In a continued commitment to walk in parallel paths, the University of Calgary's Office of Indigenous Engagement recently hosted its annual Tea Dance ceremony.
The Tea Dance ceremony validates the annual report for ii' taa'poh'to'p, UCalgary's Indigenous Strategy, which was presented at the Annual Journey Update Event held in November 2024.
President Ed McCauley receives moccasins from Michael Hart, vice-provost (Indigenous engagement). Photo Credit: Riley Brandt, University of Calgary
The Tea Dance was led by ceremonial leaders Karli and Amelia Crowshoe, granddaughters of Elders Reg and Rose Crowshoe.
To acknowledge the annual reports connected to ii'taa'poh'to'p, Dr. Michael Hart, vice-provost (Indigenous Engagement) presented the 2024 Annual Journey update report for the Indigenous Strategy. This year, project leads for One Child Every Child (OCEC), Dr. François Bernier and Dr. Jennifer Markides, were also invited to offer an oral report for the One Child Every Child Indigenous Ways of Knowing research team.
Both reports were orally presented, acknowledged in a pipe ceremony, and validated by ceremonial smudge. The smudge represents the oral tradition of sharing truths in recognition of both oral and written practices as part of our parallel path outlined in the Indigenous Strategy and our collective journey towards reconciliation.
The reports were then placed into their own pipe bags, holding the mandate of the Indigenous Strategy and OCEC and representing the University's ongoing commitment to reconciliation through decolonization and indigenization of the academy in teaching, learning, research and community engagement.
These annual progress reports, when bundled together and validated in ceremony hold deep significance, representing our collective journey in a parallel way.
Hart says it's important the university continues to incorporate such ceremonies in honour of traditional Indigenous oral practices, affirming our commitment to the Indigenous Strategy and of our parallel paths.
"The University of Calgary is fortunate to have this commitment from Indigenous Elders and members within UCalgary to walk together in a good way," says Hart. "This commitment demonstrates to the larger community how to effectively and respectfully work together in honour of parallel paths."
The theme of the 2025 Annual report was culturally translated by Elder Reg Crowshoe into a cultural symbol to be added to the UCalgary's Winter Count.
The ongoing journey of the University's Indigenous strategy is captured visually through a series of symbols painted on the hide of a buffalo robe. Together these symbols, when read in a clockwise spiral direction, share the story of ii' taa'poh'to'p.
This year, the symbol added represents a "Circle of Relatives", reflecting the work we do together across the university - as relatives - as we continue our journey towards reconciliation through education. We are all related.
