The Aboriginal Gathering Place offers a variety of programs to support Indigenous students during their time at the University.
Workshops
We offer material practice workshops throughout the year. These may be for an afternoon, over a few days, or once a month for the academic year. Previous workshops include: beaded fringe earrings, birch bark biting, caribou hair tufting, drum making, flat stitch beading, peyote stitch beading, indigo dyeing, fish skin tanning and regalia making. We encourage students to propose workshops to attend or to lead.
Artist Talks & Events
Throughout the year we invite Indigenous artists, curators and academics to come to the AGP to give talks, have studio visits, and lead workshops. Previous guests include: Rebecca Belmore, Peter Morin, Gerald Clarke, Eliot White-Hill, Maria Margaretta, James Harry, Patricia Michaels, and Amber Dawn Bear Robe. We also host and co-host events like film screenings, readings, and conferences.
Artist and ECU alumnus, Xwalacktun, with his family and community at the celebration of the installation of his house post at the ECU campus. The post was carved with help from ECU Indigenous students. (Photo by Perrin Grauer)
Food Security
Understanding that the cost of living is quite high in Vancouver, we help support students by stocking a student pantry and providing bi-weekly homemade lunches. There are also a variety of snack foods available for students to access at any time.
Access to Materials
Some traditional/customary materials are outside of a student budget so we stock a wide variety of materials that are available for Indigenous students to access for free. These include furs (e.g. seal, rabbit, otter, beaver, fox, wolf, muskox, etc.), hides, beads, drum frames, porcupine quills, leather, and more.
Cultural Worker
Every two weeks ECU Indigenous students can sign up to have one-on-one time with cultural worker/healer Audrey Siegl ( χʷəy̓ y̓ χʷiq̓ q̓ tən). She is an inspiring warrior, leader, activist, artist, cultural worker, and engaged community member of the hən̓q̓əmin̓əm̓ speaking, Musqueam people, working with teachings & medicines passed on to her from her Musqueam family and ancestors.
Indigenous Art Markets
We host two Indigenous Art Market events each year. This is an opportunity for students to gain experience preparing and selling their work. In June, during National Indigenous History Month, we invite students and local Indigenous vendors to participate and in November, we combine efforts with the annual ECU Student Art Sale. There is no table fee and participants are able to keep all profits from their sales.
Artisans, vendors and guests enjoying the Indigenous Summer Market. (Photo by Taylor Assion)
Annual Exhibition
Each year the AGP puts on a student-led, student-curated exhibition of work by Indigenous students, staff, faculty, and alumni. The exhibition provides a forum for Indigenous students to express and celebrate their traditional and/or contemporary art practices. Students gain valuable experience by organizing this unique cultural event which includes communicating with participating artists, designing promotional materials, installing the exhibition, and organizing a reception. This event is normally scheduled in February in the Michael O’Brian Exhibition Commons.
Artist Jacqueline Morrisseau-Addison performs her piece, wiikondiwin, at the Beadsoup! exhibition opening. (Photo by Perrin Grauer)