My continuing journey towards reconciliation began with the knowledge I was taught all throughout grade school, but really started in high school.

For my ECS 101 class in University, I created a visual to represent some of my learning about truth and reconciliation that semester. The muffin came from a documentary titled Muffins for Granny and is in black and white to honour the children who died in residential schools. The butterflies represent hope, rebirth, and transformation, and are orange to represent truth and reconciliation campaigns like orange shirt day. The phrase “Teach truth and reconciliation” serves as a reminder to me that this is my responsibility in my own classrooms. I also included the Tipi teachings.

The visual part of my journey towards reconciliation project. 

In my high school art class, I remember a particular project we worked on. We were given three pieces of paper and told to draw a three-part story. I chose to draw three Indigenous faces – one, a little girl, whom I named Memengwaa (“butterfly” in Cree). Next was a little boy, Myeengun (“little wolf”). Lastly, a bold warrior, Biskane (“the fire is burning”). I fell in love with these faces, and soon they became a more significant part of my journey toward reconciliation.

An art project I worked on in high school

I became a part of my high school’s journey toward reconciliation when I, along with some of my other classmates, created a mural art project in the courtyard and presented it to the school in a ceremony. Elders came, Indigenous dancers danced, and Indigenous drummers drummed. It was beautiful.

High school mural

The other side of the high school mural

The whole high school mural