Dalhousie University honours grads of Indigenous, African descent

Dalhousie University students of Indigenous and African descent were given the opportunity to recognize their heritage during convocation ceremonies this year.

Students, who self-identifyas Indigenous, were offered a handmade medicine pouch from a Native elder on stage during graduation.

For the first time, students of African descent were given the opportunity to borrow a Kenteclothsash to wear during ceremonies.

'Where you are now'

The cloth was originally worn by tribal royaltyin Ghana, but has become a common marker of heritage for students with descendants from many African countries.

Nigerian engineering graduateMaigoroYunanasaid hefelt proud wearing the cloth to accept his degree.

"You remember where you are from," he said. "It's where you are from that brought you to where you are now."

Yunanasaid he was glad to recognize his homeland, as his family watched the ceremony online from Africa.

'Extremely proud of our students'

GeriMusqua-Leblanc, head of Dalhousie's elders-in-residence program, was on the stage with other elders handingout 30 handmade leather pouches filled with tobacco, sweet grass, sage, and cedar which are traditional medicines used in smudging ceremonies.

"Anything that is given to a person by an elder has great significance," she said.

"The elders are extremely proud of our students."

It's the first time students have been offered medicine pouches from elders during convocation at Dalhousie, which Musqua-Leblanc called "a huge step."

The elders-in-residence programbegan last fall to givestudents access to elders on campus for guidance, counsel and support.

'I am an Indigenous student'

For graduate Jacqueline Smith, the pouchwas a symbolic recognition of her Cree heritage, she said. The 25-year-old from Opaskwayak Cree Nation in central Manitobahas only just begun to learn about her history, she said.

"A lot of Indigenous people didn't grow up being proud of being Indigenous," Smith said.

"It's a huge step to be on that stage in front of everybody and receive this pouch that's saying, you know, I am an Indigenous student."

'Histories are rising up'

Musqua-Leblanc also said it's a symbol of reconciliation, referring to theTruth and Reconciliation Commission's report.

The introduction of Indigenous and African heritage at graduation will help create a move inclusive ceremony for students of all backgrounds, she said.

"Both our histories, both group's histories are rising up," she said. "They're going to be told the real histories, not what we were taught in schools."