In honour of the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, McMaster planetarium shows an immersive retelling of the celestial bear story
For a blend of culture and education, the William J. McCallion Planetarium presents The Celestial Bear: The Six Nations’ Night Sky.
The Celestial Bear is an annual showing of projected images containing rotating patterns in the night sky. This was produced in partnership with members of the Six Nations, McMaster University's Indigenous Studies Department and the W.J. McCallion Planetarium. It tells the story behind the Ursa Major constellation that Indigenous peoples have passed from generation to generation.
The Latin term Ursa Major, given to the constellation by European astronomists, means "Great Bear." Indigenous peoples who had also looked up at the stars with wonder have their own lore about the night sky. The planetarium and the producers of the show aimed to tell the Indigenous story behind this constellation which has been neglected by western society.
Robert Cockcroft is an associate professor in the department of physics and astronomy at McMaster University and the director of the W.J. McCallion Planetarium.
“One of the opportunities that have been really great is to work with Indigenous scholars . . . [i]ncluding Tom Deer, who is a Mohawk scholar and the person who approached us and said, ”Would you like to do a show that is based on a story around the Celestial Bear?”, and that was back in 2013,” said Cockcroft.
It was then that the idea for the Celestial Bear was first conceptualized. It officially launched in 2015.
“We’ve been showing it since 2015 and the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation has only been around for its third year in a row. So every year its been happening, we’ve been doing it,” said Cockcroft.
National Day for Truth and Reconciliation was first observed as a federal statutory holiday on Sept. 30, 2021.
To thoughtfully create the showing, Tom Deer, Robert Cockcroft, David Moses and professor Rick Monture who are two other Indigenous scholars and Sarah Symons, the former director of the W.J. McCallion Planetarium worked collaboratively together.
“The five of us worked together and co-produced the Celestial Bear, which today still remains the most requested show that we have,” said Cockcroft.
Cockcroft spoke about how they thought it was of great importance to include Indigenous voices in the production process.
“None of our presenters are Indigenous. We felt it was crucial to have Tom’s voice represent the story,” said Cockcroft.
None of our presenters are Indigenous. We felt it was crucial to have Tom's voice represent the story.
Robert Cockcroft, Director
W.J. McCallion Planetarium, McMaster University
This decision not only allows for a faithful retelling of the narrative but also respects the cultural significance of the story.
The show’s structure is unique compared to other planetarium offerings. The Celestial Bear includes both live and recorded segments to authentically represent the storytelling tradition. The recordings, featuring Tom Deer’s narration, incorporate Indigenous languages.
The concept of “two-eyed seeing,” articulated by Mi’kmaq Elder Albert Marshall, is woven throughout the show.
“[Mi’kmaq Elder Albert Marshall] says, if you can see with the perspective of one eye of Indigenous ways of knowing, and the other eye from the eurocentric or western ways of knowing, then you can help your understanding like you can deepen your understanding by knowing both perspectives. It’s not one or the other, but by having both, it really helps,” explained Cockcroft.
If you can see with the perspective of one eye of indigenous ways of knowing, and the other eye from the eurocentric or western ways of knowing. Then you can help your understanding like you can deepen your understanding by knowing both perspectives. It's not one or the other, but by having both, it really helps.
Robert Cockcroft, Director
W.J. McCallion Planetarium, McMaster University
“In any one year, about 10 to 15 per cent of the requests we get are for the Celestial Bear. So that’s about 40 to 50 shows per year,” said Cockcroft. This popularity reflects a growing interest in Indigenous stories and perspectives within educational settings.
The planetarium is also preparing to launch a new show, “The 7 Dances”, later this fall, in partnership with Tom Deer. This upcoming presentation aims to further explore Indigenous stories and their connections to the night sky.
Tickets for The Celestial Bear are available on the McCallion Planetarium website, with all proceeds going to a local Indigenous charity. This showing is both an opportunity to learn about Indigenous history and storytelling and to reflect on the erasure of Indigenous stories by western society.
The showing for National Day for Truth and Reconciliation will take place Sept. 30, from 8:15 p.m. to 9:15 p.m. in the W.J. McCallion Planetarium in the Burke Science Building.
The new experiential course immerses students in Haudenosaunee culture, reconciliation, and land-based learning through a ten-day canoe journey along the Grand River
This past summer, the Indigenous Studies Department ran for the first time a new course titled "Two Row on the Grand Paddle." Associate Professor Bonnie Freeman led this experiential learning opportunity, which was available to students for the first time.
The course aimed to deepen students' understanding of Haudenosaunee culture, treaty history, and reconciliation through hands-on participation in the annual "Two Row on the Grand Paddle" canoe journey.
Freeman, who is Algonquin Mohawk and a member of the Six Nations of the Grand River Territory, has been involved in the canoe journey for almost ten years. She sees the course as a chance for students to connect what they learn in the classroom with real-life experiences.
"It was important for me to show [students]… that when we learn from an academic perspective, these theories and experiences, it's so much different than when we put them into practice," said Freeman.
It was important for me to show [students]... that when we learn from an academic perspective, these theories and experiences, it's so much different than when we put them into practice.
Bonnie Freeman, Associate Professor
Indigenous Studies Department
She stressed that this course was not just an academic exercise but an immersive experience intended to build connections with Indigenous teachings, the land, and one another.
The "Two Row on the Grand" journey is based on the historical Two Row [Gaswéñdah] Wampum Treaty between the Haudenosaunee and Dutch settlers. During the course, students canoed along the Grand River, which is tied to the Haldimand Treaty lands. They had the opportunity to engage with traditional Indigenous teachings and cultural practices and participate in discussions regarding reconciliation throughout the ten day journey.
Freeman’s engagement with land-based Indigenous learning began during her university days. The idea for this course stemmed from those early experiences. "It was a spiritual journey, and I was immersed in the ceremony, with horses, on the land, and learning those teachings," said Freeman, reflecting on her first exposure to land-based learning. Her passion for integrating these life-changing experiences into academic programs has driven her commitment to making the canoe journey a part of the Indigenous Studies Department's course offerings.
According to Freeman, the course was received with great enthusiasm from the student. "They said it was completely life-changing for them," said Freeman. She added that students appreciated the opportunity to apply what they had been learning in classrooms in a meaningful and practical manner.
The course involved facing physical challenges like navigating rapids and developing paddling skills. It also focused on promoting reconciliation in a practical and community-based manner. The course highlighted the importance of establishing connections with the land and between Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities.
Freeman recalled how some students reflected on the experience. "What was important... about reconciliation is the day-to-day living and the importance of having those relationships and establishing them," said Freeman.
The "Two Row on the Grand Paddle" course establishes a standard for expanding experiential learning within Indigenous studies as the Indigenous Studies Department expands its course offerings.
To enrol in Bonnie Freeman’s land-based learning course, students should review McMaster University’s offerings in Indigenous Studies or Social Work. Registration opens on the Two Row Paddle website in mid-March 2025, and the course is primarily aimed at third —and fourth-year students with relevant academic backgrounds. For detailed information and guidance, students are encouraged to consult academic advisors. As the course involves hands-on, experiential learning, it offers a unique opportunity to engage deeply with Indigenous knowledge and practices, fostering meaningful steps toward reconciliation.
McMaster launches a new communications committee to facilitate and promote a culture committed to reconciliation
Starting this year, the new Truth and Reconciliation Communications Standing Committee launched at McMaster University, dedicated to promoting and advancing Truth and Reconciliation throughout the university. The committee is comprised of both Indigenous and non-Indigenous staff, faculty and students to collaborate on initiatives that advance education about and understanding of the land's colonial history.
The newly formed committee, approved by the Indigenous Education Council and the Joint Indigenous-Administrative Consultation Group, is co-chaired by associate professor and Chair of the Indigenous Studies Department, Dr. Robert Innes, and Associate Professor and Director of the Arts and Sciences Program, Dr. Beth Marquis.
The committee’s goal is to share news stories about Indigenous initiatives and ongoing efforts to advance reconciliation and promote campus-wide learning opportunities on the topic of Truth and Reconciliation. These initiatives will be guided by four key priority areas identified by the Indigenous Strategic Directions of McMaster's Indigenous Education Council and the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada Calls to Action. These are research, education, student experience and Indigenous leadership.
Chrissy Doolittle, the director of Indigenous Student Services and a member of both the IEC and JIACG, spoke to the Silhouette about the goals of the committee and its makeup. “The committee is intentionally balanced so that we have approximately an equal representation from our Indigenous community on campus as well as non-Indigenous representatives from across the university. Having that balance helps give a different perspective that we can have other people take the lead on things that they can help advocate within their areas of the university and help support the communication efforts that are happening year-round,” said Doolittle.
Having that balance helps give a different perspective that we can have other people take lead on things that they can help advocate within their areas of the university and help support the communication efforts that are happening year-round.
Chrissy Doolittle, Director
Indigenous Student Services
The committee will focus on facilitating opportunities for non-Indigenous campus community members to educate themselves about Indigenous culture, ways of knowing and history. Through this, it aims to contribute to redressing and raising awareness about the injustices of settler colonialism, particularly on National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, but also throughout the year.
Additionally, the committee will create content that shares the stories of Indigenous students and faculty, co-develop communication frameworks throughout the year and support the planning of campus-wide events that promote Truth and Reconciliation.
Doolittle mentioned that the Committee is launching a website to go along with communications efforts. "We hope it will become a designated place that people can go to for information, resources and opportunities to help support and fund Indigenous initiatives on campus year-round," said Doolittle.
The website features news stories pertaining to reconciliation on campus and also provides links to Indigenous departments and services..
“We had an overwhelming response from the non-Indigenous community across campus who were interested in joining the committee. It was very clear that there is a desire to learn more and to help further education at McMaster as well,” said Doolittle.
We had an overwhelming response from the non-Indigenous community across campus who were interested in joining the committee. It was very clear that there is a desire to learn more and to help further education at McMaster as well.
Chrissy Doolittle, Director
Indigenous Student Services
Overall, the committee will serve as a resource to non-Indigenous community members seeking guidance in planning events and developing educational programs in support of Truth and Reconciliation. Information on the events and resources for National Day for Truth and Reconciliation can be found on the committee's website.
On Sept. 30 the McMaster community observed the second annual Truth and Reconciliation Day with on-campus gatherings, an educational panel and Indigenous artwork
On Friday, Sept. 30, 2022, the McMaster University community observed Truth and Reconciliation Day. The federal holiday was first established in 2021 to honour the victims, survivors and all members of the Indigenous community affected by the painful history of Canadian residential schools. This is the second year Canada has observed Truth and Reconciliation Day as a national holiday.
Truth and Reconciliation Day coincides with the previously established Orange Shirt Day, which is an Indigenous-led grassroots commemorative day honouring all Indigenous children taken from their homes and put into residential schools.
Orange Shirt Day commemorates survivor Phyllis Jack Webstad’s experience being stripped of her new orange shirt on her first day of residential school. The orange shirt is now used to represent how Indigenous students had their identities stripped away from them by the residential school system.
While other Canadian provinces designated Sept. 30th as a statutory holiday, Ontario did not.
Several events were planned approaching Truth and Reconciliation Day, including a virtual tour of the Mohawk Institute Residential school as well as a recorded panel discussion hosted by the Indigenous Studies faculty.
The panel featured guest speakers Dr. Vanessa Watts, Dr. Mary Jane Logan McCallum and Dr. Lianne Leddy. It was moderated by the director of the McMaster Indigenous Research Institute, Dr. Savage Bear. They focused on the historical context behind the creation of the residential school system, as well as how these institutions were falsely contextualized in archives, using propaganda and the erasure of painful truths.
Additional to the informational panel, the MSU Diversity and Equity Network facilitated both social media-based and in-person informational campaigns leading up to Truth and Reconciliation Day. Infographics and informational resources were posted on the MSU Diversity Instagram.
Avantika Vaidya, a social and political advocacy coordinator for the MSU Diversity and Equity Network, described how, along with the advocacy role they played on social media, the social and political advocacy team also commissioned Indigenous muralist Kyle Joedicke to paint a piece to be displayed on the McMaster campus.
The piece is currently being displayed in the Peter George Centre for Living and Learning and will be later given to the Indigenous studies department. Vaidya explained the main goal of this project was to create a space of visible expression of Indigenous culture and bring that into the McMaster community.
“I think art in all forms is one of the only universal languages that ties in humans from across cultures and identities. I think that using this kind of medium as a celebration on the second year of Truth and Reconciliation Day seemed very appropriate, and we're excited that it was able to be carried out and is there for everyone to appreciate and understand its value,” said Vaidya.
“I think art in all forms is one of the only universal languages that ties in humans from across cultures and identities. I think that using this kind of medium as a celebration on the second year of Truth and Reconciliation Day seemed very appropriate, and we're excited that it was able to be carried out and is there for everyone to appreciate and understand its value.”
Avantika vaidya, MSU DEN Social and Political Advocacy Coordinator
Vaidya spoke on the importance of recognizing Truth and Reconciliation Day as a federal holiday. Although classes were canceled, campus was alive with vibrant celebrations and meaningful recognitions. Community members marched together, participated in painting an orange armour stone at the on-campus Indigenous Circle and gathered for a film screening of Indian Horse.
“I think when you explicitly create a day for recognition and when you announce it as such, it does create a space for opening up discussions amongst people who maybe aren't as informed of its significance and of its history.” said Vaidya.
“I think when you explicitly create a day for recognition and when you announce it as such, it does create a space for opening up discussions amongst people who maybe aren't as informed of its significance and of its history.”
Avantika vaidya
C/O Paige Porter
Local business owner Paige Porter is rediscovering her Indigenous heritage through her beadwork
Beading has a historical and cultural significance among Canada’s Indigenous communities as an art form passed down through generations. For Paige Porter, the Hamilton-based Indigenous beadwork artist behind House of Beads, it is a means of reconnecting with her heritage and carving out a cultural identity of her own.
Porter’s small business specializes in Indigenous beaded jewellery, accessories and custom commissions. Though beading is traditionally passed from parent to child within Indigenous communities, Porter’s journey to beading arose out of a self-driven search to learn more about her heritage. She is Haudenosaunee and Onyota'a:ka from Six Nations of the Grand River. As an intergenerational survivor of the residential schools system, Porter described feelings of disconnection from her culture within her family in her formative years.
“Growing up, I didn’t know that much about my culture. Down the line, my family was afraid to acknowledge and speak the language. Over the years it died off, which is sad to say, but because of residential schools I know some older Indigenous people went through especially traumatic experiences and were ashamed of being Native. That’s how they were brainwashed. Being Indigenous, I grew up and had to learn about my culture myself,” explained Porter.
In her efforts to reconnect with her heritage, Porter became involved with the Hamilton Regional Indian Center, where she gained more exposure to resources and other Indigenous community members. She began beading in November 2019 to rekindle the traditional art form within her family, entirely through self-teaching and her own devices.
“Beading is usually a tradition passed down generations and generations, but in my case, my family was never taught beading. I wanted to become the first-generation leader in my family . . . It’s not only for myself, but also so I can pass it down to my family and my grandkids — I can be that grandma that teaches them how to do it,”
Paige Porter
Porter began learning to bead through online resources and imitating designs, before beginning to create original designs of her own. The learning process has provided her with a sense of resilience and pride in her heritage.
Initially, Porter never saw herself as a business owner. Along her self-teaching journey, she began posting her work on Instagram. She started to amass a following and it was her mother who first had the idea to sell the art Porter had created. Her mother’s encouragement incited the transformation of her passion into a business, now with over 1,500 followers on her combined social media platforms.
Porter fondly recalled memories from the Together in Dance Festival at Mohawk College, which she attended as a vendor in February 2020. The celebration of diversity and multiculturalism was one of Porter’s first times presenting her work to the public. After the festival, Porter went on to collaborate with Sweet Peas Baby Company, a seasonal subscription box for parents of young children, where her bead art was featured.
“My products are handmade and take time. You're getting something that is authentic and handmade by an actual Indigenous person rather than Indigenous-inspired and when you support an Indigenous business, then you're also supporting the Indigenous community. When you go and shop in Canada, those proceeds go into Canada,” said Porter.
Beyond her bead art, Porter stressed the importance of bringing awareness to injustices committed against Indigenous peoples in Canada. She called students to action to educate themselves on Orange Shirt Day, Truth and Reconciliation Day and the missing and murdered Indigenous women, girls and two spirit.
Porter’s small business has helped her to build a bridge back to the Indigenous culture that was stolen from her and her family and her art is a reminder of the importance of Indigenous culture and legacies.
How McMaster observed the first official National Day for Truth and Reconciliation
C/O Marcus Urbenz, Unsplash
On Sept. 30, the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation was observed across the country. Meant to acknowledge the tragic legacy of the residential school system and honour those who were and are impacted by it, the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation became a federal statutory holiday in June 2021 and was celebrated for the first time in September. Although it is a federal statutory holiday, it is not recognized as a statutory holiday by numerous provinces, including Ontario.
At McMaster University, this day was observed through a series of events on campus. Katelyn Knott, coordinator of Indigenous-focused events at McMaster, explained the significance of these events.
“As part of the Orange shirt campaign, we did a commemoration event at the beginning of the day, which included a sacred fire, some drummers and dancers. The drum group was called Spirit Vision and they’re a local Hamilton group. We put this on to commemorate the uncovering of Indigenous children at residential schools as well as acknowledging [Phyllis Webstad],” said Knott.
A survivor of the residential school system, Phyllis Webstad founded Orange Shirt Day in 2013, as a way to acknowledge the history and legacy of residential schools in Canada. As of this year, Orange Shirt Day became officially recognized as the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.
“[This was] significant because music and dance is a great way for Indigenous people to come together to celebrate, to honour or to heal each other. And so we did that and we invited the McMaster community to join in with us for some teachings and some honoring,” explained Knott.
Knott also discussed how on National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, many Indigenous faculty and staff members at McMaster called on the community to take steps towards reconciliation.
“Some of the recommendations were to pick [just one call to action] and make that commitment to addressing it. Other ones were to read and familiarize yourself, if you haven't already, with the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, to look into the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls, to do that self-education beyond September 30,”
katelyn knott
Despite the on-campus events that acknowledged the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, classes and tests continued to operate at McMaster. While instructors had the option to cancel their classes or to use their classes for relevant discussion, they also had the ability to continue classes and assessments as usual.
One on-campus event, A Conversation about Indigenous Inclusion, was originally scheduled to take place on Sept. 28 but was cancelled on Sept. 27. This event, organized by McMaster's Equity and Inclusion Office and Indigenous Link, was advertised as a discussion about how to best include Indigenous peoples in the workplace.
On Sept. 24, the Cooperative of Indigenous Students Studies and Alumni at McMaster published an Instagram post calling for the cancellation of this event. In their post, CISSA highlighted the lack of on-campus Indigenous voices included in the planning of this event, the questions about identity raised by the description of the speaker as having Métis ancestors and the focus on Indigenous inclusion rather than self-determination.
“[F]rom Indigenous perspectives, the idea of ‘identity and inclusion is highly problematic. Grounded in a [World Health Organization] Commission, Indigenous peoples have largely rejected a social inclusion framework — our goal is to self-determine,” CISSA stated.
When the Silhouette reached out to the Equity and Inclusion Office to discuss the cancellation of this event, they declined to interview.
When discussing McMaster’s approach to reconciliation and support for Indigenous peoples, Knott expressed appreciation for the services available on campus.
“They have so many different programs, so many different initiatives and supports. In my time as an undergraduate and graduate at McMaster University, they were foundational to my success. If folks are looking for support or just a sense of belonging, [I really encourage] that they reach out to Indigenous Student Services and Indigenous studies program,” said Knott.
Adrienne Xavier, director of the Indigenous studies program, noted that McMaster’s Indigenous studies program has been in place for a long time and as a result, McMaster is somewhat ahead of other universities in their reconciliation efforts.
“There were a lot of movements that have been made, but those were things that McMaster chose to do before the TRC. They didn’t need to be asked by the government; they were asked by Indigenous communities,” said Xavier.
However, Knott also highlighted that there is much more progress to be made.
“[Regarding] the dialogue that we're having as Indigenous people with the institution, I think that there are definite positive parts and positive people. But we can always do better,” said Knott.
In discussing how McMaster can continue to take steps towards reconciliation, Knott emphasized the need for more Indigenous staff and faculty members.
“Indigenous staff and faculty do really incredible work and are overburdened by the demands that are put on Indigenous people,” explained Knott.
Xavier emphasized that reconciliation is a long process, but that the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation has opened a wider conversation about Indigenous affairs. For many individuals, Xavier explained, the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation is their first introduction to this conversation.
“We aren't a problem. At the end of the day, Indigenous people have history in this country, but we aren't an issue. We aren't a problem to be solved. We are people to be celebrated. We are people to be acknowledged. We are histories that have to be understood,” said Xavier.
