Viewing the Indigenous Witness Blanket

By Oluwabusola Olaniyan, 1st year MDP student

It was opportune to be in Hamilton during the tour of the witness blanket. I visited the Central Library in Hamilton Ontario to have a feel of the historical, scriptural piece and strengthen my indigenous knowledge awareness with particular reference to Indigenous peoples of Canada and their encounter with the Indian Residential Schools.

Oluwabusola in front of the Witness Blanket

The witness blanket exhibition and tour across specific locations in Canada is in accordance with the settlement agreement established by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. It is considered a national monument and evidence of the occurrences narrated by the residential school survivors. The Witness Blanket is scheduled for a seven-year national tour across Canada and the artifacts were gathered from the residential school survivors, families, churches and others with memories or relationship with residential schools. The architect of the piece, Newman (Ha-yalth-kingeme), the son of a residential-school survivor planned the seven years national tour.

 

Indeed, the Witness Blanket reflects the strength of the Indigenous people of Canada. When I stood in witness of this piece, it was an emotional experience for me viewing all that it represented. The Witness Blanket can be described as a wood based-First Nations art installation that explains the adversity during the Residential School era. It is 40 feet long and over eight feet tall. It has 13 panels holding over 800 collected objects and the multimedia design of the pieces connects eyewitnesses to residential school experiences in a personal way. Each viewer of this piece would probably be touched and reflect on it as well as taking a piece into their heart.

Reflecting on the significance of the historical piece as the journey of reconciliation progresses, the Witness Blanket would recount for future generations the true story of loss, strength and reconciliation. Simultaneously, it depicts the price of the Indian Residential School experience while honouring the survivors. Besides, it serves as a remembrance for those children who were lost and it is hope re-assuring for future generations.

Voices From The Prairies - Part Two

By Ginikachi Obah, 1st year MDP student

As my field placement at Blue Quills First Nations College draws to an end, I would love to say that it has been an amazing learning experience that has inspired and added a lot to my thought process. I would love to share this poem that centres on issues such as climate change, environmental sustainability and Indigenous knowledge.

Environmental Stewards

The sea rises as my mind is flooded with thought

The polar ice dissolves in human desires

The atmosphere is caught on the verge by human technology

The earth is entangled in the threshold of environmental degradation

 Development and prosperity leaves me at the mercy of climate change

I feel swept away by the tide of human development as tar sands and mercury cast shadows in my palace

I am gradually withering away in the oven of green house emission

I am ripped apart and I need compassion

I miss the nation of the buffalo because they built their consciousness round my interest

I am a seeker of life and spirituality but now must battle for survival in the hands of globalisation

I settle like dust in the mouths of human activists but my muscles are weak to human separatists

Hunters resort to mental gymnastics as they sing the hymns of ecological variation

The next generation is denied access to culture as the weather changes like clothes and keeps us on the edge

 The world needs an ethic of continued sustainability but the minds of men focus on continuous wealth

The willingness of humanity to tend to the earth is laid bare by the strings of environmental conquest

I run to the comforting arms of environmental stewards who nourishes my body and soul with ceremonies

Contemporary thoughts have not been able to put asunder where disembodied minds have continued to plunder

 

Kachi with members of the Indigenous Knowledge Senate

 

 

Gdo Akiiminaan Ganawendandann Symposium: Part 1

By Jessica Numminen, 2nd year MDP Student

The Anishinaabe Initiatives Division and the Department of Geography & Geology at Algoma University hosted the Symposium Gdo Akiiminaan Ganawendandann (Taking Care of our Land) from May 5th – 6th, 2015 in Sault Ste. Marie. During the opening proceedings organizers of the conference recognized that a conversation with the MCFN Chief Jason Gauthier about the Missanabie Cree new land base was the catalyst for the development of the conference and the hope that it is just the beginning of many more conferences in the coming years.

We were taken on a bus tour of Batchewana First Nation with Chief Dean Sayers who shared his knowledge, teachings and rich history of the lands. He explained the success of community economic development and the well-being of their territory is tied to the assertion of their jurisdiction and sovereignty over these lands. 

Chief Dean Sayers (L) and Jessica Numminen (R) along the Chippewa River

During the two-day conference there were a total of 23 presenters, which included 4 keynote speakers, poster presentations and presentations from Elders, knowledge holders, the grassroots practitioners, academics, and students. These presentations covered a diversity of topics that highlighted challenges, successes and the ongoing work of what land stewardship is and can be. 

Some highlights were:

• The Coalition for Algoma Passenger Rail Train (CAPT) and the ongoing work and partnerships i.e. with Missanabie Cree First Nation. 
• How GIS is being used by Wahnapitae First Nation to strengthen their land use plans that addresses land use and resource management including ways to engage youth from the community to get them involved and out on the land. 
• The Serpent River First Nation is developing their own Environmental Review Process for any development within their territory. 
• Elder Raymond Owl, in his presentation Working Together to Stop Land Management Practices Harming Our Health, Home and Future Forests, pointed out in order to create change we must not just listen to Elders we must take the advice and do something.  
• Deborah McGregor during her talk on Anishinaabe Knowledge Traditions: Governance, Treaties and Environmental Justices pointed out that elders and knowledge holders just don’t have knowledge, they also teach us how to understand Anishinabeg knowledge based on the Anishinabeg natural law and its systems.

The conference focused on what is happening in Aboriginal communities in Northern Ontario and it  offered a great opportunity for the exchange of knowledge and teachings and innovative approaches to community development.