April 10th marks the third annual BC Indigenous Nurses Day. This date was chosen in honour of the birth of Charlotte Edith Anderson Monture, a member of the Mohawk Tribe in Ohsweken, Ontario who, in 1914, was the first Indigenous person in Canada to become a registered nurse.
April 10, 2024
Edith was initially refused acceptance to nursing school due to the restrictions The Indian Act placed upon Indigenous people pursuing post-secondary education. She eventually attended nursing school in the United States, graduated first in her class, and went on to serve in the First World War as a military nurse.
This day also celebrates Rose Casper, of St'át'imc Nation, the first Indigenous nurse in western Canada. Indigenous Nurses Day is an important opportunity to uplift and celebrate the many invaluable contributions of Indigenous nurses throughout our healthcare system, in policy and advocacy, and in community. This year’s theme is “Transforming Lives, Rooted in Health, Nurtured by Wisdom.”
This Spring, the UBC School of Nursing's Indigenous Cultural Safety Committee, in collaboration with the First Nation House of Learning, is hosting a series of cedar weaving workshops facilitated by xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam) artist, Rita Kompst. On April 10, the School of Nursing will be celebrating Indigenous Nurses Day by co-hosting the fifth cedar-weaving workshop.
This workshop series brings together Indigenous nursing students, staff, and faculty as they work towards weaving graduation caps with cedar bark and naturally dyed twines traditionally harvested and prepared by Rita Kompst. During each session, Rita shares insights and teachings about Coast Salish traditions and guides the group through the practice of weaving. The students will proudly wear these hand-crafted caps at the graduation ceremonies in May. 
These weaving sessions are an opportunity to celebrate the art of cedar weaving, to learn from Rita and the participants, and to build community connections based in mutual respect and reciprocity.
You are invited to share on social media with #IndigNursDay to support and acknowledge the work of Indigenous nurses, past, present, and future, and "to elevate the voices of Indigenous nurses and bring attention to their important role in improving Indigenous health equity."
For more information:
- Nurses & Nurse Practitioners of BC Indigenous Nurses Day 2024
- British Columbia College of Nurses & Midwives Indigenous Nurses Day 2024
- Registration for Virtual Morning Grandparents Council with Elder Paul Willie
