Algonquin College organized a special event as part of Indigenous History Month, highlighting the significance of Indigenous culture and cultural understanding among students.
The Indigenous History Month Film Series event began on June 9 at the Mamidosewin Centre, located in the E building. It continues weekly until June 23.
Crystal Rossnycol, an Architectural Technician student, attended the event.
“For me, it wasn’t particularly the event. I come to the centre here to kind of get back to my native spiritual roots, because I’m mostly Scottish, but I also have some Indigenous background,” said Rossnycol.
” . . . When you are seeing it from your perspective, and being in someone else’s shoes, that’s when reality strikes that Indigenous people have been going through a lot of things for such a long time and it’s not a joke,” said Jay Lad, a Regulatory Affairs Sciences student.
The Mamidosewin Centre holds significant importance for some students at Algonquin College. Serving as a cultural hub, the centre provides a welcoming space where students can connect with their heritage.
“I think the centre is great because it gives a better understanding to people who might not be Indigenous, or people that are partially Indigenous like myself. You don’t have to be Indigenous; you just gotta be yourself, and that’s what I love about this particular centre – It’s very impactful,” Rossnycol said.
The centre says multiple documentaries began showing starting June 9 until June 23, with showtimes starting at 2 p.m. in the Mamidosewin Centre (Room E122), followed by a discussion. No sign-up is necessary.
The remaining films are:
- June 16 – Trick or Treaty
- June 23 – I Am Indian Again
The Mamidosewin Centre is open on campus from Monday-Friday, 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m., with evening programs as well.
For more details about this event, visit Algonquin College’s Instagram page (@algonquincollegess) or check the events calendar on Brightspace.