As Canadians prepare to reflect on National Truth and Reconciliation Day on Sept. 30, there are a troubling number of truths that must be understood and accepted if reconciliation is to be found.
The cultural genocide of Indigenous peoples in residential schools is, of course, top of mind with the discovery of mass graves at many of these 鈥渟chools鈥� across the country.
The generational trauma passed on from these horrific abuses will take generations to heal, and even then, the pain and suffering experienced will persist.
It cannot be forgotten that traditional lands were stolen from Indigenous peoples so that European settlers could establish communities of their own and prosper on major bodies of water where trading posts once stood.
While the French, English and other settlers thrived on these lands, Indigenous peoples were forced onto reserves if they wanted to continue living a semblance of their traditional lifestyles, lands on which they still possess no ownership.
These are but a few truths that must be accepted if we are to move forward with healing and reconciling the wrongs committed in the past and present.
However, reconciliation will be easier if we truly appreciate and understand that much of what makes Canada the country it is, and Canadians the people they are, is a result of the many influences and contributions of Indigenous Canadians on our history and our national identity.
One obvious influence is the vast number of waterways and geographical locations in the country that organically took on Indigenous names (Kanata becoming Canada being but one obvious example).
For many Canadians, canoeing and kayaking in our rugged outdoors is a favourite pastime and is engrained in many as part of their individual and national identities, but these recreational activities were once the main mode of transportation for the first peoples that inhabited this land, and it was the Indigenous partners who shared these technologies and knowledge of place with newcomers.
European settlers and their Indigenous partners travelled the nation鈥檚 waterways in canoes and kayaks along well-established trade routes from coast to coast to coast, transporting goods 鈥� specifically the furs that were to become the foundation of Canada鈥檚 economy. These waterways are still used for commerce today, as are the highways, railways, pipelines and power lines that followed.
Without the knowledge, experiences, medicines and technologies that were shared with European settlers, the social, political and economic ties that allowed them to survive and thrive on this often-harsh landscape would not have been possible.
Much of our identities as Canadians and as individuals have roots in Indigenous cultures and reconciliation should come naturally as we embrace who we truly are and the history and cultural influences that have shaped our people and our nation.
Jason Stockfish,
[email protected]
