Indigenous Student Support and Community Relations invites you to a traditional pipe ceremony and feast in recognition of the Winter Solstice.

Gatherings for the Winter Solstice bring comfort, warmth, and people together to share stories, laughter and of course, food. In Indigenous culture, winter represents an ancestral spirit, so reflecting on the past by sharing stories and thanking our ancestors is an important part of honouring where we’re from, especially as we plan for the cold months ahead.

If you’re wondering what the Pipe Ceremony is all about, Elder-in-Residence Paul Guimond says, “it was always the pipe that brought people together. The pipe’s stone represents strength, and that stone has been here for a long time, so it has a lot of stories. The wood that’s attached to that pipe represents the connection to the spirit that connects to the creator. So if you put those two together and put our first medicine in the pipe, which is tobacco, then that smoke takes the message to the creator.”

The Winter Solstice celebrations offer RRC students and staff an opportunity to learn more about and participate in the Indigenous ceremonies that take place at the college, visit the Support Centres, and meet staff.

Notre Dame Campus
F205, Indigenous Support Centre
Tuesday, Dec 10
10:30 am – Pipe Ceremony
12:00 pm – Feast

Exchange District Campus
P407, Indigenous Support Centre
Thursday, Dec 12
10:30 am – Pipe Ceremony
12:00 pm – Feast

For more information, contact Sue Thiebaut at 204-632-2106 or sthiebaut@rrc.ca.

We invite all pipe carriers to take part in the pipe ceremony. Pipe carriers to contact Donna Glover at 204-632-2333 or dglover30@rrc.ca.