Waawaahte Northern Lights Initiative “XJ-4”
The Waawaahte Northern Lights Initiative (WNLI) Experiential Journey (WNLI XJ-4) is part of a yearlong experiential learning initiative sponsored by funding a tri-campus partnership within the University of Toronto through the University of Toronto Mississauga’s Indigenous Centre in the Department of Student Life. The focus of the WNLI is to provide participants with direct, meaningful opportunities for cultural exchange and dialogue with Aboriginal peoples. The final event for this initiative is a four-day “Experiential Journey” (XJ-4) on Traditional teaching land, located approximately two hours from the UTM campus, north of Peterborough and near the Curve Lake First Nations Reserve. This is the fourth iteration of the trip. The journey will take place from April 9th-12th, 2013 and is open to both Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal University of Toronto (U of T) students and staff.
General Itinerary
Participants will travel together to Peterborough, Ontario and stay at a nearby hotel for the duration of the journey. Based on the itinerary for the XJ last year, it is expected that highlights may include a traditional Spring Ceremony, a Maple Water Ceremony, sharing of traditional pipes, and a singing and hand-drumming circle. It is important to note as well that this year we are participating in ceremonies as members of the community, which is a very significant honour. In addition to traveling to our teaching land, participants will travel to the Curve Lake First Nation Reserve where based on last years itinerary, planned activities may include: visiting the Whetung Art Gallery, taking a trip to the Petroglyphs Provincial Park where an Elder will conduct a guided tour of the petroglyphs, and travelling to other locations to engage with the Aboriginal community and demystify life on a reserve. Please note that in the spirit of the program, this is not a final itinerary, and specific events are subject to change based on the needs of the Elders and teachers within the community we are conducting the XJ-4 with. As well, many of the events will be taking place outside, so please ensure you have suitable clothing (i.e. mittens, hat, scarf, boots, warm jacket, etc.) to deal with prolonged exposure to the elements. You will also want to bring a blanket to sit on during ceremonies.
In addition to these events, through constant engagement with Elders and teachers, participants will be exposed to numerous cultural teachings while simultaneously supporting the community by helping at their fasting camp grounds as a demonstration of our gratitude.
WNLI Experiential Journey Application Form
If you are interested in participating in the four-day XJ-4 from April 9th-12th, 2013, please complete the following application online by Tuesday, March 26th at 12:00pm (noon). Upon reviewing all applications, candidates will be notified by email regarding the status of their application. Depending on the number of responses, brief informal interviews may follow. Once your application has been received we will be sending an information package to you with a more thorough description of the initiative.