Pembroke Kampus Kokum Offering Support to Indigenous Students

Posted on Tuesday, February 9th, 2021

For many students, leaving family and loved ones behind to attend college means leaving a support network and family traditions. Luckily, Indigenous students at the Pembroke campus have the opportunity to interact with a supportive grandmother-figure who is ready and willing to engage with them.

Annie Parker is the Pembroke Kampus Kokum. A Kokum is an Algonquin Anishinaabe word for Grandmother. On campus, her roles to provide cultural and traditional insight, support and personal consultation for our Indigenous students.

It’s a new role for the College, and for Parker, and one she has embraced. “It’s a real honour,” she said. “I see it as being able to be open and honest with the students, I don’t have all the answers but I have a willingness to find the answers, to be approachable, and students can come to me. In short, develop relationships.”

Parker began working for the Campus last September after it secured a three-year College and Community Social Innovation Fund (CCSIF) grant. The Mamiwi Maadaadizi— “The Start of an Algonquin Journey”—project made it possible to fund the position, greatly enhances the support the campus can offer to Indigenous students. “Students can come to me to smudge or have their talking sticks or hang out and just take a step back,” Parker said. “I see myself as being available.”

“Annie has been an ally to the Pembroke Campus for several years now so to be able to formalize her role as Kampus Kokum through our Mamiwi Maadaadizi project is gratifying,” said Jodi Bucholtz, the Marketing, Event Planning and Recruitment Coordinator at Pembroke Campus. “Annie’s dedication to our students, our campus community and our journey to realize reconciliation at the Pembroke Campus is inspiring. Her grounding spirit is truly a gift.”

Now working virtually, Parker still remains available to student learners. “I send weekly emails to the students and have regular office hours. In the email I ask if they were comfortable with me phoning them.” She hopes to be back on campus soon to continue the important work she is doing and the connections she is making. “Students were coming to find out if they had Indigenous roots and finding ways to connect with our community.”

When asked what students can learn from a Kokum, Parker smiles, pauses and thinks before answering. Her answer? “To sit in silence. Safety. It’s ok to sit with me,” she said with a gentle smile. “There’s no judgement. We all have something that’s going on. I’m not going to react; we can sit in comfort for what they want to share to find a solution or a path. I like to think I can teach the importance and strength of being outdoors and embracing Mother Earth. It’s meant in the most simple and basic way. To go for a walk is so grounding (and not with earbuds) and see what is around you and that is healing.”

Parker is looking forward to being back on campus post-COVID. “I know it’s coming and it’s going to happen,” she said wistfully. “We thought we knew patience before… and we’ve learned to slow down. I’m looking forward to being on campus and sharing a meal and hanging out and learning and growing. I’m looking forward to being present and being with the students in a room where we can smudge and just be.”

To learn more about Annie Parker and the Pembroke Kampus Kokum program visit: https://www.algonquincollege.com/pembroke/indigenous-services/


Comments

Comments are closed.