University provides a culturally safe space with new Indigenous House

As the Indigenous learning strategist at her school, Tianna Tabobondung is thrilled with the opening of a new building at the University of Toronto Scarborough Campus (UTSC). 

Tabobondung just wishes that Indigenous House was around when she was a student at UTSC.

“This changes the game for students here on campus,” Tabobondung said at the grand opening ceremony of Indigenous House on May 25. “They have a space where they feel like they belong. They have a place that they can study, have food, create community outside of their own communities.”

Indigenous House, a 10,700-square foot facility that will be used for Indigenous students and faculty to congregate, will be a welcoming place.

“A lot of these students here come from far away from their communities to study and learn the different education systems,” said Tabobondung, a member of Wasauksing First Nation near Parry Sound, Ont. “So, allowing them to have a space on campus where they feel like they belong, and while they're doing their studies, it creates a beautiful learning environment for these students to thrive.”

Tabobondung grew up in Scarborough, primarily, and went to UTSC at 17 years old right out of high school. “And I was just so excited to see the world.”

“When I came here, I was so excited to meet other Indigenous students,” she said. “But there wasn't many. And I kind of had to create my own community here and find spaces where we could meet and have lunch and find a place that was a lecture hall. An empty one. There was no designated space at all for us.

“We had some workers that were really great at helping us. But (we had) no space. And I think the most important part of building community is having space.”

Tabobondung started the Indigenous Students Association during her first year at UTSC.

Now the association will have a place to call home.

“I see students thriving in this space,” Tabobondung said. “It's going to take way less effort to create those conversations when they're studying in their student space and they can just hang out and chat. So, I see this being such an amazing opportunity for students.”

She said having Indigenous House would have changed everything for her as a student and believes it will convince more Indigenous youth to study at the university now.

“Hopefully they'll just see this space and be like ‘Wow. I can see myself there’,” she said. “So, I really see this increasing enrolment.”

Besides being an advisor for Indigenous students who have academic-related needs, Tabobondung will also help create cultural activities in the space, such as ribbon skirt making and moccasin making. 

“I can't wait for the future of this space.”

Others will also be welcome. Non-Indigenous students and members of the surrounding community will be invited to participate in events held at Indigenous House.

“We're also a space to learn,” Tabobondung said. “We're going to have lots of community members coming in and using the space and learning from us as well. There will be spaces just for Indigenous students. But there's also spaces for our community outside UTSC, our community at UTSC that don't identify as Indigenous, to come and learn in this space as well.”

Tanya Senk, UTSC’s director of Indigenous Initiatives & Indigenous House, also attended the facility’s grand opening.

“It's an incredible moment in history to have Indigenous House here at the University of Toronto's campus in this beautiful environment with the surrounding gardens,” she said. “We’ve been waiting a long time for this. I’d like to say since Confederation.”

Senk, a member of Cowessess First Nation in Saskatchewan, believes the facility will be well received by Indigenous members.

“This is like a home away from a home,” she said. 

“It is a place where there's wraparound services in a circle of care, holistically, the mind, the body, the heart and the spirit. And that students have a place that they can feel a sense of belonging, that is culturally safe, and they don't have to park their identities at the door.”

The opening ceremony was led by Josh Eshkawkogan, an Elder from Wiikwemkoong Unceded Territory on Manitoulin Island in Ontario.

“It's been a long journey just to get here,” he said. “And to be able to see the outcome of this beautiful facility and the energy that the people brought into it, it's such a rewarding day for the University of Toronto.”