Louise Pederson was a long-time educator for Northlands College. (Submitted photo/Shaylene Marinuk)

By Derek Cornet

honouring

Louise Pederson Cultural Centre officially opens in Buffalo Narrows

May 25, 2022 | 5:00 PM

A ceremony was held May 20 to dedicate the Louise Pederson Cultural Centre at Northlands College’s Buffalo Narrows campus.

This marks the second cultural centre Northlands’ leadership have dedicated following the Elie Fleury Cultural Centre in La Ronge in May 2020. The centres are meant to become vibrant hubs for students, staff and community organizations by providing comfortable, culturally safe and welcoming environments to gather, reflect, and perform traditional ceremonies.

“I am very delighted and proud that our organization continues to create special spaces for our students, staff and communities,” Northlands’ interim CEO Chandra McDougald was quoted in saying in a press release.

“I am happy that our board of directors saw it very fitting to name the space after a humble and well-respected person who dedicated her life to supporting students in their educational journey. The Louise Pederson Cultural Centre will no doubt support students in embracing their culture.”

Pederson worked for Northlands College for 36 years and has helped educate many successful northerners throughout her career. She is a well-known and respected Elder in Saskatchewan’s northwest.

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Pederson began her career in October 1980 as a teacher and then as a certified native counsellor. She is an Elder/Knowledge Keeper, a member of a task force and adversary circle with the University of Saskatchewan and Elder’s group of Buffalo Narrows.

Louise Pederson was honoured during a ceremony on May 20. (Submitted photo/Shaylene Marinuk)

“Our board of directors are proud of how far Northlands College has come with our Indigenization Strategy and the creation of a second cultural centre is another example of this,” chairperson Victor Fern stated. “We recognize that inclusion of Indigenous spaces and culture into our camuses is one of the key goals to the Indigenization process.”

larongeNOW reached out Pederson for an interview, but she was unavailable at the time of publication.

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derek.cornet@pattisonmedia.com

Twitter: @saskjourno