London, ON - Indigenous groups and communities have long celebrated their culture and heritage on June 21 or around this time of year, because of the significance of the summer solstice as the longest day of the year. 

National Indigenous Peoples Day is a day to recognize and celebrate the history, heritage, resilience and diversity of First Nations, Inuit and Métis across Canada. It was originally established in 1996 by the Governor General of Canada, Roméo LeBlanc and was the result of consultations and statements of support for such a day made by various Indigenous groups. On June 21, 2017, the Prime Minister issued a statement announcing the intention to rename this day National Indigenous Peoples Day. Source: National Indigenous Peoples Day (rcaanc-cirnac.gc.ca)

This past year, the Western Mustangs partnered with Western Indigenous Initiatives and King's University College to make beaded key chains as a special gift for the U SPORTS Cross Country National Championship participants.

"Embedding Indigenous and diverse identities across our spaces and places is a key priority for Western Sports & Recreation in its new strategic plan." said Christine Stapleton, Director, Sports & Recreation, Western University.

Hosting this national championship at home in London allowed our Mustangs student athletes and staff to also help with creating these beaded key chains and to learn more about Indigenous culture and history.

Mustangs who volunteered were given lessons associated with this Indigenous craft – on how to create these beaded key chains – as well as important Indigenous lessons on patience and commitment. 

Vickie Croley, Mustangs Head Coach Track & Field, worked with Indigenous Initiatives at Western to organize the beading session, and also participated herself in crafting some of the key chains. "I enjoyed most the sense of accomplishment of finishing one beaded key chain. To complete one, it took 3.5 to 5 hours. Being more difficult for some, this allowed the Indigenous leaders and those that found it easier to help others complete theirs. Also, the fact that we provided this gift to the student athletes competing at the U SPORTS [CC National Championship] was a nice feeling," she said about the experience. "Lessons on team work, patience, commitment and in some cases dealing with frustration and anxiety that were associated with this Indigenous craft, were taught and experienced by the student athletes who participated. These are very important values for student athletes so it was a valuable practice."
 
Indigenous bead work often involves detailed embroidery using colourful beads made of stone, shell, and bone. The importance of the artistry and practice of making beads, creating jewelry and embroidering clothing in Indigenous cultures spans back centuries, if not further. Beads serve as a vehicle for expression, identity, and creativity. Many Indigenous artists are reclaiming traditional beading techniques to connect to their heritage, as well as using bead work as a starting point to create new, exciting art pieces. Source: ASI Heritage - A Thread Between Generations: Indigenous Beadwork From Then to Now

Western is committed to increasing Indigenous voices and presence across all levels of work, study and research. The Western Mustangs have a vision of creating communities of belonging where all Western Mustangs thrive.

The U SPORTS Cross Country National Open Championship, hosted by the Western Mustangs, brought over 30 universities from across Canada to London, all at one time; and this was a great opportunity to ensure Indigenous artistry and culture was at the forefront of a national university sporting event.

Read more about the artistry of Indigenous Beading: Leith Mahkewa, Western's Indigenous Artist-in-Residence, is weaving a path home | Visual Arts | westerngazette.ca

Indigenous Artists and Creators are invited to: The Community Crafting Circle, offered by Western Indigenous Initiatives. Share space to visit & create together in a community setting. Bring your current project or start something new with the art supplies we provide at the WLL. This program is unstructured/drop-in crafting space, but some weeks will have guided lessons for different art forms. Provided supplies include an array of beading materials (including patterns/templates), caribou hair tufting materials, porcupine quills, leather, craft kits, 2 sewing machines (B.Y.O. fabric), and jewelry findings. More information: https://indigenouslearningspace.uwo.ca/programs_and_events/index.html