Acts of Reconciliation

University of Alberta PhD candidate Crystal Fraser is releasing 150 acts of reconciliation on August 4th, 2017. ​This wonderful initiative will provide activities that anyone can do to move forward reconciliation.

I strongly believe that for reconciliation to be successful it must take place at the individual level. Imagine how far reconciliation would go if all 36.29 million people in Canada did one act each? While many are focused on organizational culture shift, we haven't put the same onus on individuals. The work of Ms. Fraser gives me hope that reconciliation will not sit on the shelf (forever floating in policy reform), instead it will be a culture resurgence. In my opinion policy does not beget culture shift, but rather culture shift must have already began in order to influence policy.

Consider the Lego movie and just swap out instructions for policies. Are we all ok being dictating to for all aspects of our lives? No, of course not! Society already has a foundation of understood laws and behaviour that pre-existed the rules of law as we know them in written form. We don't have to wait for a policy or written documentation (ahem... instructions) to begin reconciling at the individual level, we can start today (or if you want, wait until August 4th). 

I'm starting today, because I can't wait that long. I have shamelessly made my own list of twenty five acts (with handy dandy links) that we can do from home and some of which are specific to our region. We'll see how many, if any, will be duplicates with her list. 

Elena's 25 Acts of Reconciliation

1. Read about one of the forty two Truth & Reconciliation Commissions that has taken place in the world
2. Watch a youtube video on reconciliation in South Africa
3. Watch the documentary film: Long Night's Journey Into Day (2000), also about apartheid in South Africa
4. Read the treaty for where you live (Wood Buffalo is Treaty 8)
5. Ponder the interpretation of the treaties from both sides
6. Learn about our human rights & how we can protect them (Alberta & Aboriginal)
7. Read about the local history & ask an elder if it is represented correctly (Franklin Ave is named after Sir John Franklin - who I hear was especially heinous towards his Indigenous scouts)
8. Contact your local Friendship Centre and ask about volunteer opportunities
9. Get a library card (the Wood Buffalo Regional Library has an Aboriginal Corner)
10. Walk along the Total Aboriginal Interpretive Trail to learn about the 7 teachings
11. Listen to an amazing podcast called "Métis in Space" by two Métis women who decolonize the sci-fi genre
12. Read the Metis history book - Mark of the Metis - read here!
13. Make bannock & tea for lunch.
14. Make baked walleye for elders at the hospital.
15. What other Indigenous groups in the world had similar experiences of colonization? (check out: global colonization in one gif)
16. Look for the perpetrators confessions - there are very few in comparison to South Africa's TRC
17. Seek out artistic interpretation of reconciliation
18. Consider how art history portrays Indigenous people in Canada (who do we reconcile wrongful portrayals)
19. Ask yourself how a traumatic experience has impacted your life.
20. Seek out ways to mitigate the re-traumatization of former students
21. Ask former students how they prefer to be referred to or self-identify as. 
22. Become a foster home (reunite children with their families by providing a safe culturally appropriate home)
23. Find ways to build equity based supports for Indigenous organizations
24. Watch APTN news
25. Watch Rabbit Proof Fence (2002) movie about three girls who run away from a Residential Schools in Australia

What acts of reconciliation are on your list? Please share your ideas!