Barrie Campus Indigenous Resource Centre renamed to reflect welcome stance
June 28, 2022
Georgian’s Indigenous Resource Centre at the Barrie Campus was recently renamed the Wiidookdaading Indigenous Resource Centre.
Greg McGregor, Manager, Indigenous Services and Access Programs, says the change reflects the nature of the centre, which is to provide a supportive place where people can assist each other.
How was the word Wiidookdaading (pronounced Wee doak dah ding) chosen?
We wanted to name the space with a word that would best describe the goal and intentions of the space.
Wiidookdaading means “a supportive place where people assist each other.”
Visiting Elder Ernestine Baldwin provided guidance around selecting the name, which is an Anishnaabemowin (Ojibwe) word.
A mural was also installed at the entrance to the centre. Where did the idea for the mural come from?
We wanted to enhance the exterior of the space so that it would stand out to students, employees and visitors. The mural functions as a landmark e.g. go to the ground floor of M building and look for the Birch trees.
We also wanted to represent the natural world in the image, so a mural of trees and the sky seemed the most appropriate. Indigenous Studies and Services staff were directly involved in selecting the visual representation through samples.
Are there plans for similar artwork in the Indigenous Resource Centres in Midland, Orillia and Owen Sound?
We will enhance the visibility of these spaces in Midland, Orillia and Owen Sound in the future, although each space is different in terms of layout and location.
About Indigenous Resource Centres at Georgian
Georgian has Indigenous Resource Centres at Barrie, Midland, Orillia and Owen Sound campuses. They provide students with a culturally-supportive and comfortable environment to study, socialize, and access a wide range of resources. Explore the many services and supports available.