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Skennen’kó:wa Gamig

  • Entrance pathway leading to Skennen’kó:wa Gamig nestled among trees and natural greenery on York University's campus.
  • Interior of Skennen’kó:wa Gamig featuring exposed log walls, wooden floors, a staircase, and seating areas.
  • Exterior side view of Skennen’kó:wa Gamig.
  • Kitchen at Skennen’kó:wa Gamig featuring shared cooking facilities and a central preparation island.
  • Sunlit seating area at Skennen’kó:wa Gamig featuring wicker chairs, tables, and large windows overlooking natural green space.
  • Meeting room at Skennen’kó:wa Gamig with tables, chairs, and presentation facilities.

Welcome!

Skennen’kó Gamig (sken-en-GOH-wah GAH-mig) translates to "House of Great Peace." This unique name brings together Mohawk and Anishinaabe languages, to reflect the spirit of peace, relationship-building and shared learning.

This home was originally owned by the Hart family until 1958, where it was briefly owned by Claude Passy before York University acquired it as part of the campus in 1964.

In the fall of 2014, York University and the Office of the Vice President Academic & Provost hosted a re-naming event in efforts to create a safe space at York U for Indigenous scholars, students and staff. This renovation project was generously funded through the office of the Vice-President Academic & Provost, the Office of the Vice-President Finance and Administration, and Osgoode Hall Law School.

On June 21, 2017, the University announced the renaming of the home to “Skennen'kó:wa Gamig”, with stewardship responsibilities transferring to the Centre for Indigenous Student Services (CISS).

Please read YFile for more information on the Opening Ceremony

Skennen’kó:wa Gamig provides a culturally safe space on campus for Indigenous students, staff, and faculty. The space supports both formal and informal gatherings, including casual use, cultural programming, teaching, meetings, and community events. The space is restricted to host twenty-nine people at maximum capacity.

  • Casual gathering and community-building by Indigenous students, staff, and faculty 
  • Elder events, workshops, teachings, and cultural programming hosted by CISS 
  • Student group meetings, workshops, and events 
  • Indigenous-related teaching, speaker series, and faculty-led activities 
  • Indigenous graduation receptions and related celebrations 

Eligible groups are listed below. CISS may approve additional groups as appropriate. Each group is responsible for identifying its caretakers and leads by submitting their names and student numbers (where applicable), to CISS. 

  1. Centre for Indigenous Student Services 
  1. Indigenous Students Association at York 
  1. Osgoode Indigenous Students Association 
  1. Indigenous Students Association at Glendon 
  1. Indigenous Education Council members of York University 
  1. Indigenous staff 
  1. Indigenous faculty members 

If your group is listed above as eligible, simply add “Skennen’kó:wa Gamig” to the location bar in your outlook calendar invitation when booking your event. Confirmation will be provided within 3 business days of request. Please review the Terms of Use before attending.

For further inquiries, please contact us at cissinfo@yorku.ca.