Cambrian College students experience Indigenous culture in Australia

SUDBURY – They may live on opposite sides of the globe, but Indigenous students at Cambrian College have a lot in common with their counterparts in Australia.

A team of 20 students and staff has just returned from an educational and cultural exchange to Australia. They spent 13 days between the University of Wollongong and the Daintree Rainforest, where they learned about Australia’s Indigenous peoples and their history, culture and activism toward Australia’s own process of truth and reconciliation.

“Before I left for the trip I was scared because I didn’t know what I was getting myself into, but it turns out it was the best thing I could have done for myself,” says Candice O’Malley, a Metis woman from Kapuskasing, who is entering her second year of the Millwright program at Cambrian. “Being there and learning about their culture has given me the incentive to find my own culture more profoundly. The Elders I spoke to in Australia are in the same situation about finding their own cultures. I have only known for a short time that I have Indigenous roots and I thought being on this trip I would be the only one in that situation. I am not. When we were sitting by the fire on the last night, I was looking around at everyone and I saw family; not friends, not acquaintances, but family.”

“Australia, all I have to say is Miigwetch,” adds Shylah Meawassige, from Serpent River First Nation, born and raised in Orillia who is entering her second year of Cambrian’s Heavy Duty Equipment Technician program. “So much growth has happened, and I am forever grateful. It doesn’t matter if your growth was personal, spiritual or emotional, be proud of your accomplishments because even the smallest things create the biggest impact.”

Cambrian was one of three schools to take part in this trip. They were joined by Indigenous students from Algonquin College in Ottawa and Georgian College in Barrie.

“Being a part of this ground-breaking journey from the beginning, I could never have imagined how profound of an experience it would become for all students and staff involved,” explains Bradie Granger, Cambrian’s Chair for the Schools of Interdisciplinary Studies and Public Safety. “Being able to take 20 Indigenous students from three institutions to Australia to learn about their Indigenous cultures and to be able to share about our own cultures and reconciliation journey has created an incredible shared connection. We are not alone in our reconciliation journey. Indigenous people from around the world, including Australia, share the profound effects of colonialism but what was very evident was we also share the Indigenous spirit of resiliency and resurgence.”

The trip was sponsored by the Global Skills Opportunity program, funded by Employment and Social Development Canada, and administered by Colleges and Institutes Canada and Universities Canada.
The purpose of the Global Skills Opportunity program is to provide international learning opportunities to Canadian post-secondary students, particularly students from underrepresented groups.

The journey to Australia is just one aspect of the partnership between the three colleges and the University of Wollongong. Cambrian College developed academic curriculum using research conducted by Algonquin College and delivered a pilot course using a virtual reality platform created by Georgian College. Prior to the study tour to Australia, the students were able to use the virtual reality environments to meet staff and a student from the University of Wollongong who they later met during the visit.

To learn more about Cambrian College, including its programs and services for Indigenous students, visit https://cambriancollege.ca.

Picture: Eight Indigenous students and a faculty member from Cambrian College took part in an educational trip to the University of Wollongong and the Daintree Rainforest in Australia to learn more about the history and culture of Indigenous people and process of truth and reconciliation in Australia.