Minister for advanced education Anne Kang (centre), along with Nanaimo MLA Sheila Malcolmson (left) and VIU president Deborah Saucier (right) unveil renderings for the upgrades to an Indigenous gathering place at the Nanaimo campus. (Alex Rawnsley/NanaimoNewsNOW)

By Alex Rawnsley

Shq'apthut

‘This place allows students to continue to remain who they are:’ expansion planned for Shq’apthut at VIU

Apr 8, 2022 | 3:11 PM

NANAIMO — It’s already a focal point for Indigenous students and studies at VIU and its about to get a whole lot bigger.

The Shq’apthut, or ‘Gathering Place’ at the university’s Nanaimo campus will see a $3.7 million expansion for additional ceremonial space, Elder-in-residence offices, as well as services for students attending the university.

Sylvia Scow, interim director of the Indigenous Education and Engagement office at VIU told NanaimoNewsNOW, Shq’apthut is a home away from home for Indigenous students.

“It’s a place they can gather and see themselves reflected within the post secondary system and know they are surrounded by fellow students and staff that will provide them with the supports they need to move forward with their learning.”

The expansion, phase two of the project which was originally built in 2010, will begin in spring 2023 and take approximately 12 months to be completed.

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The provincial government is contributing $3.3 million for the project, while VIU is covering the remaining $417,300.

The added space will be a green and fully accessible build and will enable Elders and staff to continue the work they do on campus, such as supporting First Nations students in their studies and providing a safe space to explore culture and identity.

Scow added the building and pending expansion are a tangible reminder and symbol of Indigenous identity.

“[Indigenous] students don’t have to give up a piece of themselves to be part of university because I think sometimes that happens…you feel you come and you have to give up who you are as an Indigenous person but this place allows students to continue to remain who they are and learn who they are, learn a bit about culture, traditional language and protocol.”

Shq͛apthut will be expanded at VIU to allow for more room to support students, both Indigenous and non-Indigenous. A larger building will be flanked by First Nations-inspired art and landscaping. (Alex Rawnsley/NanaimoNewsNOW)

While directed towards Indigenous students, all students and staff are welcomed at the centre.

It’s already provided a central place to begin having difficult conversations on past wrongs, ensuring the same mistakes aren’t made by the next generation.

“To come to a place that allows for that opportunity to have those conversations such as truth and reconciliation, the historical traumas and how we move forward together,” Scow said. “To create conversations and create a better understanding so that the things that happened in the past are talked about and not ignored.”

James Beardy is a bachelor of natural resource management student at VIU’s Nanaimo campus.

He said Shq’apthut has been his headquarters for his educational journey and saw him transition from a client of the centre to an advisor.

“I see with the expansion in not just being able to house more bodies, it will show success. If we can have everybody here, ready to go whenever we need and have dedicated spaces for our Elders…I’m excited to see where that can go.”

Nearly 1,400 Indigenous students attended VIU”s Nanaimo campus during the 2020/21 school year, which works out to an icrease of around 11 per cent compared to the two years prior.

According to the province, Indigenous students account for around 12 per cent of total student population at post-secondary schools around B.C.

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