Smoke Architecture and Moriyama & Teshima Architects have been selected to design Mukqua Waakaa?igan: the new Indigenous centre of cultural excellence at Algoma University.

The name Mukqua Waakaa?igan was given through ceremony and in recognition of this very significant work. According to Algoma University, in Anishinaabemowin, Mukqua, the bear, is a carrier of medicine, and as such a healer; Waakaa?igan refers to its lodge or den.
Rendering courtesy of mtarch.com
?We?re really excited to be able to work closely with the Children of Shingwauk Alumni Association (CSAA), Indigenous and community partners and Algoma University to help bring their vision for Mukqua Waakaa?igan to life,? said Eladia Smoke, the Principal Architect at Smoke Architecture. ?Mukqua Waakaa?igan will showcase the decades of ?truth telling? work led by the Children of Shingwauk Alumni Association and the Shingwauk Residential Schools Centre,? said Algoma University President and Vice-Chancellor Asima Vezina. ?As part of our commitments to the Calls to Action, Mukqua Waakaa?igan will provide a safe and culturally appropriate space to house and care for the archives from the residential schools history, the Aboriginal Healing Foundation Collection and other important historical documents.?   
When asked about any potential impacts to the ongoing site search work happening on the Algoma-owned portion of the property, according to Algoma University, Jay Jones, the Shingwauk Indian Residential Sch...