Around a fireplace, seven people are gathered. Long wooden poles are installed around the fireplace, suggesting a conical tent structure. The poles separate the participants. They set up on grassy ground divided by several gravel paths. A parking lot is nearby. On one side, the land is bordered by trees displaying fall colours; on the other side, stands the Kiuna Institute. Five types of traditional and contemporary indigenous shelters and dwellings are located in the area, including a tipi and a shaputuan. A young woman wearing an orange sweater and jeans holds a microphone.
Wanda Crépeau-Etapp
So, uh, Kiuna, in fact, also recognizes, in fact First Nation culture. We will focus on the role, in fact, of both men and women. We will also look at the role, of young people... There’s this, this dynamic between... intergenerational that we're reconnecting with here, that we're looking into, uh, a historical sense as well. Where we ... Where we were, here before, uh, the discoverers, the discovery of North America. So, uh... It remains a place for self-understanding, but also to learn from others, and also from oneself because we’re talking about culture here.
On the right, another young woman makes a statement. She wears a blue sweater, a plaid shirt and glasses. An older man is sitting on a bench facing her. He sharpens an axe. A blue jacket is placed on his lap to protect them from dust.
Marie-Christine Petiquay
And uh, the social science course, First Nations profile, offered here in Kiuna... Basically, yes, we’re going to have social science courses, such as sociology, history, politics and psychology, but the content is really focused on, uh, the reality of today's Indigenous people. And really, it’s, it’s really meant to help understand what's going on and how... in fact, to help improve our situation.
Marie-Christine hands the microphone over to a young man wearing a blue coat.
Daren Germain
Uh, well, I had a goal, uh, a specific goal in mind, and I wanted to work on, uh, on the decolonization and protection of the territory. And that's also why, I became very interested in when we talk, uh... Let's say as we learn, when we talk, uh, about the Warrior's Society, uh, well, I think it's important that each nation, uh, has one... so that it can, uh, defend itself. Uh, what I don't like is that sometimes people think that when we talk to them about the Warrior's Society, they always think about, uh... Oh! Violence! They think it's about weapons, but that's, that's not it, that’s not the role of warriors. Their role is also to protect peace. That's why I'd like all nations to have one. That's why I also want to carry on and make sure that the Innu nation, uh has, uh, a Warrior’s Society.
The next person takes the floor. Daren Germain hands the microphone to another young woman. She wears a sweater with fuchsia and black zigzag patterns and black pants.
Sandie Germain
At Kiuna, hmm, come together as if we were our own community and you learn a lot about what happened in our history, and about our culture, and, and yeah, I just like it here in Kiuna because it brings everybody together, and I learned a lot about our culture that I didn't know about before.
Sandie Germain hands the microphone to the man sitting on the bench.
Roger Wylde
[Roger Wylde speaks in Anishinabe] Uh, I started at Kiuna as a student. Uh, I started in Kiuna as... as a student to become, of course, a resource, uh... for, uh, for everyone actually, for yourself because it's a work on yourself. Uh, what we do at Kiuna is we, uh, work on ourselves, uh, what we can bring and share all together and then, uh, that's it, of course. We, we share things, we learn a lot... to be, uh, a family in fact, uh, what we can share and what we can exchange. So I started as a student to become a resource, as I said, uh, with... with... with staff and students, that's for sure, and also with professors.
Again to the right, a young man is standing. He wears a black kangaroo sweater with rolled up sleeves and a Bermuda shorts with a camouflage pattern. He receives the microphone from Roger Wylde.
Tewashon :take White
Mainly the most important thing about Kiuna is that it teaches us Aboriginals about our history, and I find history's the most important thing to us because if we didn't have our history, our culture, we wouldn't be who we are, like we would, we would be put back and, and what, what we have as, uh… I had some, I don't know where I was going to it... Uh, hmm…One more time, then.
The last person to take the floor is a young woman dressed in a green sweater and patterned pants. Daren Germain offers her his microphone only to realize that she already has one in her hands.
Lisa-Maude Aubin-Bérubé
Uh, the classes at Kiuna are more than simply super interesting, uh, outside class, we often have activities with elders where they show us how to do, uh, things, uh..., traditional creations, uh...to make, uh, tools or, uh... We worked on sewing, basketry, things like that. So, we’re constantly learning. Even outside of class, we have activities for, for learning and, uh, for sharing with others. So...