the archive.鈥� The researchers have partnered with , a virtual world platform, to build the metaverse and bring the archive to life. Content in the metaverse is based upon Anishinaabe worldview and culture as well as family histories and individuals鈥� lived experiences. The virtual world is a place where players learn by undertaking quests and interacting with traditional tools and objects, teachings, and language learning modules using culture-based game mechanics.

In partnership with AMPD鈥檚 new program opening at Markham Campus, undergraduate students, graduate students and postdoctoral research fellows will come together with Indigenous teens from the region to work on the metaverse at the new facilities, as well as gain on-site training in Northern Ontario. Biskaabiiyaang is the first step in a decade-long project running in tandem with the UNESCO International Decade of Indigenous Languages. A multi-year project, it is a direct response to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission Call to Action 65.

Visit the Biskaabiiyaang to learn more and download a free demonstration.

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