Join us: Monday, September 30th for the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation March in Winnipeg
Between 1831 to 1996, more than 150,000 children went to residential schools, where staff abused and neglected them. Thousands died at the schools and never returned home to see their families.
We are participating in this walk in honour of these children and their families. We encourage you to wear an Orange Shirt on this day. The CFR team will be in front of the Children’s Museum at 10:am to hand out t-shirts at no cost to our participants, partners and others.
Please invite your network of colleagues, friends and families to this important event.
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Two videos about the 2023 National Day for Truth and Reconciliation on Treaty 1 Territory in Winnipeg, Manitoba
The Winnipeg administrative offices of Circles for Reconciliation Inc. are on Treaty 1 territory – the traditional land of the Ininiw (Cree), Anishinábé (Ojibwé), Anisininew (Ojibwé Cree), Dakota and Dene people, as well as the Birthplace of the Métis Nation and the Heart of the Métis Homeland. Circles for Reconciliation is an Indigenous-led non-profit corporation, with at least 51 % of our Board of Directors being peoples of First Nation, Inuit, or Métis status. Circles for Reconciliation is a registered charity, registration no. 748256930RR0001.
Circles for Reconciliation is grateful for all who have joined the journey to reconciliation on the traditional territories of the Mississaugas of the Credit, the Anishnabeg, the Chippewa, the Haudenosaunee and the Wendat peoples. We acknowledge that Tkaronto is covered by Treaty 13 signed with the Mississaugas of the Credit, and the Williams Treaties signed with multiple Mississaugas and Chippewa Bands. As of October 31, 2023, we sadly had to lay off the Toronto Team due to severe lack of funding. Our Winnipeg team will continue to address the waiting registrants or hosts in this area.
What we do
The aim of Circles for Reconciliation is to establish trusting, meaningful relationships between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples as part of the 94 Calls to Action from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC).
The means to achieve this is the creation of small gatherings of an equal number of Indigenous and non-Indigenous people in discussion circles.
Every Circle needs five Indigenous and five non-Indigenous participants. Relationships are built by equal voices.
How we do it
- Each group of ten participants, led by two trained facilitators, meets weekly or biweekly for ten gatherings 90 minutes in length.
- These ten meetings allow for the beginnings of respectful relationships, which the TRC stresses is the basis of reconciliation.
- The participants sit in a circle, providing greater opportunities for sharing and being respectful of traditional Indigenous values and customs.
- Themes for each Circle continue to be developed and, where necessary, are being adapted to different Indigenous customs and practices across Canada.
Did you know...?
As we move towards the later months of the season, for Southern Manitoba, the time to pick sage is now!
White sage, also known as prairie sage, is a traditional medicine for many Indigenous nations across this region and it can be found growing in ditches, parks, and many other areas.
This medicine has been used by Indigenous people for many generations for many reasons, including the cleansing of energies of people and spaces. Additionally, the medicine has become very popular among Indigenous youth as it has been found to aid with anxiety.
Due to the sacredness of the picking and use of this medicine, protocols have been developed to maintain a good relationship between the harvester, Creator, and the land. First, tobacco should always be given as an offering and a prayer should be said before picking. This gives thanks, acknowledges, and pays respect to the relationships between the individual, Mother Earth, the plant, and Creator. Intentions of healing should also be expressed during this time. Another important protocol is that the picker must only take as much as they need. This ensures that the plant can live, grow, and thrive. Additionally, this ensures that the medicine will be available for the use of future generations.
This use of traditional medicine highlights the TRC’s Call to Action #22, which calls for Aboriginal healing practices to be rightfully recognized and valued by the Canadian healthcare system. Hopefully, by sharing the knowledge and practice of Indigenous medicines, healthcare practitioners in Canada can become more familiar with their uses and will be more open to their usage in a clinical setting.
Happy picking!
Leena Tetrault.
View the “Did you know?” archives at this link.
2024 National Indigenous Peoples Day Highlights
New Theme Video
Kéhtéyátis (Elder) Clarence Anderson shares a story about The Mouse and The Weasel speaking in Cree. “If you talk to me, I will be your friend too…”
Circles for Reconciliation is recognizing the principles in Call To Action #14 of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Report – “i. Aboriginal languages are a fundamental and valued element of Canadian culture and society, and there is an urgency to preserve them.” This video is used in the theme presentations in our Sharing Circles. Video editing provided by Austin Apetagon.
Read more about Kéhtéyátis (Elder) Clarence Anderson at this link.