History of Iikaisskini
Honouring Dr. Leroy Little Bear, Iikaisskini (Low Horn)
Both the Iikaisskini Indigenous Services and the Iikaisskini Gathering Centre are named in honour of Dr. Leroy Little Bear (BASc '72, DASc '04) O.C., Iikaisskini (Low Horn), in recognition of his services to Iniskim, the University of Lethbridge. Dr. Little Bear champions Indigenous Ways of Knowing and Being (IWKB) and continues to advance Indigenous knowledge in higher education. Dr. Little Bear's work around Indigenous rights, treaties, traditional knowledge and culture has influenced students and communities around the world.
Learn more about Dr. Little Bear
Planning for Iikaisskini
Planning for Iikaisskini began in 2011 when a strategy was developed in consultation with Dr. Little Bear, Blackfoot Elder Roy Weasel Fat and Professor Emerita Dr. Jane O'Dea that created supports for Indigenous students, faculty, staff and community members. The resulting report identified the need for a gathering place on campus. Out of those recommendations, the Iikaisskini (Low Horn) Gathering Centre opened in 2014 at its temporary location in the Paterson Centre.
About the Iikaisskini Gathering Centre
The Iikaisskini (Low Horn) Gathering Centre is an integral and unique feature of the ULethbridge Campus. It is designed as a welcoming home away from home, a space appropriate for ceremony, smudging and celebration, where students and other members of the University community can gather together and collaboratively support one another in their educational aspirations.
The Gathering Centre provides students a place to meet with Elders and share stories, teaching and wisdom. It is a vibrant and powerful cultural community where Blackfoot and other Indigenous languages are spoken, and where students can explore new knowledge together.
About Iikaisskini Indigenous Services
In addition to the Gathering Centre, Iikaisskini Indigenous Services now operates an administrative space in University Hall. Located in E610, the administrative space is where students can go to receive cultural advising and access resources to help them meet academic, mental, physical, physiological and spiritual needs.
About the Iikaisskini logo
The logo for Iikaisskini Indigenous Services represents a core part of the group's mandate: to provide high-quality services to all Indigenous students at ULethbridge. This is represented through each component of the logo: the buffalo for Blackfoot students, paying respect to the University's location on traditional Blackfoot territory; the infinity symbol from the Métis flag; the feather to represent other First Nations students; and the qulliq oil lamp to represent Inuit students.
