Lethbridge College unveils Blackfoot Confederacy flag
FLAGE CELEBRATES LOCATION OF COLLEGE ON BLACKFOOT LAND
Lethbridge College unveiled the Blackfoot Confederacy flag in front of its campus during a ceremony Tuesday acknowledging and celebrating its location on the traditional land of the Blackfoot people.
“It is important to have symbols of what we believe in here at Lethbridge College and prominently flying the Blackfoot Confederacy flag is a strong visual representation of our values,” said Lethbridge College president Paula Burns. “One of our overarching institutional goals is to focus on Indigenous perspectives and education and this is another step towards that commitment.”
Lethbridge College is believed to be the first post-secondary institution to permanently fly the Blackfoot Confederacy flag. Through the symbol of the teepee ring, the flag honours all three Alberta Blackfoot Nations — Blood Tribe/Kainai, Siksika and Piikani — as well as Montana’s Blackfeet Nation.
The flag serves as a symbolic representation of the college’s commitment to ensuring its students’ learning journey includes knowledge of the Blackfoot people and the resiliency that continues in generations today. Guided by its Blackfoot Kaahsinnooniiksi (grandparents) and community members, the college’s goal is to collaborate respectfully to a greater knowledge and understanding of the Blackfoot ways.
“We would like to do our part with reconciliation efforts,” said Shanda Webber, Lethbridge College manager of Recruitment and Indigenous Services. “This can be done first by learning from our host Indigenous communities, and further by having a goal to improve the education experience here at Lethbridge College for all of our Indigenous students. The raising of the Blackfoot Confederacy flag permanently on our campus grounds is one piece to moving forward together.”
“As a member of the Blood Tribe community and Lethbridge College family, the raising of the flag will hold pride, honour and be a reminder that while our Blackfoot grandparents and parents endured a past we cannot even imagine through residential schooling, today’s generations are able to choose any education path they want,” said Marcia Black Water, Lethbridge College Indigenous Services co-ordinator.
Lethbridge College’s efforts towards serving Indigenous students both in and out of the classroom earned it a bronze Indigenous Education Excellence award in May from Colleges and Institutes Canada (CICan). The college has proudly had Indigenous students on campus for most of its 60 years and provides a “Circle of Services” to assist Indigenous learners.