“I do not think the measure of a civilization is how tall its buildings of concrete are, but rather how well its people have learned to relate to their environment and fellow man.”
Sun bear, chippewa
Humber College is located within the traditional and treaty lands of the Mississaugas of the Credit and homeland of the Anishinaabe, Haudennosaunee,and Wendat peoples.
Awareness is important in order to understand, to learn and to make sure history does not repeat itself in the future. We acknowledge the history of this Nation and want to bring awareness to the ill treatment of people from the Indigenous communities in the past.
Here are five people who have used their platforms to educate their audience and raise awareness.
Michelle Chubb (@Indigenous_baddie)
Michelle Chubb describes herself as a Swampy Cree born in Winnipeg. Her social media content focuses on Indigenous rights and education.
When Chubb was in high school, she experienced bullying, which inspired her to create content about her struggles and how she was reclaiming her identity.
Along with posting fun content, such as videos in traditional attire, she doesn’t shy away from talking about the mistreatment of people from Indigenous communities, including Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (MMIWG) and racial stereotypes.
Shina Novalinga (@shinanova)
Shina Novalinga is a content creator on Tik Tok who went viral on the platform when she posted a video of her and her mother’s throat singing.
Novalinga currently lives in Montreal, Quebec and uses her platform to educate her audience about the Inuit culture and traditions. Some of her content includes eating traditional food from the Inuit culture, get-ready-with-me videos showcasing her cultural attire and recreating TikTok trends with a different perspective.
Autumn Peltier (@autumn.peltier)
Autumn Peltier is not only an advocate for clean water in First Nations communities but also uses her social media platforms to raise awareness of the crisis.
Peltier was appointed chief Water Commissioner by the Anishinabek Nation and has spoken about Canada’s water contamination issue at the United Nations.
Mikey Harris (@mikeyyharriss)
Mikey Harris is an Indigenous dancer and choreographer from Winnipeg, Manitoba. His content mainly focuses on his unique way of blending traditional Métis jigging and hip-hop dance styles within his choreography.
Fun fact: he has been dancing since he was four and has performed in the 2010 winter Olympics!
Harris uses his platform to showcase his talent and skills as well as educate his followers about his cultural roots.
Larissa Munch (@Larissamunchh)
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Larissa Munch, a Carrier and Nehiyaw from the Nazko First Nation in British Columbia uses her Tik Tok presence to showcase her jingle dancing skills.
She also uses her platform to encourage youth to embrace and be proud of their culture.
Munch’s content ranges from videos aimed at breaking stereotypes about Indigenous peoples to get-ready-with-me videos for Powwow.
We strongly encourage Humber and UofGH students to seek out education regarding the history of this nation and of the Indigenous peoples. Visit Humber College’s Indigenous Education and Engagement website and follow them on Instagram to learn more.
Want to know why awareness is important? Check out the importance of National Indigenous Peoples Day
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