I have been putting a lot of effort into seeking out opportunities to engage with the Indigenous community. I feel that a part of reconciliation is keeping the culture and traditions alive, which I can do by participating and sharing my experiences. This is something that I want to continue, as it is a way of professional development and learning that should never stop. I know that I personally learn better by taking action and doing things, so I spent time in the past few months educating myself and experiencing Indigenous culture. I know that my Journey towards Reconciliation will never be over and I will always be learning new things. I cannot wait to find activities and opportunities for my future students to participate in when I am finally a teacher because I have found how beneficial it is during learning to make experiences and memories.

This is a photo of me attending a pipe ceremony at the First Nations University with my Cree class. It was a new experience for me and I learned a lot about Indigenous views and beliefs. We also had the opportunity to smudge, which is something that I’ve never done before.

I also had the opportunity to see the Witness Blanket in person at the RCMP Heritage Centre. This was extremely powerful to see, as it included pieces from real residential schools. After doing this I also took a trip to the Royal Saskatchewan Museum to learn more from the Indigenous exhibits that they have there.

I took part in ribbon weaving with the Embracing Differences program. Ribbon weaving is important to Indigenous culture because it is what they use on traditional ribbon skirts, which are worn to pipe ceremonies. It was a nice experience to be able to create something new.