Sudbury’s College Boreal opens Indigenous pavilion

Indigenous pavilion opens at College Boreal After years of planning and consultation, College Boreal in Sudbury officially opened its Indigenous pavilion on Tuesday.

College Boreal in Sudbury officially opened its Indigenous pavilion on Tuesday.

Speeches, drumming, dancing and song marked the opening ceremony.

Called the Shkode Heart of Fire Pavilion, the First Nations, Metis and Inuit educational centre will offer a combination of in-person and online learning.

“We are a learning institution, and we are a community college,” said Daniel Giroux, college president.

“So anytime we can give back to the students, to the community, it’s extremely important.”

Planning for the pavilion began in 2019, with construction starting in January of this year.

“It’s a lot of consulting, even from the naming,” Giroux said.

“For us, we wanted to get it right. We wanted to build it right, so we weren’t pressured. It’s important to consult with the elders, with the community. That’s probably why it took a little bit longer.”

The pavilion was financed by the college with a total investment of more than $1.2 million as part of the institution’s response to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s calls to action.

The name, Shkode, is an Obijiway word meaning “flame” or “fire,” meant as a welcoming to encourage learning and deeper understanding.

“The fire that’s within our heart, almost like welcoming around a campfire,” said Richard Meilleur, elder in residence for Shkode.

“That fire we use for knowledge, acknowledging knowledge, sharing and teaching it with the community, with the students.”

The pavilion spans more than 2,000 square feet with two meeting rooms and a circle for smudging ceremonies and traditional events, meant to encourage both online and in-person activities.

Additionally, there is art paying tribute to Indigenous artists, including a collection dedicated to the memory of Metis leader Louis Riel.

“The most important thing was to gather items that were present represents the people where they come from. So, when they do come to the centre, they have a piece of themselves in that centre,” Meilleur said.

“It’s like saying ‘I know that symbol. I know I’m welcome here.’”

Workshops became available to students online as of fall of this year. Now, with the pavilion open, more will become available in person.