In my years at M.J. Coldwell school we have always looked at the circle of courage. Black represents belonging, Red represents Mastery, White represents independence, and Yellow represents generosity. I remember that the circle of courage represents a medicine wheel from indeginous culture. It’s so children can learn how to share, help a peer out if they need it, be themselves at school, and work alone or do simple tasks alone. Teaching the circle of courage helps the children be more cooperative, motivated, responsible and considerate. Also reduces negative behaviour.
As I was reading the truth and reconciliation booklet, many quotes have stuck out to me. “The truth isn’t always comfortable.”(TRC10). To face the truth it has to be uncomfortable for us to move forward. “Truth is about taking responsibility” (TRC13) We have to take accountability and be truthful and honest about what we did.
As the year went on mass burial sites were found on the same ground as residential schools, it has opened my eyes. I believe as white settlers we need to understand and face the fact that our doings were very wrong. We need to be respectful of indegonus peoples’ land; it is theirs and not ours. We need history to never repeat itself. We need to keep moving forward but with their pace and listen to their families. They have generational trauma too. We need to go at their pace of their healing.
As I went to elementary school we would have assemblies in the mornings and elders would come in and let us join their prayers and ceremonies. The elders would do rock ceremonies as well as smudges. I remember we would all get one rock each and it would have one single word and I remember mine was “Hope”. I did not understand when I was little what it meant or what any of the ceremonies were about. I wish I could go back in time now with my age and my knowledge to experience those ceremonies all over again. I would really understand what it all meant. It would definitely be an experience I would never forget.
My visual piece to my story would be my talented cousin’s chair, she has been gifted from the residential school in Lebret Saskatchewan. My uncle’s mother is a residential school survivor, I remember as the mass burial sites were being located this year how it affected my uncle and his daughters. Generational trauma is real and valid. Some people do not believe how it affects families. Seeing your loved ones hurt is hard to handle when there are still people who refuse to get educated. This is why truth and reconciliation is important for every Canadian to understand and learn what has happened and how generational trauma is real. Everyone needs to face it and be uncomfortable in order to get anywhere to move forward.
My cousin’s name is Madison Pascal. She has many indigenous art pieces on her social media. Her chair has a quote on it that means a lot to her and it is “Education got us here education will get us out”. It represents the Star blanket. It reminds us that truth and reconciliation will be achieved through education and actions of all Canadians. Learning and looking deeper into Truth and Reconciliation has definitely extended my knowledge and made me understand why it is so important.
