History burnt down the bridges between us; now let’s build palaces out of Truth and Reconciliation
Recognizing the traditional unceded Indigenous lands of the Kanien’kehá:ka / Mohawk Nation on which the Marianopolis College presides.
The true voices of our society are the ones that history silenced. Founded by Phyllis Webstad, a Northern Secwepemc author and Residential School survivor, Orange Shirt Day carries immense significance; marking a day to understand what life was truly like inside Residential Schools, to support those who suffered on so many fronts at the hands of colonizers, and to celebrate the rich Indigenous culture all around us.
Over decades and centuries, indifference and cluelessness have widened the gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous people. Performing an excerpt from a piece written by both Natives and settlers, Iehente and Teiotsitsathe Foote say, in the courtyard of Marianopolis College on this ever-so-crucial day: “Generally speaking, our society is very ignorant of what has happened and what continues to happen today. Ignorants allow the government to keep treating First Nations people terribly.”
The fact of the matter is evident: the version of Canada’s history we learned was a stripped-down version of the truth. When the textbook said that European colonizers arrived here and began building a society from the ground up, it failed to reveal what was hidden between the lines. Communities, Indigenous ones, had already built their homes and centered their world on the territory that settlers, upon their arrival, without question claimed their own.
Words can’t begin to describe how deeply Canada has failed its Native people. These realities are not distant ones; the last Residential School shut its doors in 1996, and even today, inhabitants of Indian settlements like Kitcisakik have never had access to electricity or running water.
On many fronts, life here in the city compared to the one in Indigenous reserves are a million worlds apart. Julie Grenier, an artist from Kuujjuaq and renowned guest speaker who currently serves on the Aboriginal Peoples Television Network, tells the Marianopolis students and staff: “I have a nine-year-old nephew who is in grade four and he does not know how to read yet. There’s a huge gap in our system, we live in communities where people are hurting. […] Shortage of housing, shortage of services, some of our hospitals have shut down…can you imagine living in a community with no hospital or clinical services? There are no more nurses, there are no more doctors, and this is today.”
Like stealing a fragment of their hearts, the assimilation of Native children robbed them of their language, their culture, and their entire sense of heritage. Over the years, commitments of reconciliation have been vaunted and given up, promised, and neglected.
Performative facades that at first glance appear to be a light at the end of the tunnel are in reality ravaging trains headed full speed towards every beautiful aspect of Indigenous culture, ready to eradicate them all.
Though we cannot change the past, we most definitely can shape the future.
Like many students and faculty members did yesterday afternoon thanks to the Marianopolis Social Justice Committee: listening and educating ourselves on Native traditions, issues, and stories is a step in the right direction, one of Truth and Reconciliation. Acknowledging that the College, possibly amongst many other buildings that are a part of your daily routine, sit on unceded Indigenous lands. Never forgetting Canada’s history of colonization that hurt and affected so many. Embracing the diversity that’s all around us if only we take the time to see and appreciate it. Working together to bridge the gap between our worlds, and building a relationship based on mutual trust, respect, and appreciation. This is why Marianopolis students and staff were encouraged to wear orange t-shirts in recognition of Truth and Reconciliation Day on September 30th.
The ongoing search and discovery of unmarked graves over the last few months profoundly distraught countless non-Indigenous individuals. In the hopes of shining even more light on the hushed reality that those in power tend to ignore and have been ignoring for decades, many have expressed their allyship to Indigenous communities and have echoed the lines that were left out of our textbooks. History burnt down the bridges between us…so now, let’s build palaces out of Truth and Reconciliation.
Let’s think about the Native to non-Native relationship as a totem pole, a monument first created by First Nations of the Northwest to demonstrate and commemorate events, people, and ancestry. Most often carved on red cedar, they depict a vertical row of animals and stylized humans. If Canada were to have a totem that represented its Indigenous-related history, the story told would be a dark one. So, how about we start carving a new one? Our will to mend what’s been broken would be represented by the eagle, a symbol of peace and friendship. The killer whale, depicting strength, would acknowledge how resilient Indigenous communities have been over centuries. The path towards a united and communal society would be portrayed by the lion, a figure of protectiveness and family. Finally, the lizard, known to represent perceptiveness, innovativeness, and good conversation, would be a constant reminder to listen, learn, and act.
Molding empty promises and inaction into fulfilled commitments and justice takes more than one person, but like the Foote sisters said yesterday: “One voice travels, and goes, and goes all over the place. One voice stays.”
