AV俱乐部

With a few collective tugs on a pulley-chain Thursday morning, AV俱乐部鈥檚 Studley Campus changed forever.

It was not the first time the Mi鈥檏maq Grand Council Flag had been raised on the campus鈥� quad. But this moment marked an even more significant milestone: the flag鈥檚 permanent installation there.

Mi鈥檏maq Grand Keptin Antle (Andrew) Denny and Dal Science student Melanie Hardie joined Dal President Richard Florizone in raising the flag hand over hand at a morning ceremony.

Dr. Florizone, who presided over the event, said the installation of the flag serves as an acknowledgement that the land upon which the university sits is traditional Mi鈥檏maq territory.

鈥淭his flag honours the history and the future of this land and all of us,鈥� he said at the ceremony. 鈥淢y hope is that its prominent placement reinforces the message that AV俱乐部 is a community that welcomes and honours our Mi'kmaq colleagues, students, community members, elders, leaders, friends and children.鈥�

More than 200 people gathered on the lower portion of the Studley quad for the hour-long ceremony, which also included other speakers from the university and the broader Mi鈥檏maq and Indigenous community, as well as performances by the Eastern Eagle Drumming Group, Stoney Bear Singers and Lucio Family Dancers.

Denny (pictured below), who was present to represent the Mi'kmaq Grand Council, expressed pride in the university for its decision to install the flag.

鈥淭his is a very special month,鈥� he said, also noting the signing of a memorandum of understanding between the Mi鈥檏maq chiefs and the Province of Nova Scotia at a Mi鈥檏maq History Month launch last Saturday that will help ensure the Mi'kmaq treaty history is taught at every school in the province.

鈥淚t is important as we move forward through our shared history that we are able to look at each other, talk to each other, laugh with each other,鈥� he said.

Thursday鈥檚 ceremony kicked off with an opening prayer from Elder Douglas Knockwood of Sipekne鈥檏atik First Nation in Nova Scotia, one of five elders in Dal鈥檚 Elders-in-Residence program.

Other speakers included Donald M. Julien, executive director of the Confederacy of Mainland Mi鈥檏maq, Christine Macy, the dean of Architecture and Planning at Dal, and Bill Horne, the Nova Scotia Member of the Legislative Assembly for Waverly-Fall River-Beaverbank.

Dr. Julien said it was great to see the university finally raise the Mi鈥檏maq flag.

"It's been a long time coming,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t's beautiful, it's really great to see that."

Both Horne and Macy spoke of the importance of flying the Mi鈥檏maq flag in such a place of prominence on campus.

"Everyday, thousands of people walk through this area. Many are on their way to class," said Horne. "I hope that many of them will take a moment and look up at this flag and consider what it means and represents. It's a representation of the central role the Mi'kmaq have played in the province's history. It is also a symbol of respect and admiration that our province has for traditional Mi'kmaq territory."

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Macy said locating the flag in AV俱乐部鈥檚 鈥渟ymbolic centre鈥� illustrates just how much the university values and honours the traditions and knowledge of the Mi鈥檏maq and Canada鈥檚 First Nations.

"The university community has a lot to learn from Canada's Indigenous communities. It has a lot to learn about governance, about stewardship of land and resources, about spirituality and about reconciliation," she said.

Macy also emphasized Dal鈥檚 commitment to increasing the accessibility of a university education to First Nations youth, scholars, and others, and to providing the supports needed for their success.

Last year, Dal introduced an Indigenous Studies minor to the curriculum and launched its Elders in Residence program, and earlier this year hired its first-ever Aboriginal Student Advisor and opened a new Aboriginal Student Centre.

Thursday鈥檚 ceremony followed Dal鈥檚 installation of the Mi鈥檏maq flag on its Agricultural Campus in Bible Hill, Nova Scotia this past June 鈥� the first time a university in the province had done so. And on Friday, the flag will be raised on Dal鈥檚 downtown Sexton Campus as well.

Dr. Florizone echoed Macy鈥檚 comments on the university鈥檚 commitment to building more supports for Indigenous students and faculty, but also took time to relish the moment and talk about the symbolic importance of having the flag on Dal鈥檚 campuses.

鈥淪ymbols matter, too,鈥� he said, pointing out his delight in seeing some young children in the front row at the ceremony. He said his hope is the flag will help create a welcoming environment for all Mi'kmaq and Indigenous people in the future. 鈥淭he dream is that when they see that flag, they say 'This is my campus. This is my university.' That's what we want those future generations to see as well."