It is in those silent moments, when we are out in the wild and stillness becomes a palpable force that we hear the voices of those who have gone before us – The ancestors of this land.
And though more recently in Canada they are varied in roots and origin, for many hundreds if not thousands of years they were not. It is these voices that are the loudest. The voices of those whose people stewarded the land for generations – since time immemorable.
The history of our land rises up to meet us in these moments, its energy impacts our lives and how we engage with ourselves and our society. We are responsible for understanding this history and coming into right relationship with it. Educating ourselves as to what it means to be living in Treaty Territory. Right relationship means awareness of the distribution of power, wealth, access to resources/services and basic human equanimity. It means an understanding of what issues are present and how history has added to or taken away from those issues.
It also includes knowing how one’s own power has added to or taken away from the present-day experience, AND how ones ancestors have or have not contributed to what is present.
Here are some action steps you can take to be conscious of this history and how it impacts the present moment:
What Treaty Territory are you in?
Find out when it was signed and read the actual agreement.
Are you actually on unceded territory – what does this mean to you and the history of where you are?
Read the 94 calls to action listed by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission
Reach out to the chief and councils of the land that you live on, and inquire if they have a culture camp that is open to the general public. Participate and educate.
Sometimes the local library will have traditional elders sharing teachings for anything from smudging, to plant gathering, to crafts or a talking circle.
Indian act is still a legal legislation- what does this mean? How does this subjugate indigenous ppl?
Read the book 21 things about the Indian act.
Read the Doctrine of discovery – how does this impact our world now?
Where was the Residential School for your area. Who went there, what are there stories?
Who are your ancestors and what role did they play in the colonization of Canada? How can you bring this into right relationship? (If need be)
Be curious – Why is the prison population 32% indigenous when they are only 5% in Canada?
Canada failing Black, Indigenous prisoners as overrepresentation …
If we are to live in a world whose foundation is built on peace and shared humanity we need to start with ourselves through bringing balance to where we are. Listen deep to what you here in those silent moments.