My Journey With Truth and Reconciliation

In our ECS 101 class, we created an aesthetic representation of our learning stories regarding truth and reconciliation. For my aesthetic representation, I wanted to create a pictograph containing a mix of important words and symbols. I wanted everything to feel very intentional. The background to me looks like the fabric of a blanket, which in Indigenous culture, carries traditions and tells stories. The main piece is a tree. I wanted to include Indigenous culture in my representation and I admire the respect and relationship Indigenous people have with the land. On each “branch,” I added either something that symbolizes culture, something I want to learn more about or something relating to residential schools. The red hand print represents Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls, something I want to research and learn about. The orange shirt represents Orange Shirt Day and National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. The silhouette of the children holding hands represents the elements of childhood lost to the residential schools. The image on the top is there for equality. The book is there to show the stories that share Indigenous culture, as well as how each survivor has their own important story of residential schools. Finally, the tipi and buffalo represent further pieces of Indigenous culture. The words on the top are for each of the 7 sacred teachings. I found these inspiring and important in our lessons. On the bottom, I have words that I feel are important to remember as we teach our students about residential schools.