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putting our minds together
ENRICHING OUR SPIRITS
boozhoo, she:kon, waachjiiye, tan si, tungasugiit, greetings, welcome

ENWEYING

THE WAY WE SPEAK TOGETHER
 
Enweying is the name of the building that hosts the First Peoples House of Learning and Peter Gzowski College.The building is home to the the Departments of Indigenous Studies, Economics and Mathematics, the Business Administration Program and the Office of Research and Graduate Studies. The distinctive 6 story building also hosts a series of classrooms and teaching spaces, a coffee shop and atrium/gallery area, a dining hall. It is home to 250 students who reside on the third to sixth floors and 100 faculty and staff members who work on the second(ground) and third floor. Approximately 800 students visit it each day for classes.
 
Enweying translates from Nishnaabewin as "The way we speak together". The name was chosen to honour the legacy of Peter Gzowski, a former CBC broadcaster and writer and Trent Chancellor. Peter's interests were in creating a dialogue among the various parts of Canada in the hopes that we would understand ourselves better and learn how to live well with each other. Traditional aboriginal teachings focus as well on the importance of living well with each other and creating peace through dialogue and discussion.
 

The Colours of the Building
 
Enweying is unique on the Trent campus. It is big, bold and visible and the subject of much discussion. It is the only building of colour on the campus.  The colours of the building are derived from the four colours of a medicine wheel: yellow, red, black and white.
 
Yellow, which is the colour of the east, represents the rising sun, the dawn of a new day and new beginnings, hope; the entire building is clad in Ochre #33.
 
Red, the colour of the south, represents youth, energy and celebration. The First Peoples Gathering Space is clad in weathered steel, which will turn red as it rusts.
 
The shape of the Gathering Space honours the Anishnaabe/Ojibway peoples of this area. The steel cladding was chosen to honour the legacy of the Mohawk/Iroquoian steelworkers in this territory.
 
Black, the colour of the west, represents growth and maturity. The entire trim of the building is black.
 
White, the colour of the north, represents spirit and wisdom. The windows and greyish metal of the building represent the white of the medicine wheel.
 

The Building Site

 

Enweying sits gently on the earth. The first floor has numerous open spaces the create the impression of a building that sits above the ground to give an impression of lightness. There are excellent views of the library and the river from almost all building vantage points. There were two aboriginal ceremonies conducted: the first at the start was to speak to the earth about what we were going to do and to ask for forgiveness for the intrusion into the earth and to bring our minds together to create something beautiful; the second at the end of the project to show what we had done and to bless the building and welcome it to its place among the drumlins of the Canadian Shield.

 

The Vision behind the Building
 
The building design  was informed by the vision statement developed by the First Peoples House of Learning Building Committee. This vision statement was used by the architects: Dunlop and Two Row Architects as a key aspect of their design vision. Here is the vision statement:

First Peoples’ House of Learning Vision Statement

We the First Peoples of this land have inherited an ancient trust. As keepers of this land, our sacred obligations continue to guide us to protect our Mother The Earth and to share the knowledge and wisdom that comes from our ancient traditions of living in kindness, harmony and balance with our environment. We accept the challenge of respecting our obligations and sharing our knowledge in this place of learning and with people who come to it. And we make a commitment to work toward these ends.

The First Peoples House of Learning honours the land upon which it is built, the ancestors who hold the land and the knowledge that they possess. It celebrates our imaginations, our survival throughout the centuries, our knowledge developed over generations and our strength to endure. It celebrates the world that is continually being created through the efforts of our minds and spirits. It contributes to the continued development of Aboriginal peoples cultures and knowledge.

The First Peoples House of Learning is a community of learners who have come together for the purpose of increasing our understanding of ourselves, each other and the world that we live within and to seeking peace through the use of our minds. It helps to ensure that the physical, emotional, mental and spiritual aspects of Aboriginal knowledge, as reflected in traditional and contemporary world views and expressed in practice are articulated, discussed, documented, recognized and experienced.

The First Peoples House of Learning creates a community within the university for the exploration and development of indigenous knowledge. It invites a dialogue with other traditions of learning.

The First Peoples House of Learning demonstrates the dignity and respect for Aboriginal Peoples and their knowledge that the university holds.

The First Peoples House of Learning embodies Aboriginal ideas of learning that engage and embrace the body, mind, emotion and spirit. It provides a place where individuals can learn in the context of Aboriginal traditions, language and values, enhancing their understanding of both themselves and others.

The First Peoples House of Learning is a celebration of Aboriginal learning and knowledge. It acts as a beacon of hope and opportunity, drawing people together in a spirit of optimism and a sense of innovation and creativity, inviting people of all nations to put their minds and spirits together to see what future can be made for the First Peoples of this land and for all members of creation.

 

“ The ways of our people are ancient but they are not rigid. They bend and turn to reflect changes in our culture. We expect our young people to have a different expectation of their culture and a different way of experiencing it. This is how a culture grows and how we grow as a people.”

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