On Sunday evening, May 5, forty five of us gathered for the Blanket Exercise facilitated by Steve van de Hoef (Christian Reformed Centre for Public Dialogue) and Elna Siebring (Diaconal Ministries Canada). We were welcomed to the exercise with as many as fifteen overlapping blankets were laid out on the floor; symbols of warmth, comfort and care. Then, without our shoes, we stepped onto blankets representing Turtle Island (later know as Canada) before the arrival of the Europeans.
The story was told using an interactive script that involved everyone: two designate Europeans while the remainder of us acted as indigenous peoples. As the story unfolded, many of us were moved off Turtle Island as starvation and small pox depleted our populations. Blankets were folded up into smaller portions and separated from each other symbolic of the historical events from the 1493 “Doctrine of Discovery” to the BNA Act and Indian Act of 1876, from the formation of the Canada and USA border to the construction of the railway which slowly and intentionally broke apart the indigenous peoples. Those of us representing children who were sent to Residential schools were moved to a separate blanket. And the children who did return to their families and communities, had backs turned on them, symbolic of a way of life lost to them.
A debrief in smaller groups evoked responses that included despair and anger, sadness and humility, but also hopefulness for future reconciliation for Canada’s Aboriginal peoples. A time of prayer for our indigenous peoples and a call to move forward toward reconciliation closed our time together.
Plans for June:
Sundays, June 2, 9, 16: Worship will focus us on a Biblical understanding of reconciliation. The art exhibit – A Creator’s sacrifice will be on display. A number of evening events are also being planned.
Saturday June 15: A day of workshops and fellowship with quest Ray Aldred, a member of the Swan River Cree Nation in Alberta and theology professor at Ambrose Seminary in Calgary.
Sunday June 16: Designated Aboriginal Sunday. We will hear from the Fort Babine team and give thanks for Holy Spirit breathed understanding and newness in and through the Willoughby church fellowship.