Emily Carr University of Art and Design is situated on the unceded, traditional, and ancestral territory of the Coast Salish Peoples, including the territories of the xʷməθkwəy̓əm (Musqueam), Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish), and Səl̓ílwətaʔ/Selilwitulh (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations.
Emily Carr University is committed to providing the necessary support to Aboriginal students to ensure their academic success. The University provides admission and transfer advising services and educational support service resulting in excellent retention and graduation rates for Aboriginal students. We have had a steady increase in our diverse Aboriginal Student population as well as an increase in our Aboriginal programs. The Aboriginal Program Office provides culturally appropriate support that encompasses both traditional and contemporary artistic and cultural expressions of Aboriginal peoples, and is a valuable resource for students to access traditional materials/supplies. The Aboriginal Program team also assists with the promotion and coordination of events and workshops related to Aboriginal art and culture, and provides information regarding Aboriginal funding, scholarships and awards.
Aboriginal Gathering Place
Emily Carr University’s Aboriginal Gathering Place is a centre that reflects the cultural characteristics of our Aboriginal students, community and traditions. This space is dedicated to student projects, workshops, ceremonies and celebrations of the University’s Aboriginal community. The Gathering Place allows our Aboriginal students to develop and strengthen their identities in a supportive, safe environment. The design of the space is relevant to and congruent with Aboriginal philosophies and values.
Who is an Aboriginal Student?
Aboriginal students include students from North America with First Nations (status and non-status), Métis or Inuit backgrounds. Students with Aboriginal ancestry are encouraged to self-identify on their application forms and contact the Aboriginal Program Office. The Aboriginal Gathering Place communicates with Aboriginal students regarding grants, meetings, special events, Aboriginal community resources, and other relevant activities.
Aboriginal Gathering Place Staff
| Daina Warren Executive Director, Indigenous Initiatives dwarren@ecuad.ca |
Kajola Morewood Associate Director, Aboriginal Programs kmorewood@ecuad.ca |
Sydney Pascal Manager, Aboriginal Programs spascal@ecuad.ca |
Daina Warren is a member of the Akamihk Montana First Nation in Maskwacis, Alberta. She holds a BFA in Visual Arts from Emily Carr University and a Master of Arts in Art History (Critical and Curatorial Studies) from the University of British Columbia. In 2015, she was selected as one of six Indigenous women curators as part of the Canada Council for the Arts Delegation to participate in the International First Nations Curators Exchange in Australia (2015), New Zealand (2016) and Canada (2017). In 2018, she won the Hnatyshyn Foundation Award for Curatorial Excellency. In 2020, she participated in the 22nd Biennale of Sydney, NIRIN, on invitation from Australia Council for the Arts’ Visiting International Curators program. In 2022, Daina received the Manitoba Arts Award of Distinction, which is awarded biannually in recognition of the highest level of artistic excellence and contribution to the development of the arts in Manitoba.
Kajola Morewood has Inuit ancestry through her birth mother who had ties to Chisasibi and Kuujjuarapik in Nunavik and British ancestry through her birth father. She holds a BFA in Photography from Emily Carr University of Art + Design and a Master of Library and Information Studies (First Nations Curriculum Concentration) from the University of British Columbia. An interdisciplinary artist, she explores issues of cultural re/connection and the ways in which Indigenous knowledge and belongings are held in western cultural institutions.
Sydney Frances Pascal is a member of Lil’wat nation. Her multi-disciplinary practice includes hide tanning, video, sound, beadwork and poetry. She uses her practice to tell her family’s story. Her work over the past few years has been grounded by her continued connection to land-based material practices.