Red River College expands Winter Indigenous Games
MIKE DEAL / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Red River College’s Indigenous Winter Games kicked off Monday morning at the Notre Dame Campus with last years’ moose calling champ Carla Kematch. Kematch couldn’t stop laughing and ultimately lost the event.
A MOOSE CALL competition and moose haul race Monday kicked-off Red River College’s second annual Winter Indigenous Games.
A bannock-making contest and snowshoe race are some of the other events on the roster this week for students at the Winnipeg school’s Notre Dame campus.
“It’s beautiful to have this taking place here in the spirit of reconciliation,” said student Sean Rayland-Boubar, adding he plans to participate in every event this week. “I can support my community and just have fun at the same time.”
Rayland-Boubar’s team, the Moosy Babies, were the winners of Monday’s moose haul, where two people carry a third team member (the moose) on a gurney, racing other teams to the finish line.
Four teams of students and staff participated while a crowd cheered them on, drinking hot chocolate and laughing as their peers tripped through the deep snow, trying to make quick turns around trees.
“The games provide a break in the middle of a very long winter, not only for Indigenous students to gain pride and knowledge about their culture, but also to share that with non-Indigenous staff and faculty,” said Maria Morrison, director of Indigenous student support and community relations.
Morrison said she expects 150 students to participate in the events over the next few days.
“We’re all here, we’re stressed out trying to get good grades and get good careers, so it’s nice to have some time just to hangout and be a part of the community,” Rayland-Boubar said.
A new addition to this year’s lineup is hair-braiding, replacing the snow sculpture event, which was too difficult with unpredictable weather. Staple events such as a round dance and drumming also return.
The event has expanded since it was first held last year, according to Morrison. “It’s probably only going to grow.”
MIKE DEAL / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Red River College students Sean Rayland-Boubar (left) and Mark Montour (right) carry Carla Kematch, the college’s Truth and Reconciliation manager, during the moose haul competition.
The week-long event is part of the Indigenous student support department’s holistic approach to wellness, she said.
The department offers supports ranging from hosting elders on campus to financial and academic advocacy, and “Outdoor activities and health are also a part of that,” Morrison said.
There are more than 1,100 Indigenous students registered at RRC, making up about 10 per cent of the total student population.
Originally published by the Winnipeg Free Press