Niagara College’s Indigenous Education and Equity, Diversity and Inclusion departments invite employees, students, alumni, and community members to gather with us on Thursday, May 14th, in recognition of Moose Hide Campaign Day – an Indigenous‑led grassroots movement that invites people across Canada to take responsibility for ending violence against women and children.

This year’s gathering builds on previous years of ceremony and reflection by centering the Moose Hide Campaign’s emphasis on personal and shared responsibility. This year at Niagara College we are thinking about how our values – beyond wearing the pin – create space to reflect on how the Campaign’s commitment to honour, respect, and protect others is carried into our everyday lives.

In keeping with the Moose Hide Campaign’s focus on meaningful action, this gathering encourages reflection on responsibility in real and relational ways, including how we:

• Notice and interrupt harm or disrespect when it arises
• Reflect on the role of silence, action, and choice
• Support one another in learning, unlearning, and growth
• Uphold Indigenous teachings about relationship, care, and responsibility

Men who have previously received a Moose Hide pin are invited to reflect on how they have carried that commitment forward and what responsibilities they continue to hold. An anonymous reflection form is available for those who wish to share their reflections.

From the Moose Hide Campaign:

The Moose Hide Campaign was founded to engage men and boys in taking responsibility for ending violence against women and children. In this spirit, men are invited to reflect on the influence they hold in families, workplaces, and communities, and on the everyday choices that can either uphold harm or help interrupt it.

A Ceremony‑Centred Gathering

Our Niagara College gathering will emphasize presence, listening, reflection, and shared responsibility, creating space for participants to renew their commitment in a way that is relational and respectful.

The Moose Hide Campaign recognizes both movement‑based actions, such as walks or marches, and ceremony‑centred gatherings as meaningful expressions of commitment. By gathering around the fire, this event follows a ceremony‑centred approach grounded in Indigenous teachings.

We will light a fire at sunrise with a Traditional Thanksgiving Address and then host a circle before lunchtime to reflect on how we want to fulfill our responsibilities to help end violence against ending violence against women and children.

Event Details

Fire Opening: 5:50 a.m. gather from 5:30am

Date: Thursday, May 14

Circle Time: 10:00–11:30 a.m.

Location: Outdoor Classroom, Indigenous Gardens
Daniel J. Patterson Campus, Niagara‑on‑the‑Lake

Rain Location: Room N136

What to Expect

The gathering will include:

• A brief introduction to the Moose Hide Campaign
• A facilitated sharing circle
• Tobacco offering available throughout the day
• Opportunity to take the Moose Hide Campaign pledge
• Distribution of Moose Hide pins
• Light refreshments following the conclusion of the circle

Participants are welcome to attend in whatever way feels appropriate for them—listening, reflecting, sharing, or simply being present.

What is the Moose Hide Campaign?

The Moose Hide Campaign began in 2011 along the Highway of Tears in British Columbia and has grown into a national movement grounded in Indigenous teachings, ceremony, and relationship‑based learning. Wearing a Moose Hide pin represents a personal commitment to honouring, respecting, and protecting the women and children in our lives, and to speaking out against gender‑based and domestic violence.

At Niagara College, participation in Moose Hide Campaign Day reflects our ongoing commitment to reconciliation, community well‑being, and creating learning and working environments rooted in dignity and respect.

The Moose Hide Campaign Pledge

“I pledge to honour, respect, and protect the women and children in my life, and to work together to end violence against women and children.”

Taking the pledge and wearing the pin reflects a commitment to responsibility and care. Continuing to reflect on how that commitment is lived out—individually and together—is part of the ongoing journey the Moose Hide Campaign invites us into.

The story of the Moose Hide Campaign: