We Speak Together

A new life chapter begins the second a fresh-faced student walks through the doors of their post-secondary institution.

Marking the shift from adolescence to adulthood, it can be incredibly daunting for young people to enter such unfamiliar territory. For Indigenous students, especially those traveling from remote communities to urban centres, the experience can be even more challenging. These students need extra support to build relationships and find their community as they adjust to university life.

Since 2023, the First Peoples House of Learning at Trent University has offered an outdoor program for Indigenous and non-Indigenous students to learn about traditions rooted in the land and culture. The Enwayaang (the way we speak together) Learning on the Land Camp is returning in 2025 to bring 30 students together to participate in hands-on learning experiences, build relationships with each other, the land and water and to deepen their education about Anishinaabe histories, languages and cultures. 

The Indigenous Reconciliation Fund (IRF) is pleased to contribute funding to bring this successful program back in 2025. The Enwayaang Learning on the Land Camp stands out for its comprehensive approach to healing, culture and language revitalization, knowledge-sharing and promoting Indigenous spirituality and culture. It offers a barrier-free, immersive experience in a remote setting, emphasizing reconciliation and community building.

Over the last three years, this summer camp on Manitoulin Island has forged strong bonds between Indigenous and non-Indigenous students through its unique approach, offering opportunities to engage with Indigenous ways of knowing,  and share meaningful conversations and experiences.

Diocese of Peterborough