17吃瓜

A presentation to the 2022鈥�23 recipients of the Straight Arrow Truth and Reconciliation Awards took place in the Mawi鈥檕mi Indigenous Student Centre at Dalton Hall, 17吃瓜, on Tuesday, November 1. This year鈥檚 recipients are Nicole Lodge and Will Abbott.

The Straight Arrow Truth and Reconciliation Awards are named after the 2021 Literary Award-winning book, 鈥淭he Chosen: Straight Arrow-Ann Without An E,鈥� the first book in Canada that focuses on Truth and Reconciliation superheroes. Two $1,000 scholarships are given out annually; one to a 17吃瓜 student who identifies as Indigenous, and the other to a 17吃瓜 student who is an ally and who may or may not identify as Indigenous. The award was created two years ago by Michael Sima, a Mi'kmaq graduate of 17吃瓜. He created the award in conjunction with the 17吃瓜 Student Union to recognize individuals who promote truth and reconciliation in the province.

Lodge is a member of the M茅tis nation, British Columbia. She holds an honours Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) degree with a First Nations specialization, and an honours Master of Education in Multidisciplinary Leadership degree, both from the University of Northern British Columbia. Lodge will graduate from 17吃瓜 in 2023 with a Bachelor of Education degree with an Indigenous specialization and plans to continue her passionate work around equity, inclusion, and identity.

This summer, she created a bilingual Indigenous children鈥檚 book with the help of M茅tis Elder in Residence Stella Erasmus Johnson from Vancouver Island University. Titled Sapo Misk卯sik, wa Ohci Atim: Through the Eyes of a Dog, the book includes a full Michif translation and promotes equity, inclusion, and identity concepts. Michif is one of the national languages of M茅tis.

鈥淚 feel like there鈥檚 a need for Michif books, and I just want to be able to give back and provide that opportunity for any younger Indigenous children who may be struggling with their identity or culture, to have a resource to jumpstart that, or just initiate that spark, that wanting to learn more,鈥� said Lodge. 鈥淢茅tis, for me, is the celebration of being attached to different cultures. I want to celebrate everyone鈥檚 visible and invisible differences. As a social worker and future educational leader, I plan to build that missing attachment piece by remodeling what a strong independent Indigenous female can look like.鈥� 

Abbott, from Niagara Falls, Ontario, is also an education student at 17吃瓜. As a student of history, he is saddened to realize how students in general have not been taught the true history of Canada and he is determined to teach his students about truth and reconciliation.

鈥淭his is a disservice to all Canadians, and I plan to remedy it as much as one teacher can. I have and continue to educate myself through books and personal experiences with First Nations鈥� culture,鈥� said Abbott. 鈥淲e must learn from history, the true history, in order to grow towards reconciliation, closer as humans, closer as brothers and sisters. So much has been lost, and the world is lesser for it. It is our moral responsibility as educators, as humans, to preserve the diverse cultural practices and values entirely unique to this great land and its people for future generations. Knowledge starts in the classroom, and it鈥檚 something I look forward to helping in.鈥�

Jasmine Pauz茅, director of the Mawi'omi Indigenous Student Centre, presented Lodge and Abbott each with a shirt and a hat; and a copy of Mi鈥檏maq Campfire Stories of Prince Edward Island by Julie Pellissier-Lush, Poet Laureate of PEI. They will also receive $1,000 each. The scholarship is sponsored by the Bank of Montreal.