UWaterloo Office of Indigenous Relations

We’re pleased to share an update on the Indigenous student space on campus.

A temporary student space will soon be available in the Science Teaching Complex in room STC 1013, providing a place for students to connect, study, and recharge.

We also want to acknowledge that it has taken longer than anticipated to deliver a permanent student space. We regret the delay and recognize the importance of having a dedicated space where Indigenous students can gather, build community, and feel supported.

The permanent space project has been underway for some time, but progress has been impacted by unexpected challenges, including the closure of the original architecture firm hired to design the space. This required us to pivot and partner with a new firm to move the project forward. As work continues, we are taking this opportunity to re-envision the space to ensure it is reflective of student needs.

In the meantime, we are grateful for the opportunity to provide an interim space within the Science Teaching Complex and look forward to welcoming students there soon.

Additional details, including access and opening timing, will be shared shortly.

Mural by Jay Havens.

Calling all dancers for the Gidinawendamin/Ska’nikú•lát 23rd Annual Pow Wow!

Step into the circle to move in harmony, celebrate our cultures and honour the ancestors who danced before us.

✨ We are excited to announce that there will be dance specials! Including:

✨ Tiny Tots
✨ Young Adult Smoke Dance
✨ Golden Age Smoke Dance

Registration link in comments

🧡💛❤️ Join us for a National Indigenous Peoples Day Celebration!

Come together in community as we honour and celebrate the cultures, histories, and contributions of First Nations, Inuit, and Métis Peoples through reflection, music, art, and connection.

📅 June 23
⏰ 11:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
📍 SLC Great Hall

The day will begin with ceremony and reflection, followed by a community gathering featuring live music, art, snacks, and opportunities to connect.

🎶 Featuring performances by:
• Mr. Sauga
• Gladwyn Badger

✨ Everyone is welcome.

Register using the QR code on the poster or link in the comments!

✨ Gidinawendamin / Ska’nikú•lát 23rd Annual Pow Wow ✨
Kinship and Community: Weaving the Generations

📆 Saturday, September 26th, 2026
⏰ 10:00 AM – 5:30 PM
📍 University of Waterloo – Columbia Icefield (CIF) Outdoor Field
7220 Columbia St W, Waterloo, ON

📣 Vendor applications are now open
👥 ~5,000 anticipated attendees
✔ No vendor fee
✔ Space for 50 vendors
✔ Priority given to First Nations, Inuit, and Métis arts and crafts vendors
✔ Indigenous verification required for Indigenous cultural vendors

Event insurance is required ($20–$50 est.).
Vendors are asked to contribute one item ($30+) to the Blanket Giveaway.

⚠️ Application deadline: July 13, 2026
Applicants notified by August 15, 2026

Apply now, link in comments!

Questions? [email protected]

📣 Gidinawendamin/Ska’nikú•lát 23rd Annual Pow Wow ✨
Kinship and Community, Weaving the Generations

📆 Saturday, September 26th, 2026
⏰ 10:00am - 5:30pm

📍University of Waterloo, Columbia Icefield (CIF),
Outdoor Field 7220 Columbia St W, Waterloo, ON N2L 0A1
🎟️ Free Admission

Stay tuned for more information!
➡️ Applications for vendors and dancers will be coming out this week

🧡💛❤️ Join us for a National Indigenous Peoples Day Celebration!

Gladwyn Badger is an Indigenous instrumental surf-inspired musician who will be performing at the NIPD Celebration! His music is fuelled by reverb-driven guitars with a gritty, cinematic edge. Often compared to the mood of Pulp Fiction, his sound moves beyond traditional surf into something he calls Rez-Rok.

His debut EP Renegade climbed the Indigenous Music Countdown and peaked at #2—an uncommon milestone for instrumental surf music. Gladwyn’s latest single, “Rack ’Em Up,” builds on that momentum with a tighter, punchier, rock-forward sound shaped by film noir influences. With new music on the way and a growing live presence, Gladwyn is building on the success of his past work while continuing to expand his sound.

📅 June 23
⏰ 11:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
📍 SLC Great Hall

✨ Everyone is welcome.

Registration link in bio

Honoured to gather in relationship and reciprocity 🌿
On May 20 and 21, the Indigenous Futures Circle at the University of Waterloo brought together Deshkan Ziibiing Anishnaabeg (Chippewas of the Thames First Nation) and researchers to center community voices, hold meaningful dialogue, and reimagine research as a practice grounded in trust, respect, and long-term connection.

By prioritizing listening, reflection, and shared accountability, this gathering reflects a growing commitment to research rooted in reciprocity and community leadership.

🔗 Link in comments to read more!

We are hiring for the Social Media Coordinator co-op position on Waterloo Works.

The Office of Indigenous Relations (OIR) works collaboratively on and off campus to advance the goals of the TRC Calls to Action, creating a long-term vision for the University, grounded in decolonization.

Indigenous students are strongly encouraged to apply but the positions are open to all University of Waterloo students on Waterloo Works.

Applications due by June 17th!

The University of Waterloo is well known for the Canada geese who call the campus home.

Their presence is so significant that a mobile app even exists to help students and faculty navigate campus during the spring months, avoiding areas where geese are nesting and raising their young.

Folk often react to geese in fear. But what happens if we pause and look more closely? Are we not the ones who have built over their home?

Over time, many of us have forgotten that humans are not above the rest of creation. Indigenous knowledges teach us that human beings are not superior to our animal relatives. We are all part of a living system, each with responsibilities that support balance and continuity. The geese have adapted to an urban landscape that was imposed upon them. Humans, in turn, have struggled to adapt, to live alongside rather than above or in control.

It is easy to respond with fear, jokes, or stories that portray geese as dangerous. Yet geese are not here to harm or chase people. They are carrying out their responsibilities as caregivers, protecting their nests, guiding their young, and helping ensure the survival of the next generation.

When we choose to observe rather than react, teachings reveal themselves.