Journey 2 Reconciliation

The footage is captured from my single favorite spot on the planet, the family cottage at Katepwa Lake, feet in the sand around the campfire. It is a place where my family gathers to tell stories, sing, eat, dance, and enjoy the glow of the burning fire, just as the Indigenous did before us.

The Qu’Appelle Valley has endured a burdened past with one of the first and last Residential Schools just down the road in Lebrett and the signing of Treaty 4 in Fort Qu’Appelle, all of which I did not know until this course. Along with the history of the Indigenous on this land, it is one of connection and deep spiritual meaning. They believed their ancestors attached themselves to these shores, as their voices could be heard in the silence under the sky. The NCTR ignited the fire of eight fires in 2010, the first representing respect, respect for one another, respecting the land, and respecting the history of the Indigenous people.

The Indigenous believed fire held the power to encourage stronger new growth, on the landscape and within the soul. So it was a perfect symbol of my consciousness, honoring the colonial past sorrows and igniting my fire within, bringing an understanding, empathy, and connection, to the Indigenous people of this land. 

Music recognition to Art Napolean with the Cree Sunrise Song representing the Cree on Treaty 4 land.