Sacred Fire takes place before Tipi taken down for the season and the TRC Mawi’omi
As David Varis, assistant professor in the Faculty of Indigenous Knowledge, Education, Research, and Applied Studies (IKERAS), put it, “Tipi season is coming to an end.”
UPEI first erected the cone-shaped Tipi, a modern take on the traditional version made of wooden poles and hides, between Kelley Memorial Building and the W.A. Murphy Student Centre in May 2022. Although tipis were typically built by the Indigenous Peoples of the Great Plains and not built in Mi’kma’ki, this structure was chosen by the IKERAS faculty to symbolize Indigenous cultural and spiritual presence at the University. UPEI continues to be grateful to the Mi’kmaq Elders and Chiefs for allowing us to install and bless the tipi in Epekwitk according to Mi’kmaq ceremony.
However, the canvas-covered Tipi is not built to withstand the winter winds of PEI, so, each fall, the University carefully stores the structure. On September 28, IKERAS, with the help of Facilities Management, began preparations to have the Tipi taken down. Part of the process included the lighting of a Sacred Fire on September 29 to smoke the Tipi.
Sacred Fires are small fires used for Indigenous ceremonies and important events. They are lit and kept burning under the close supervision of a Firekeeper and allowed to burn out naturally. A Sacred Fire represents a spiritual doorway to honour ancestors, with offerings of sacred medicines that are fed to the fire by participants. The University thanks Elder Thirly Levi and all those who participated in the ceremony, which also had the added effect of helping to cure and strengthen the Tipi canvas.
Dr. Angelina Weenie, Dean of IKERAS, invited campus community members to wear their orange shirts and gather for a photo, in honour of the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation once the Sacred Fire had gone out and before the Tipi was taken down. “I am inviting you for a group photo in front of our Tipi to acknowledge, honour, and remember First Nations, Metis, and Inuit children who were residential school survivors and those who did not make it home.”
On Friday, October 3, UPEI will host the TRC Mawi’omi in the Quadrangle—where the Tipi stood—from 10:00 am–2:00 pm. Everyone is invited to participate for a day of reflection, learning, and community as we mark the 10th anniversary of the release of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Final Reports along with 94 Calls to Action, which guide Canada’s path toward reconciliation. The TRC Mawi’omi (the word for gathering in the Mi’kmaw language) will include several activities with the aim of increasing awareness, fostering community relationships, and ensuring that the narratives of Indigenous peoples are honoured and understood. All are welcome!
