Join us to celebrate!

As summer turns to fall, the days and nights balance in harmony, reminding us of the cycles of change and renewal. The Fall Equinox is a time to gather in community, reflect on the season’s gifts, and prepare for the months ahead.

RRC Polytech invites students, staff, and community members to join us in honouring this transition with a Pipe Ceremony led by the Elders-in-Residence, followed by a Feast.

Friday, September 19, 2025
10am – Pipe Ceremony
12pm – Feast

Roundhouse Auditorium, Manitou a bi Bii daziigae
Exchange District Campus

This gathering is open to all. Please remember to bring your Feast Bag as we come together in respect, gratitude, and celebration of the season. No registration is required. If you have any questions, please contact Sara McIvor-Prouty, Manager, Indigenous Student Supports and Community Relations smcivor@rrc.ca.

Indigenous students at RRC Polytech are invited to attend a Status Card ID Clinic, hosted in partnership with the Southern Chiefs’ Organization. This event is an opportunity to apply for or renew your Status Card with support available to guide you through the process.

• Date: Wednesday, September 17
• Time: 11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
• Location: Indigenous Support Centre (F209)

Appointments are encouraged to ensure you have the correct documentation, but drop-ins will also be accepted.

To book an appointment and confirm the type of ID required for your application, contact
Haley Pratt, Navigation Coach at hpratt2@rrc.ca

Are you a First Nations, Métis or Inuit student at RRC Polytech?

Here’s your chance to build leadership skills, connect with peers and staff, and support Indigenous student events — all while earning a $1,000 bursary.

The R-Crew is a team of student volunteers who bring energy, ideas, and heart to Indigenous-focused programming at RRC Polytech. No experience is needed — just your enthusiasm and willingness to get involved in a fun, welcoming environment.

Why Join the R-Crew?

• Gain valuable leadership and teamwork experience
• Build your resume with meaningful volunteer hours
• Meet new people and strengthen connections within the college community
• Earn a $1,000 bursary by completing 100 volunteer hours

How to Apply

1. Submit a cover letter explaining why you’d be a great fit
2. Include your resume (first-time resumes are welcome)
3. Complete a short interview with our team

Deadline: Thursday, September 19 at 4:00 PM
Notre Dame Submission: Brittany Ross, Navigation Coach — bross4@rrc.ca
Exchange District Submission: Charmaine Mousseau, Navigation Coach — cmousseau2@rrc.ca

Whether you’re looking to get more involved in campus life, grow your skills, or meet new friends, the R-Crew is a great place to start. Don’t miss out — apply today.

Join Elder Paul and SIE staff for a three-day land-based learning opportunity grounded in Indigenous Teachings and Ceremony.

This experience is open to all RRC Polytech staff and offers a meaningful way to connect with community, culture, and land-based practices.

You can choose to attend one day or all three – whatever works best for your schedule. Space is limited, so early registration is encouraged.

• Wednesday, August 6 – Trip to Sagkeeng to gather materials for the Sweat Lodge (bring your own lunch)
• Thursday, August 7 – Sweat Lodge construction at the Medicine Wheel Garden (bring your own lunch)
• Friday, August 8 – Sweat Lodge Ceremony at the Medicine Wheel Garden (refreshments provided afterward)

Carpooling will be arranged. If you prefer to travel on your own, a Travel and Business form must be approved. Please register before Tuesday, July 29!

RRC Polytech’s School of Indigenous Education is hiring a Navigation Coach to help guide and support Indigenous learners through their academic journeys.

This full-time term position runs from August 14, 2025 to April 30, 2030, and is based at the Notre Dame Campus in Winnipeg.

Navigation Coaches are first points of contact for new and returning students and they play a vital role in helping learners transition into college life, which includes:

• Supporting students through recruitment, application, and orientation
• Connecting learners to resources, services, and cultural supports
• Collaborating with Elders, faculty, and Indigenous communities
• Coordinating events and maintaining student records

To support reconciliation and equity in hiring, this position is designated for Indigenous candidates only. If you self-identify as First Nations, Métis, or Inuit, we encourage you to apply.

Indigenous applicants are welcome to reach out to our Indigenous Recruitment Consultant at Indigenoustalent@rrc.ca for assistance with the application process.

Application deadline: July 16, 2025
Requisition number: 00513

This role requires strong communication, organizational, and cultural knowledge, as well as experience supporting Indigenous students.

Internal applicants can visit the HRIS portal to apply. External applicants can visit our Recruitment Site for more information.

Navigation Coach, School of Indigenous EducationDownload

MITAH-koo-ya OYA-shin OAK-ah-pee

Mitakuye Oyasin Okciyape is the name for the large open space you walk into in Manitou a bi Bii daziigae. In Dakota, the name means All My Relations Helping Each Other.

On Friday, June 20, RRC Polytech marked an important moment in its journey of reconciliation and relationship-building. We gathered to honour the first anniversary of Mitakuye Oyasin Okciyape being gifted to the large open space at 319 Elgin Ave. in Manitou a bi Bii daziigae.

This ceremony was more than a celebration – it was a transfer of sacred responsibility. Kunshi Ivy, who had been holding and caring for the name, entrusted it to RRC Polytech by passing it into the care of four selected leaders. Each of them now carries the responsibility to honour the spirit of the name, uphold Dakota Ceremonial Protocols, and ensure the space continues to reflect the values of connection, respect, and shared responsibility.

This is the first time RRC Polytech has received a Dakota name, and it represents an act of trust from the Dakota Nation. Mitakuye Oyasin Okciyape is more than just a name on a door; it’s a prayer. It’s a reminder that we are all connected – to each other, to the land, to the past, and to the future. And now, it’s also a living commitment we carry forward together.

To read more about Mitakuye Oyasin Okciyape, check out the MarComm blog.

Over the past several weeks, we’ve listened, learned, and reflected.

From January 30th to March 12th, through eight engagement sessions and a survey reaching more than 350 participants, we heard powerful stories, teachings, and visions for what our Indigenous Visual Identity should embody. 

Sacredness. Seasonality. Directions. Interconnectedness. The importance of language, fire, water, and the land – its plants, its spirit, its stories. These themes emerged again and again, underscoring a deep connection to identity, history, and place. Participants also highlighted the importance of distinguishing Métis, Inuit, and First Nations cultures in a meaningful and authentic way.

Visually, this identity must be more than just a design – it must feel lived, woven into the fabric of who we are. Earth tones reflect our connection to the land, while vibrant colours draw inspiration from beadwork, regalia, and the many cultures they represent. Celestial and seasonal influences remind us of the ever-changing yet cyclical nature of life. The textures of natural materials – organic, tactile, grounded – carry stories of resilience, tradition, and knowledge passed through generations.

We were reminded that no story or teaching stands alone – each is inseparable from its meaning and the voice that carries it. This is essential. It is through story that teachings live and breathe, and it is through meaning that they guide us.

Now, with these insights in hand, our design team is working with RRC Polytech’s Knowledge Keepers Council to finalize a conceptual direction that will bring these ideas to life. As the work progresses, we remain grateful for the voices that have guided this journey so far. Your wisdom and stories are the foundation of this visual identity, ensuring it is a reflection of both tradition and future generations.

Stay tuned for more updates as we continue this important work.

About Narratives Inc.

Narratives emerged to create space for early, respectful dialogue that supports informed, values-based decision-making. It aims to deepen understanding of how projects and policies affect the social, cultural, biophysical, and spiritual fabric of our world. By challenging the boundaries of research, planning, and practice, Narratives contributes to reconciliation — one story at a time. Rooted where the Red and Assiniboine Rivers meet, within the traditional territories of the Anishinaabeg, the Ininiwak, the Anisininewak, the Dakota Oyate, and the Denésuline, in Treaty 1 territory, and the homeland of the Métis.

Gabriel Nanacowop and Kendrah Sinclair from Culinary Skills (Indigenous) were recently featured in the Winnipeg Free Press, highlighting their hands-on experience at the Wiisinin Diner. The article showcases their journey in mastering traditional Indigenous cooking techniques while gaining real-world restaurant experience. Read the full story to see how these students are making their mark in the culinary world: Winnipeg Free Press.

At RRC Polytech, our second institutional priority is a strong commitment to Truth and Reconciliation, as well as Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion. We actively engage with the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action by collaborating closely with Indigenous communities both within and beyond the College.

In 2019, RRC Polytech introduced its first land acknowledgement, which has since evolved into a living declaration of our ongoing commitment to strengthening relationships, fostering dialogue, and honoring Indigenous voices.

We recognize that Indigenous languages are diverse, fluid, and vary across communities. Different dialects may use distinct spellings or representations of sounds within the English writing system. The spellings we have chosen reflect consultations with the nations represented in our land acknowledgement. Colonization has historically anglicized Indigenous names and words, and using each nation’s self-identified name is a crucial step in reclamation and self-determination.

We have updated the land acknowledgement to better reflect the collectives in each language:

In full, the current RRC Polytech land acknowledgement reads:

RRC Polytech is committed to ensuring that First Nations, Métis and Inuit knowledge, cultures and traditions are embraced and reflected in the pursuit of its mission.

An acknowledgement of these lands that we are on today, and of the RRC Polytech commitment to Indigenous peoples and communities, now form part of the foundational statements that define RRC Polytech.

RRC Polytech campuses are located on the lands of the Anishinaabeg, Ininiwak, Anishininwak, Dakota Oyate, and Denésuline, and the National Homeland of the Red River Métis. 

We recognize and honour Treaty 3 Territory Shoal Lake 40 First Nation, the source of Winnipeg’s clean drinking water. In addition, we acknowledge Treaty Territories which provide us with access to electricity we use in both our personal and professional lives.

We respect the Treaties that were made on these territories, and we dedicate ourselves to move forward in partnership with Indigenous communities in a spirit of reconciliation and collaboration.

RRC Polytech is committed to a renewed relationship and dialogue with Indigenous people based on the principles of mutual trust, respect, and reciprocity.

You may use a shortened version of the full land acknowledgement where appropriate, including in email signatures. The shortened version focuses on the nations and resources as the core elements of the acknowledgement:

RRC Polytech campuses are located on the lands of the Anishinaabeg, Ininiwak, Anishininwak, Dakota Oyate, and Denésuline, and the National Homeland of the Red River Métis.

We recognize and honour Treaty 3 Territory Shoal Lake 40 First Nation, the source of Winnipeg’s clean drinking water. In addition, we acknowledge Treaty Territories which provide us with access to electricity we use in both our personal and professional lives.

The land acknowledgement can also be publicly accessed from the new Truth and Reconciliation website section under Initiatives, which also includes the pronunciation guide.

If you have any questions, please reach out to Carla Kematch, Director, Truth and Reconciliation and Community Engagement at cakematch@rrc.ca.

Indigenous Culinary Skills students launch annual pop-up diner

The Indigenous Culinary Skills students at RRC Polytech are bringing their talents to the table with the return of their much-anticipated pop-up diner! This hands-on learning experience allows students to showcase their newly acquired culinary skills while serving up delicious breakfast and lunch options for staff and students.

Located in the Prairie Lights Dining Room (Building C – Mall Level) at the Notre Dame Campus, the Wiisinin Diner will officially open its doors with a soft launch on March 13-14 and offering a limited menu.

The full menu will be available starting Tuesday, March 18.

Hours of Operation

Tuesday – Friday, March 18 – April 25*

• Breakfast: 9:00 AM – 10:30 AM
• Lunch: 11:30 AM – 1:30 PM

*Soft launch with limited menu items is on Thursday, March 13

For the first time, the Wiisinin Diner will offer point-of-sale service, meaning vouchers are no longer required. Guests can conveniently pay for their meals directly in the Prairie Lights Dining Room.

Important Notes

• Single orders only – No modifications can be accommodated.
• Training environment – As students hone their skills, orders may take longer or have minor errors. Your patience and support are greatly appreciated!

For the full menu, visit the Wiisinin Diner webpage.