Reflector Feb. 2, 2017

the FREE FREEFebruary 2, 2017 Februarywww.TheReflector.ca 2, 2017 reflector www.TheReflector.ca in d.c. & yyc: women’s march on washington (pg.2-3) awards season snubs & surprises indigenizing mru (pg.11) mental health on campus (pg.5) queer ukulele comedy trio takes on Calgary (pg.10) Trudeau visits the lion’s den mru’s new teepee recieves (pg.4) blackfoot blessing (pg.3) News Editor Jennifer Dorozio news [email protected] MRU prof descends on D.C. for Women’s March on Washington Love not Hate, Make America Great Anna Junker inauguration. in front of the Capitol building Contributor and all around and found Women’s March on another street,” said Watchman. Renae Watchman, a professor Eventually the march led to the of Indigenous, english and Washington Trump Hotel, “which got lots of film Studies at Mount Royal negative press and vibes,” said University, made sure she Looking around at the sheer Watchman. absentee voted in the recent volume of people Watchmen When the crowd passed the American presidential election. said that,,“I was really proud of Trump International Hotel, As Watchman, originally from people, like humanity, because Watchman saw a woman the Navajo Nation, watched you know everyone from all wearing a bandana over her the results come in, she felt walks of life, multi-gender, mouth so that only her eyes were absolutely devastated. multi-age… it was beautiful.” showing, who boldly held up a “I was upset to see what the They made their way towards sign that read, “Burn it the f--k U.S. had done,” says Watchman. the National Museum of the down.” “So within a day or two, I think American Indian because She says attending the march the outrage that I felt, really the Watchman wanted to march was a learning experience that Renae Watchman, (bottom right) amidst the Women’s March numbness that I felt, was sort of with an Indigenous women’s still allowed her to be angry. She on Washington crowd on Jan. 21, 2017 in front of the Capitol a collective feeling.” group called Indigenous Women wanted to make her presence building wearing a ‘pussy toque.’ Photo courtesy of Renae What bothered Watchman the Rise. However, due to the sheer known to Trump, even if it Watchman. most about Trump’s platform amount of people - nearly half a was just her and her colleague and campaign, she says, was the million people attended - they amongst thousands. two speakers, Angela Davis and For Watchman, protesting racist and violent rhetoric, the couldn’t reach the Indigenous another did. Trump had to do with his racism, normalization of racism along group. But what comes “I’m defending [it]. I don’t want sexism and misogyny and how with violence against women. “We literally could not make to argue with my own people he is not protecting the people Not long after the results it. There was nothing we could next? but I feel like the criticisms that she represents, such as were announced Watchman have done because suddenly are coming too quick,” said Indigenous and low-income decided to take part in what everyone just stopped. All of If the march becomes a yearly Watchman. She was also unsure people. would eventually be coined the the whole city was clogged, event, Watchman says she would if these critics had even marched “It wasn’t just D.C., it was Women’s March on Washington we couldn’t even march. So we go down to Washington again, themselves. “Are you even there? worldwide and every continent after first learning of the idea via stood there in this one spot for or find some other way she are you even doing anything? was represented. I think that twitter. three hours.” could be useful as there were instead of criticizing those of us really speaks volumes that this She thought, “I can’t just The amount of people criticisms to the Women’s March that take the time and the space is bigger than the woman, it’s be sitting up here in my in my concentrated in one area blocked on Washington. to try to fill in those voids?” essentially not wanting to go secure job and fairly secure cell phone services. There were “One of the complaints that Watchman says that even if she backwards,” said Watchman, politics, I need to do some no loud speakers set up, so any came out afterwards, and I want is just one Indigenous woman, Watchman heard many chants things. I want to participate in news they heard was passed to research this a bit more, was that’s the point. in the march but one, she says, this march.” down through word of mouth. that this is all white America, “We’re always erased, we’re stood out: ‘Love not Hate, Make Discovering like-minded Eventually they found out that erasing Indigenous peoples.” always the minority of minorities, America Great.’ individuals, Watchman made the original march route couldn’t Watchman says this isn’t as far as a number and visibility “I think that we need to hear plans with another colleague happen. true. There was an argument goes. And so yes it really meant that more and maybe by hearing, at MRU to attend the Women’s “This sort of natural march just that nobody in the speeches something to me.” In future we will believe it and by believing march and the pair arrived in developed, somebody just took mentioned Indigenous peoples, marches she said she may try to it, we will enact it.” the States the day before the the lead. So we walked right but according to Watchman have a more visible presence. One protester within the Women’s March on Washington crowd holds a sign that references President Donald Trump’s ‘tiny hands’ on Jan. 21, Protesters stand in front of Trump International Hotel as part of the Women’s 2017. Photo courtesy of Renae Watchman. March on Washington on Jan. 21, 2017. Photo courtesy of Renae Watchman. February 2, 2017 • the reflector 3 Indigenizing the world around us How MRU is unrolling its Indigenous Strategic Plan Tawnya Plain Eagle obstacles when it comes to Contributor seeking their education that it’s good to see post secondary Staff and students embraced institutions recognizing First the cold temperatures on Nation students. Wednesday afternoon as Mount He adds when the Indigenous Royal University welcomed flag and Metis flag were the Minister of Indigenous permanently flown on campus and Northern Affairs Canada last November the students felt Carolyn Bennett, to the a sense of pride, identity, and traditional Blackfoot blessing belonging. of the school’s new teepee. “Still to this day students As Canada begins to celebrate come in and say ‘I see your its 150th birthday, many flags rising high [and] that is so Indigenous people feel that this amazing,’” Kootney-Jobin said. country still has a long way to Prior to November, Kootney- go in terms of reconciliation. Jobin said the Indigenous flags Minister Carolyn Bennett were only brought out during says events like this signify the convocation and other events people who were here prior to where the Iniskim centre was the non-indigenous people. present. Assistant manager “During their lifetime they of security service at MRU, haven’t learned the real history Candice Merrill, saw that of this country,” she said. the City of Calgary had flags As part of reconciliation, year-round City hall and she MRU recently launched its wondered why MRU hadn’t On Jan. 25, 2017 Carolyn Bennett, Minister of Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada, was Indigenous Strategic Plan that done the same, considering at MRU as part of the measures being taken to Indigenize MRU. Photo by Tawnya Plain Eagle. works towards building the it has a large population of broken relationships between Indigenous students. help benefit their students. implementations will be put in Striped Wolf, a Mount Royal Indigenous and non-Indigenous “I didn’t realise the However, the University of place. student who began attending people in the community. One importance these flags would Calgary isn’t far behind MRU “That might include flags, MRU two years ago. of the goals the Indigenous have, and I think that it’s not when it comes to indigenizing but were waiting to see what “It’s really inspiring and Strategic Plan has is to being done because people their campus. the community will say,” makes school really easy since I host more events that will think it is just a flag,” Merrill Shawna Cunningham, the Cunningham said. She said came straight from the reserve, incorporate cultural practices said. “It’s a step towards director of The Native Centre that they have been working it’s really nice to have that sense and offer more knowledge of reconciliation.” at the U of C says they are just closely with Treaty 7 Elders of home with me,” Striped Wolf Treaty 7. Mount Royal is one of in the process of developing to help guide the university said. Striped Wolf said as a First Steve Kootney-Jobin, the the leading post secondary their Indigenous strategy. One through this process, “we want Nation student he is affected Indigenous housing events institutions in Canada that has thing they are doing is getting the content to be driven by the by Bennetts department and coordinator for the Iniskim made efforts to acknowledge ideas and feedback from the community,” seeing institutions Indigenizing Centre, said the First Nation the Indigenous community and community and Blackfoot This kind of engagement their campuses this way is people have faced so many put programs in place that will Elders as to what kind of is important to Spirit River inspiring.

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