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Celebrating Indigenous voices, culture and community at the University of Manitoba.

Visit us at the Indigenous Student Centre for programming, student services and cultural learning opportunities.

10/14/2026

For Professor Niigaan Sinclair, hope is everywhere.

Every day, his students remind him that the possibilities for the next generation are only expanding as they imagine new futures and create opportunities of their own.

And they are the reason he remains hopeful.

“I always say to students, you’re a miracle. There are a billion reasons for you not to be here. But yet, you are. You have overcome it all.” 💛

10/08/2026

Thinking about university but not sure what to expect?

Come check out the New Buffalo Education Gathering to explore UM, meet current students, learn about programs, tour residence and get a feel for campus life.

🗓️November 13, 2026

More information: umanitoba.ca/explore/new-buffalo-education-gathering

10/07/2026

How is land-based education challenging familiar ideas of post-secondary education?

At its core, land-based learning invites students to see knowledge not as something to acquire, but as something to carry, nurture and share. 🌱☀️

For April Bruyere, this way of learning transformed their understanding of what education can be, enriching their experience as a learner in ways the western education system had not.

"I am not afraid to fail when I am learning from the land. Everything that I embody as a student and steward of the land is an opportunity for growth and knowledge."

Supporting the growth of land-based education at UM is Nicki Ferland, Director of Land-Based Education and Indigenous Curriculum, through the development of a broader institutional framework informed by the Elders-in-Residence and a diverse steering committee.

Read more: https://umtoday.ca/stories/land-based-learning-strengthening-relationships

10/02/2026

Beadwork has long been part of Tammy G. Wolfe’s life, shaping her art, her teaching and her doctoral research—a project she calls Beadwork is Medicine.

Among Tammy’s beadwork is a small honey pot, a tribute to her mother, who was murdered in Winnipeg more than 20 years ago.

“My mom used to call everybody ‘honey,’” Tammy says.

A member of Norway House Cree Nation and UM PhD candidate, she brings together families affected by the MMIWG2S+ crisis through beadwork sharing circles.

Read Tammy’s story and learn how beadwork is helping carry stories forward: https://umtoday.ca/stories/every-bead-carries-story

09/29/2026

🧡 Sitting at the heart of this year's National Day for Truth and Reconciliation is the question: "What was kept?"

Kookum Karen Courchene says the answer is found in the teachings, medicines, languages, stories and relationships that Indigenous families carried forward for future generations.

Through events organized by faculties, student groups, the Indigenous Student Centre, and the annual Heart Garden, opportunities for reflection, connection and healing continue to grow across UM campuses.

Read the full story about Kookum Karen: https://umtoday.ca/stories/what-survivors-have-kept 🧡

09/28/2026

In “Upon a Wishing Moon”, six residential school Survivors and Members of the Survivors Circle of the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation share their own deeply personal experiences through memoirs, poems, drawings, photographs and sacred teachings.

Eugene Arcand is one of the Survivors who shared his story.

"It was such a relief for me to be able to focus on whatever sport it was. That was my classroom. I learned something every time, I taught something every time. It was at least a place where I could find some level of balance in my life. I didn't even know I had it. I didn't know until after I left residential school. In residential school, it was survival. When I got out of there, it was to make a living."

A First Nations Sports Hall of Fame inductee, Eugene has devoted decades to organizing sports, cultural, tourism and youth events. In the book, he shares about his life with hockey and how sports became his safe space.

Copies of "Upon a Wishing Moon" can be found in the UM BookStore and other retail locations. For more, visit the publishers website: https://durvile.com/books/Upon_Wishing_Moon.html

09/23/2026

Introducing L’offis Wiichihihwahk 💙

More than a new name, L’offis Wiichihihwahk – Office of the Vice-President (Indigenous) reflects how we strive to move forward together as a community.

Gifted by UM Elder Charlotte Nolin with the support of Michif language keeper Verna DeMontigny, the name means “the office that helps” and reflects a spirit of helping one another, building relationships and embracing shared responsibility.

Watch the full video to learn more about the meaning behind the name: https://umtoday.ca/stories/loffis-wiichihihwahk-ums-office-vice-president-indigenous-introduces-its-new-michif-name

09/21/2026

Hi Shawna! 👋

This month, we are shining the Indigenous Colleague Connect spotlight on Shawna Lavallee, Indigenous Student Wellness Coordinator✨

Nation (Community and/or self-declaration): Red River Métis

What brought you to UM? My love of education and what it can do for you.

What has been your most rewarding accomplishment? I am proud to be a mother of four and married to a proud Métis man. Career-wise, I am proud to work at the University of Manitoba. As a Métis woman from a small Métis town, I once only dreamed of attending university. Hard work and perseverance paid off—I completed my master’s here and now teach and work here. My biggest motivator is my dreams. If you can dream it, you can make it happen.

What’s the best advice you can give to help plan a career rather than simply work to keep a job? Find work you enjoy and that connects to your interests and your heart. If your heart isn’t in it, you will become bored. Choose your path wisely.

What is your favourite part of your position? I am new to this position, but I enjoy the people I am working with and seeing students who are here to achieve their educational goals. I can see myself in them and look forward to using my skills and knowledge to help them succeed.

What is the biggest change you have seen since coming to UM? The growth of Indigenous departments and staff. I see this as an opportunity to support Indigenous students and build awareness among the broader university community.

Tell us one thing you wish you knew then and one thing that you know for sure now. I wish I knew how capable I was when I was younger. After experiencing discrimination and bullying in my community, I believed there had to be more to life. Now I know I was right to stay strong, keep dreaming and not listen to those who said I couldn’t do it.

Your Indigenous recommendation: Who We Are: Four Questions for a Life and a Nation by Murray Sinclair.

09/15/2026

Whether he's leading a university classroom, writing a newspaper column, advising community organizations or fostering conversations about Reconciliation, Professor Niigaan Sinclair approaches his work with the same goal: creating space for others to succeed.

We sat down with Sinclair to learn more about how he measures success, carries forward a legacy, navigates life as a bestselling and award-winning writer, and what continues to fuel his hope for the future.

Read the full story: https://umtoday.ca/stories/creating-new-rooms

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114 Sidney Smith Street
Winnipeg, MB

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http://umanitoba.ca/student/indigenous/

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