Indigenous Peoples Day: Celebrating Leadership, Knowledge, and Community
Every year on June 21, communities across the country come together to celebrate National Indigenous Peoples Day; a day to recognize and honour the histories, cultures, languages, leadership, and contributions of First Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples.
At the VIU Students' Union, Indigenous Peoples Day is an opportunity to celebrate Indigenous communities, reflect on the histories that shape our campuses and country, and recognize the Indigenous students, staff, Elders, and community members whose presence strengthens our learning environments every day.
Honouring Indigenous Students at VIU
Indigenous students are an essential part of the VIU community. Through their leadership, knowledge, humour, perspectives, and lived experiences, they help shape our campuses and enrich the educational experiences of everyone around them.
Today, we celebrate Indigenous students and recognize the important role they play in carrying cultures forward, building community, and contributing to the future of post-secondary education.
Earlier this month, we invited the VIU community to nominate Indigenous students who deserve recognition for their achievements, leadership, and contributions to our campus and communities. We are honoured to celebrate the following students and the impact they have made through their dedication, advocacy, service, and care for others.
Alicia James
Tla-o-qui-aht and Mowachaht/Muchalaht
Alicia James is a proud Tla-o-qui-aht and Mowachaht/Muchalaht student whose educational journey reflects resilience, leadership, and a deep commitment to community. After completing a Bachelor of Arts in Indigenous Studies, Alicia returned to school to pursue a Health Care Assistant certificate and is preparing to continue into Practical Nursing with the long-term goal of becoming an Indigenous Liaison Nurse. Throughout her post-secondary education, Alicia has advocated for Indigenous students while navigating systemic barriers, including funding challenges and access to educational resources. She remains dedicated to creating culturally safe spaces in healthcare and is passionate about improving the experiences of Indigenous patients and families.
Beyond academics, Alicia contributes to her community through cultural involvement, Indigenous creative work, and mentorship among her peers. As the only Indigenous student in her current HCA cohort, she proudly represents her Nations while sharing knowledge, supporting classmates, and fostering understanding of Indigenous perspectives. Alicia’s journey demonstrates that leadership is not only found in titles, but in perseverance, service to others, and the commitment to uplifting community through education, culture, and care.
Alicia’s commitment to community is rooted in both family and culture. After the passing of her father, Chief Patrick James Jr., she continued to stay engaged in her community while carrying forward the values of service, leadership, and responsibility that were passed down to her. She is actively involved in Indigenous cultural events and uses her creativity through regalia and Indigenous design work to celebrate and share her culture with others.
Alicia is also committed to ensuring Indigenous voices are represented in spaces where they have historically been underrepresented. As the only Indigenous student in her Health Care Assistant cohort, she has shared her perspectives, experiences, and knowledge with classmates while helping foster greater understanding and respect for Indigenous peoples and communities.
What makes Alicia meaningful to her community is her dedication to showing up for others. Whether through advocacy, cultural work, education, or simply offering support to those around her, she demonstrates that community leadership can happen through everyday actions and relationships.
Mauricea Panchenko
Cree-Métis
Original Nomination
This human started the VIU Indigenous Club! Makes time to represent at every event, volunteers to help Elders, and much much more. She is an absolute icon and role model! She deserves recognition for all her hard work, especially while also raising an amazing tiny human!
Additional Note from VIUSU
VIUSU would also like to recognize Mauricea’s leadership and advocacy within the VIU community. As the founder and leader of the VIU Indigenous Students Club, she has helped create important spaces for Indigenous students to connect, support one another, and build community on campus.
Mauricea has consistently spoken up on Indigenous issues when it has mattered most. Following VIU’s decision to remove Elders from the classroom in the Indigenous Studies program, she demonstrated leadership by publicly highlighting the concerns this raised for Indigenous students and the broader community. Through her advocacy, she helped elevate Indigenous perspectives and draw attention to the importance of Elders’ roles in Indigenous education and student success.
Through her leadership, advocacy, and commitment to supporting Indigenous students, Mauricea has made a lasting impact on the VIU community. Her dedication to uplifting others, fostering belonging, and strengthening Indigenous student representation exemplifies the values of leadership, service, and community care.
Recognizing all First Nations, Inuit, and Métis Peoples
Indigenous Peoples Day recognizes the diversity of Indigenous peoples across Canada.
We honour First Nations communities whose stewardship of lands and waters has sustained communities since time immemorial.
We celebrate Inuit peoples, whose homelands span Inuit Nunangat across the Arctic. For thousands of years, Inuit communities have maintained deep knowledge of the land, sea, ice, and environment. Inuit leadership, language, art, and knowledge systems continue to shape Canada and offer important teachings about resilience, community, and stewardship.
We also recognize the Métis Nation, one of the three distinct Indigenous peoples recognized in Canada. Métis communities have played a vital role in shaping this country through governance, trade, culture, leadership, and advocacy. Their history reflects resilience, innovation, and a continued commitment to self-determination and community building.
Honouring the Nations Connected to VIU Campuses
VIU campuses are located within the territories of many Indigenous Nations whose stewardship and leadership continue to shape these regions today.
Snuneymuxw First Nation
On the Nanaimo campus, we are grateful to the Snuneymuxw First Nation. Snuneymuxw territory includes Petroglyph Provincial Park, home to one of the largest collections of Coast Salish rock carvings in Canada, reflecting thousands of years of continuous culture, storytelling, and connection to the land.
Snaw-Naw-As First Nation
In the Nanoose Bay region, we recognize and celebrate the Snaw-Naw-As First Nation. Their coastal territories continue to sustain fishing, harvesting, and cultural practices that have been upheld across generations. We thank them for their continued stewardship and care for the waters and ecosystems that support life on this coast.
Tla'amin Nation
In the tiwšɛmawtxʷ campus region (qathet), we honour the Tla'amin Nation. Since becoming a self-governing Nation in 2016, Tla'amin has continued to advance self-determination, governance, language revitalization, and cultural renewal while strengthening opportunities for future generations.
Quw'utsun (Cowichan) Tribes
In the Duncan region, we recognize and celebrate Quw'utsun (Cowichan) Tribes. As the largest First Nation in British Columbia by population, Cowichan Tribes are widely known for leadership in salmon stewardship and the revitalization of Hul'q'umi'num language and culture.
Nuu-chah-nulth Nations
Along the west coast, we extend our gratitude to the many Nuu-chah-nulth Nations. These Nations are recognized for their deep ocean knowledge, long-standing marine stewardship practices, and enduring relationships with the lands and waters of the Pacific coast.
Indigenous Leadership and the Student Movement
The student movement is rooted in the belief that education should be accessible, affordable, inclusive, and responsive to the communities it serves.
Many of the values that guide our work—community care, collective responsibility, advocacy, self-determination, and the pursuit of equity—are values that Indigenous peoples and communities have championed for generations.
As a Students' Union, we advocate for accessible education, student voices in decision-making, and campuses where all students can thrive. We recognize that this work is strengthened by Indigenous leadership, teachings, and ways of knowing.
National Indigenous Peoples Day reminds us that learning is a lifelong process. It encourages us to listen, reflect, build relationships, and continue working toward a future where Indigenous students and communities are supported, respected, and empowered.
Continuing to Learn
Celebrating Indigenous Peoples Day is one step. Meaningful reconciliation requires ongoing learning and action throughout the year.
If you'd like to learn more, we encourage you to explore resources such as:
From All of Us at VIUSU
Thank you to the Indigenous peoples whose lands, waters, cultures, and communities we are privileged to learn and gather on.
Today, we celebrate Indigenous knowledge, leadership, resilience, and community. We are grateful for your teachings and for the contributions you continue to make to our campuses, communities, and future generations.
