In Photos: Tipi and teaching lodge raised at UTM

Staff
Main News
Man stands at end of unfinished lodge made of interconnected wooden beams and a canvas coming halfway up the sides of the walls
David Lundberg inspects the partially completed lodge before work continues. He helped members of the UTM community raise both a Tipi and lodge along Principal’s Road.
Photo by Nick Iwanyshyn

Nestled on a quiet spot in the trees just off Principal’s Road is U of T Mississauga’s new Tipi and teaching lodge.

The structures were raised as part of the UTM Indigenous Centre’s student orientation event. Students, staff, faculty and librarians of the UTM community erected the structures on Wednesday, Sept. 13. The UTM Office of Indigenous Initiatives works to mobilize reconciliation on campus, this is one of the many ways they’re doing so by creating spaces that are reflective of Indigenous community.

The Tipi, which is expected to remain on site for two years, will be used for ceremonies, programming, events and classes, while the larger lodge will be used as a teaching space.

A woman holds a long wooden pole over her head as she walks it toward an unfinished Tipi structure
Volunteers raise the wooden structure of the Tipi, placing one wooden beam in place after another to form a spiral. (Photo by Nick Iwanyshyn)
A group of four people hold a wrapped canvas off the ground.
Volunteers prepare to add the Tipi cover to the structure. (Photo by Nick Iwanyshyn)
A man knees down next to the bottom edge of the Tipi and hammers in a spike to hold the canvas down.
Doug Lu, web content strategist with UTM's Office of Communications, helps stake the Tipi cover in place. (Photo by Nick Iwanyshyn)
A Tipi is seen completed and surrounded by trees.
The Tipi will be used for ceremonies, programming, events and classes. (Photo by Nick Iwanyshyn)
A woman stands on a ladder holding a wooden beam in place as someone out of frame raises it to build the teaching lodge.
Smyrna Wright, community engagement coordinator with the Centre for Student Engagement, helps her fellow volunteers build the lodge structure. (Photo by Nick Iwanyshyn)
Three volunteers stand inside a wooden structure tying crossbeams to one another.
Volunteers tie the wooden poles of the teaching lodge together. (Photo by Nick Iwanyshyn)
A woman ties a canvas to the wooden beams of the teaching lodge.
Jessica Tabak, special projects officer with UTM's Office of Indigenous Initiatives, helps attach the outer canvas to the walls of the teaching lodge. (Photo by Nick Iwanyshyn)
A photo showing a lowrise, domed teaching lodge made of white canvas and behind it can be seen the peak of the Tipi
The lodge, which is larger than the Tipi, will be used as a teaching space. It is equipped with a wood stove to provide heat during the winter months. (Photo by Nick Iwanyshyn)

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