Catalina Clifford, who has been leading the project, says the idea for the creating the garden was a response to the Truth and Reconciliation (TRC) Report’s Calls to Action and the National Healing Forest Initiative. It is intended to honor survivors of Indian Residential Schools and their families, missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls and 2SLGBTQQIA+ gender diverse people.

The garden will be a space for quiet reflection, healing and ceremony, and it will be a place to learn about medicinal plants and Indigenous teachings.

Clifford told Perspective that the plan for the garden is that its design will follow an Indigenous Medicine Wheel and will incorporate four boulders, one for each of the four directions and an art work by an Indigenous artist in the centre. It will include plants that are sacred in Indigenous cultures— sage, tobacco, cedar, and sweetgrass.

Clifford expressed her thanks to the Wabano Centre for Aboriginal Health, the Rev. Nancy Best from the United Church, and Jolene Commanda from Kitigan Zibi Anishinabeg for their guidance and advice.

Clifford also expressed her thanks to the Anglican Diocese of Ottawa for its contribution of a $5,000 Future Fund grant, as well as to the Anglican Foundation of Canada, the David Suzuki Foundation, and Waste Connections of Canada for their financial support.

Kathryn Fournier, co-chair of the diocesan All My Relations Episcopal Panel, said that “the Navan Healing Garden, as I understand it, is an initiative that comes out of consultation with Indigenous elders and knowledge-keepers and incorporates a holistic medicine wheel approach.  The parish of St Mary’s in Navan has taken time to listen, learn and then act in order to establish this garden, and it could become a model for gestures of reconciliation across the Diocese. Not that every parish should consider a healing garden, that is not the point, but rather that parishes begin to contemplate how they might move beyond the preliminary steps of land acknowledgements and book study groups to actions that build relationships, demonstrate reciprocity and invite engagement.

The post Navan Healing Garden to be created in the spring appeared first on Perspective.

One person in our group, said: “Hearing from the young Land Protector, Jeronimo, touched my heart and my mind. ALL the presenters truly KNEW where they were from, where their own feet have stood, where their ancestors have stood, and they described this with as deep a love, respect, and stewardship of that land as they would express for their family members.”

Another, who used to live in North, shared that “Susan Aglukark’s film took me back to the Eastern Arctic, seeing children (including mine) playing in the snow. Her story about how surprising and unsettling it must have been in the very first moments of contact got me thinking how, in those days, across thousands of miles of Eastern Arctic, small clusters of people (maybe about 30 in a large camp) would have been surrounded by land and water and to suddenly see a large ship and qallunaat (people of European descent) with strange languages and customs, would have been such a shock!… And yet, Aglukark’s song, ‘O Siem’ tells us, her ancestors welcomed them!  “O Siem” is a joyful expression of welcome used for family, loved ones, and respected people, it is an anthem of unity and connection reminding us, “we are all family”!!”

Some of us remember hearing on the news the concerns of Indigenous Peoples and environmental groups about Bill C5 and the fast-tracking of approvals for large development projects. But many of us were not fully aware that treaty rights hadn’t been respected; nor were we fully aware of the significant potential harms to the environment and to Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities living nearby.  This hasn’t been covered adequately in mainstream media, nor has there been a national debate about the risks and benefits of developing Canada’s vast natural resources. Indigenous rights, economic development, and environmental sustainability aren’t mutually exclusive. Carefully planned and managed projects can benefit everyone.

All were touched deeply by the evening, we pray many more hearts and minds will be touched at all the stops on their tour, and beyond.

For more information about Ontario Nature and Its partners: https://ontarionature.org/events/together-for-nature-tour

— Mississippi Mills All My Relations

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Several Anglicans were honoured to be among volunteers selected to help carry the Memorial Cloth at the ceremony on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Sept. 30.

The Memorial Cloth is a 60-metre long banner of red fabric that bears the names of more than 4,000 children who were taken away from their Indigenous families and communities to attend Indian Residential Schools across Canada and who did not return home. Some died, often of diseases such as tuberculosis related to poor health conditions in the schools. Some tried to run away and were lost or died trying. This year, organizers said that the original cloth had been reprinted anew to include more names of children who had been identified as lost since the cloth was originally printed.

Algonquin Elder Claudette Commanda, the first Indigenous chancellor of the University of Ottawa, opened the ceremony with a prayer, thanking the Creator for the survivors of the schools and sending love to all the children who attended the schools. She prayed that September 30 would be a day of love and that all Canadians would carry that love in their hearts every day.

During the ceremony, survivors and dignitaries spoke interspersed with poetry and musical offerings from Indigenous artists. Partway into the program, volunteers gently brought the Memorial Cloth unfolded to its full length through the crowd to the stage where it was carefully folded and displayed prominently on the stage.

Janet Allingham, a member of the diocesan All My Relations Episcopal Panel and a parishioner at St. Barnabas, helped co-ordinate applications from the small group of Anglican women who volunteered to help carry the memorial cloth. “I could not help but notice the extreme care and respect with which organizers handled the Memorial Cloth during rehearsals: actions that made the children present to volunteers. Later, during practices, organizers encouraged us to walk in formation to prevent wrinkles from obscuring names,” she said. “As we walked, I thought about those names. I also remembered survivors and descendants many of whom still feel profound sorrow and loss on this and many other days…. The Memorial Cloth will lengthen over time. May this and other acts of remembrance inspire even more journeys of reconciliation in our own day and beyond.”

“The Memorial Cloth is both a visible and emotional reminder of the past, and it is part of the truth-telling,” said Jennifer Parr, a parishioner at St. Albans. “The first time I watched the memorial cloth go past me, it had more of an impact than anything I had read or heard. As you watch over 4,000 names go by you, and it wasn’t just hearing about the impact of residential schools. It’s seeing the names and imagining the people whose names are being carried on that cloth. So that, to me, to be able to carry the cloth and to carry those people in my heart as I carry the cloth, is very powerful.”

As she was waiting for the ceremony to begin, Julie Cross, a parishioner at St. Barnabas, told Perspective that she wanted to “challenge myself to remember what actually happened at the schools. I want to hold the Memorial Cloth and think about the names of the people that are right in front of me and think about what it meant to their families to lose them and not know where they were. And I want to listen and make a couple of new friends, so that I can participate better in the spirit of my country.”

During the ceremony, Governor-General Louise Arbour told the large crowd gathered that, “Honouring the truth is much more than remembering the past. It is how we begin to shape a different future. The right to truth is fundamental in any society seeking to come to terms with a painful past and to move forward on the path of reconciliation. But remembering is only one step. It must be accompanied by a commitment to ensure that injustices are never, ever repeated. We must build institutions, relationships, and attitudes that foster an environment where every person is treated with dignity, with equality, and respect. And we must also confront the forms of denialism, that persist despite extensive historical records and an undisputable body of evidence, including first-hand survivor testimony. …We need to stand together to face the future with strength.”

Marni Crossley, who is a parishioner at Christ Church Bells Corners, said that helping to carry the Memorial Cloth was a very emotional experience as she thought about the children that were lost, but she still felt privileged to be able to participate, listen and learn more about the trauma Indigenous people experiences to help her be a stronger ally.

Leigh Anne Williams, a parishioner at St. John the Evangelist, wrote:  “I was honoured to be among those chosen to carry the Memorial Cloth, but one of the first things I felt as I held up the cloth was shame —  the names of more than 4,000 children who left for school and never returned to their families, many more who returned with broken languages and connections to their families and communities, broken bodies and broken hearts. That is Canada’s shame, and I vow to continue to hold and carry that truth with me….I hope that to carry even a small piece of another’s sorrow momentarily or to walk alongside them while they weep, like drops of rain or tears shared by many across the country, eventually leads to healing.”

Valerie Maier, a parishioner from Church of the Epiphany who also helped to carry the Memorial Cloth, said she was struck by “the size of the banner and how many people it took to hold it. And then moving with the banner made me think about how we need to work together. …There were corners, we had to go around, so there’s not an easy trail. We worked together, and that’s what we have to do in the future. ….Remembering the past is really important, but we’re moving forward as well together… people from all walks of life, and generations, as well working together to do this.”

Karen Luyendyk, from St. Paul’s in Almonte, shared her thoughts on a similar theme. “As I arrived on the Hill early on the morning of Sept 30, I walked by drummers practicing on the big drum…I immediately thought, “I’m home.” I pondered why I’d had this thought as a non-Indigenous person… perhaps ‘the heartbeat’?  Yes, perhaps, but I also thought of the myriad ways colonialism suppressed Indigenous ceremony and practices and how all Canadians lost so very much as a result. Later in the day, Elder Claudette Commanda invited everyone to join a dancing circle as those same drummers closed the Ceremony of Remembrance, and I heard Niigaan Sinclair say, “This is how Canada was always meant to be.”  So … as I joined in the dance, holding the hands of people I was meeting in that moment … I was HOME!”

Seeing so many Canadians from all generations and walks of life joining in a Round Dance together offered a hopeful coda to the solemn and sombre ceremony and reflections of the day..

Anglican parishes observe the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation

St. John the Evangelist, Ottawa

Many Inuit families from St. Margaret’s parish attended a remembrance and social day at the Isaruit Arts Centre on St. Laurent Blvd. The stories and prayers were heartfelt, games brisk, and char chowder superb.

St. Thomas the Apostle, Ottawa

Gifts of comfort in Parish of the Valley

This is the third year quilters in the Parish of the Valley have sent a shipment of their handmade work to Quilts for Survivors (QFS), an organization that gives quilts to survivors of Indian Residential Schools, as a gesture of care and reconciliation.

The Rev. Matthew Brown blesses each year’s harvest of quilts in Holy Trinity Pembroke before they are packed up to be sent and distributed. This year, their gift included 40 quilt blocks, 12 quilts and 30 quilt tops.

As of October 1, QFS has shipped a total of 9,503 quilts to survivors since June of 2021. Their goal is to reach 10,000 by the end of this year.

Parish of the Valley quilters include: Helgard Hodgkinson, Maria McBride, Dianne Gale, Jean Ostrom, Karen Steinke and Marie Cheesman. They also received donations from quilting friends Jan Scheidt, Doris Collins, Sandy Hovanec, Betty Biesenthal and Jane Corbett.

The post Anglicans mark the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation 2026 appeared first on Perspective.

Together for Nature tour — Sept. 15

The All My Relations Episcopal Panel wants to draw attention to the Together for Nature tour, which will have an event in Ottawa on Sept. 15, as an opportunity to listen and learn from Indigenous artists, musicians and land protectors. There will be musical performances by renowned Inuit singer Susan Aglukark at each of the four events (Ottawa, Toronto, Kitchener and London, Ont.) In Ottawa, Juno-nominate singer-songwriter Terra Lightfoot will also perform.

There will be keynote addresses from Indigenous youth-led movements  Okiniwak and Here We Stand, as well as Friends of the Attawapiskat River. There will also be a screening of the short film, Here We Stand.

“This is just the kind of collaboration that we need to encourage,” AMR co-chair Kathryn Fournier told Perspective. “We can think of reconciliation as a goal that is somehow happening at some distance from our own lives….  I am more and more convinced that deep and lasting change comes when we hear stories, share in song and performance and use our creative spirits to build relationships.  I hope this event will be part of that process.”

The Ottawa event will be held at St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church at 7 pm. Tickets are $30, but some aid may be available if cost is a barrier.

ontarionature.org/events/together-for-nature-tour/

National Day for Truth and Reconciliation — Sept. 30

A public commemoration is planned for noon on Parliament Hill to honour residential school survivors, families, and children lost. Contact your local parish to ask about the ways they may be planning to mark the day locally.

Journeying with Allies discusses Aglukark memoir — Oct. 18 

The diocesan All My Relations book group warmly invites you to read and join in Sunday afternoon discussions of books by Indigenous authors. The 2026-2027 season starts up with Kihiani: A Memoir of Healing by award winning Inuk musician Susan Aglukark (with Andrea Warner). Paper and audio copies are available through the public library and local bookstores; Try to read at least the first five chapters in advance. All welcome! St. Margaret’s Vanier (205 Montreal Road) 2 pm to 4 pm.

The post Listening to Indigenous voices appeared first on Perspective.

Co-sponsored by Kateri Native Ministry and St. Joseph’s Parish, this event gave the more than 200 attendees the opportunity to learn about “respectful dialogue and relationship-building.” Donna Naughton, executive director of the Kateri Native Ministry of Ottawa introduced Sinclair, who began by referencing the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Call to Action #61, one of four calls addressed to churches.

Acknowledging that “there will never be an end to some actions,” he pointed to increased awareness of what reconciliation means, referencing the 50 percent of Canadians who now own Orange Shirts.

He then challenged the audience with the question “What can YOU do?”  Referring to justice as “the most important part” of the TRC’s work, he identified the five Calls to Action that specifically address the roles of churches: (1) Define ‘Truth and Reconciliation’; (2) Offer the gift of space; (3) Challenge indifference; (4) Act with integrity; and (5) Become allies in the Spirit.

Define Truth and Reconciliation 

Affirming that Truth comes before Reconciliation, Sinclair referred to the deaths of children at residential schools as undeniable. Nowadays, he stated, both Indigenous and non-Indigenous people are talking about love, even though new stories are emerging. Finding the children is worth the search, he asserted, and the search has begun.

Offer the gift of space

Acknowledging that sharing space is complex, Sinclair referenced the visit of Canadian Indigenous leaders to the Vatican. Interestingly, Pope Francis met the visitors in the picture gallery, where some paintings depict the Doctrine of Discovery. Calling this a first for the Vatican, he noted that the guests, clad in traditional regalia, presented the Pope with two pairs of children’s moccasins. A visitor asked, “Can you carry them?” Responding that he would try, he later declared in Alberta “I have the moccasins.”

Sinclair then challenged the audience with a question: “The cross in a church is beautiful: how do Indigenous People feel about it?”

Challenge indifference 

Sinclair observed that while the 2022 Papal Apology targeted indifference, the Pope affirmed that indifference leads to violence and harm. This, he explained, was the result of not speaking up. He challenged the audience to remember Stephen, stoned by those who were indifferent. (Acts 7:54-60). Jesus, he pointed out, continuously espoused love, saying that all are welcome and all deserve to eat. Describing the indifference of some students who mocked their Indigenous classmates, he affirmed that “This cannot be the order of the day.” In closing, Sinclair challenged the audience with this question: How does our church respond to indifference?

Act with integrity

Sinclair applauded Governor General Mary Simon for speaking truth to power when she addressed the Pope. Referring to water as “the great teacher of connection,” Sinclair said that for Jesus “All things are bent towards the flow of creation… (and) we need to go to places where we are all connected.” He added, “God is in the land. There is no need to take children away from it.”

Become allies in the Spirit 

Observing that the Pope said little when he visited the Canadian North, Sinclair pointed out that the Pontiff chose to focus instead on listening to the people. Once back on the plane for his trip home, he responded to a journalist’s direct question with, “Yes, I use the word genocide.” One month later, reported Sinclair, the Canadian government issued a statement acknowledging the Vatican’s decision to rescind the Doctrine of Discovery, describing it as “racist, colonial concept.”  He noted that despite the closure of many churches, (some) people continue as communities of faith and allies. “What will happen if we don’t care enough about ‘being Church?” he challenged.  “If we do enough, we might change the world…but that is only if we commit to love and pain and suffering and stop indifference.”

Concluding his presentation on a lighter note, Sinclair asked the audience: “What would Jesus say about Orange Shirts? The answer: Jesus would ask: “Do you have my size?”

— Janet Allingham and Karen Luyendyk are members of the diocesan All My Relations Episcopal Panel

A time for reconcili-action

May 5 is Red Dress Day, a National Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls and Two-Spirit People.

Red Dress Day is followed by National Indigenous History Month in June, a time for Indigenous Peoples, non-Indigenous, and new Canadians to reflect upon and learn about the history, sacrifices, cultures, contributions, and strengths of First Nations, Inuit and Métis.

For many Canadians, the history of Indigenous peoples and Canada was, until recently, unknown. Generations of Canadians have lived their lives without knowing about residential schools, the historic and ongoing impacts of the Indian Act, the significance of treaties, or the contributions of Indigenous peoples to the mosaic that is Canada. With gratitude for the work of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, non-Indigenous Canadians, governments and churches have been given a guide to what we can do to learn and to promote healing more broadly: the Calls to Action! https://nctr.ca/about/truth-and-reconciliation-commission-of-canada-calls-to-action/

Parishes are invited to explore ways of honouring and celebrating National Indigenous Peoples Day and the National Indigenous Day of Prayer; in 2026 these two days coincide, on Sunday June 21!!

It is our hope and prayer that acknowledgement, reflection, celebration, discomfort, and remorse lead to actions towards reconciliation, relationship, and right relations.

Not sure what to do?  Here are some resources to get you started:

Video resources that you can include in your service on Sunday June 21 were created in 2021 with the diocesan All My Relations Panel (AMR)

https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjbS6tqPW5bAf1HXOI0aHo5ycFEQVNYHN

Anglican Church of Canada resources:

Indigenous Ministries https://www.anglican.ca/im/

Bible Readings: consider using the First Nations New Testament https://firstnationsversion.com/book/first-nations-version/

Prayers of the People

Litany from the National Church video can be used with attribution. This has an Indigenous voice and a non-Indigenous voice https://www.anglican.ca/wp-content/uploads/LITANY-We-are-still-here.pdf

Remembering the Children prayer https://www.rememberingthechildren.ca/tour/documents/prayer.pdf

After June 21 and Indigenous History Month have passed, stay involved in the journey by watching the diocesan AMR website for events and opportunities. https://ottawa.anglican.ca/indigenous-justice

The National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation and the Legacy of Hope Foundation of Canada provide resources of all kinds, check them out to start or continue on your journey of healing and reconciliation!

Email allmyrelations@ottawa.anglican.ca with questions and ideas about next steps or to share your events with other parishes in the Diocese.

A time for reconcili-action

May 5 is Red Dress Day, a National Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls and Two-Spirit People.

Red Dress Day is followed by National Indigenous History Month in June, a time for Indigenous Peoples, non-Indigenous, and new Canadians to reflect upon and learn about the history, sacrifices, cultures, contributions, and strengths of First Nations, Inuit and Métis.

For many Canadians, the history of Indigenous peoples and Canada was, until recently, unknown. Generations of Canadians have lived their lives without knowing about residential schools, the historic and ongoing impacts of the Indian Act, the significance of treaties, or the contributions of Indigenous peoples to the mosaic that is Canada. With gratitude for the work of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, non-Indigenous Canadians, governments and churches have been given a guide to what we can do to learn and to promote healing more broadly: the Calls to Action! https://nctr.ca/about/truth-and-reconciliation-commission-of-canada-calls-to-action/

Parishes are invited to explore ways of honouring and celebrating National Indigenous Peoples Day and the National Indigenous Day of Prayer; in 2026 these two days coincide, on Sunday June 21!!

It is our hope and prayer that acknowledgement, reflection, celebration, discomfort, and remorse lead to actions towards reconciliation, relationship, and right relations.

Not sure what to do?  Here are some resources to get you started:

Video resources that you can include in your service on Sunday June 21 were created in 2021 with the diocesan All My Relations Panel (AMR)

Anglican Church of Canada resources:

Indigenous Ministries

Bible Readings: consider using the First Nations New Testament

Prayers of the People

Litany from the National Church video can be used with attribution. This has an Indigenous voice and a non-Indigenous voice 

Remembering the Children prayer

After June 21 and Indigenous History Month have passed, stay involved in the journey by watching the diocesan AMR website for events and opportunities. https://ottawa.anglican.ca/indigenous-justice

The National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation and the Legacy of Hope Foundation of Canada provide resources of all kinds, check them out to start or continue on your journey of healing and reconciliation!

Email allmyrelations@ottawa.anglican.ca with questions and ideas about next steps or to share your events with other parishes in the Diocese.

The post Ten years later, Niigaan Sinclair challenges churches and Christians to answer the TRC Calls to Action appeared first on Perspective.

At our gathering, we heard about new and ongoing projects that many of you are engaged in and we all shared the challenges of competing priorities, diminishing resources and not knowing how to get started.  We also talked about how the All My Relations Episcopal Panel could support parishes/congregations wherever you’re at with learning opportunities, guest speakers, workshops and by sharing stories; an AMR newsletter was suggested as well as a more visible and accessible AMR webpage on the Diocesan website.

In response to the excellent presentation at Synod about the ceramic feathers gifted to parishes at the conclusion of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, and in light of our discussions at the Circle Gathering about honouring and integrating them into parish life, the AMR Panel is considering how we might support this across the diocese in 2026.

Everyone who attended expressed a desire for another virtual Circle Gathering in the new year and then an in-person meeting once winter is over. So, stay tuned!!

We hope all of you will join us as we continue to live out the commitment of our Diocese and the Anglican Church of Canada to this vital and deeply meaningful work, and we invite you to be in touch with us if you have questions or simply want to check in for a conversation about something.

Contact us at: amr.workinggroup@gmail.com

The post All My Relations Circle shares ideas and inspirations appeared first on Perspective.

In his 2020 autobiography, What I Remember, What I Know: The Life of a High Arctic Exile, Larry Audlaluk exposed this Qallunaaq to the life-threatening lies and promises the Canadian government told his family, friends and community, forcing them to relocate, survive and thrive in a foreign environment, known as Grise Fiord, now Aujuittuq (Inuktitut for “place that never thaws”) 2,200 kilometers northeast from their home in Inujjuak.

While Larry was only three at the time of their forced exile in the 1950s, the collective memories and stories from living witnesses provide some of the weathered material for his early childhood experiences. The seven families from Inujjuak who were forced into exile were victims of a multi-purposed, inhumane, experiment: to populate an area against the invasion of Greenland hunters’ to “rehabilitate” the Inuit to become less dependent on government handouts by moving them to less populated areas to “follow the native way of life”; “to determine if Eskimos can be induced to live on the northern islands”; to use them as human flagpoles for Canadian sovereignty.

The human flagpoles became thin and battered in their desolate new environment. Given empty promises of “a land of plenty” and provisions to be provided, they arrived to a stark reality of a barren land and no provisions. They lacked basic necessities: food, shelter, heat. They arrived in August in a land that lacked some of their usual food sources. On their first day, three large families and at least six dog teams had to survive on one harp seal some of the men caught. The only shelter they had were tents because they were expected to build igluit, but the snow required to build them does not arrive until December in that region. Due to the lack of vegetation, they had to heat with moss they collected kilometres from the site. They weathered their first winter wearing their clothing day and night. That winter of near-freezing survival led to lifelong arthritic problems for some of the displaced people.

The aptly named “Prison Island” chapter of his autobiography recounts the imposed incarceration of Larry’s family in the new environment. They lacked medical services. Tuberculosis and starvation plagued them. If, due to hunger, they foraged for leftover scraps in the base dump at the Department of Transportation six kilometers away, they were reprimanded. Despite the government’s promises to return the deportees back to their homes from where they were taken, if requested, after two years, multiple requests were repeatedly denied. In addition, the northern bureaucrats lied in their reports to their southern counterparts about what a positive success the relocation was, in accounts generally being accepted by the exiles.

By the 1960s, the deportees were coping and surviving. Larry says they were the best years of his childhood, and in general, those of his whole family. Their homemade shacks were replaced with houses from the south. Radio and television were enabling them to experience new sounds and sights, even in their Inuktitut language. Although he wrangled with the notion that “the world is much smaller now,” due to the report of the new Russian and American space race, he enjoyed listening to musical shows such as The Max Ferguson Show, Gilmour’s Albums, Wolfman Jack, Kalaallit (western Greenlandic comedy).

I felt in step with Larry, for we were born but 10 days apart. As he grew in his teens, we shared similar experiences of teen crushes, taste in music, hairstyling, clothing. But he was torn being in two worlds, forced from his family to attend distant boarding school and abandoning the hands-on learning of his traditional life skills.

Larry had to endure loneliness and separation from his family, not only leaving for school but also numerous times for medical treatment, crossing swaths of the country and staying in new cultural settings. He had an adventurous spirit, which allowed him to marvel at his new encounters, yet he missed his family, country food and being on the land. The notes he wrote on his experiences provided the wealth of material for this autobiography.

Larry’s family’s story of forced deportation, separation, death, survival, adaptation and resilience is as well-sculpted as the sculptures he and his father have produced. Their sacrifices have enabled this Qallunaaq to live in peace in the sovereign nation of Canada.

Nakurmiik Larry!

kamiik—a pair of seal/caribou boots;

Qallunaaq—a white person

igluit—snow houses [previously mispronounced and spelled “igloos”]

nakurmiik—thank you in one of the Inuktitut dialects

The post Reading Larry Audlaluk’s What I Remember, What I Know: The Life of a High Arctic Exile appeared first on Perspective.

Think Indigenous: Native American Spirituality for a Modern World by Doug Good Feather
This insightful work, authored by a Lakota elder, offers readers a way to connect with their own innate spirituality. Doug Good Feather explains the difference between appreciating and appropriating cultural practices and describes the Native American Medicine Wheel teachings for the seven directions and their related virtues. He also offers suggestions for those who wish to apply these concepts to the challenges we currently face in the modern world. The book addresses conscious living, mindful consumption, and living in community with others.

Braiding Sweetgrass for Young Adults: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge, and the Teachings of Plants by Monique Gray Smith (Adapted from Robin Wall Kimmerer’s Braiding Sweetgrass)
This book combines Indigenous teachings with scientific understanding, focusing on the relationship between humans and the natural world. The author’s deep respect for plants and their teachings is a beautiful reminder of the importance of reciprocity and interconnectedness – key themes for reconciliation and environmental stewardship. The discussion of the Windigo offers a perspective on reconciliation that encourages us to seek a deeper kind of love and connection that is not always emphasized in dominant cultural narratives. Adapted for young people with illustrations and highlighted comments and questions, this book speaks to readers of all ages.

Permanent Astonishment by Tomson Highway
A deeply personal and moving account of growing up in a Cree family in northern Manitoba, this memoir is a beautiful exploration of how Indigenous culture persists in the face of adversity. Tomson Highway paints a vivid picture of his childhood, rich with spiritual connections, humour, strong family bonds, and a deep relationship with the natural world, while also confronting the enduring impacts of the residential school system.

21 Things You May Not Know About the Indian Act by Bob Joseph
This book is essential reading for anyone looking to better understand the legal framework that has shaped the relationship between Indigenous peoples and Canada. Bob Joseph explains the historical and current impacts of the Indian Act in a clear and accessible way, offering insights into the systemic injustices that persist today.

The Reason You Walk by Wab Kinew

A powerful and endearing memoir that reflects on the author’s relationship with his father, a respected medicine man, and his own journey as a political leader and advocate for Indigenous rights. Wab Kinew explores themes of family, reconciliation, and cultural healing, sharing his struggles with addiction, stories of personal growth, and the impact of his father’s legacy.

Affiliated with the All My Relations Circle at the Anglican Diocese of Ottawa, the Journeying as Allies reading group welcomes readers of all backgrounds. Meeting four times a year, both in person and online, we discuss a mix of fiction, non-fiction, and young adult titles by Indigenous authors. These conversations deepen our understanding of Indigenous cultures, histories, and the challenges facing communities today, while helping us become better allies and advocates for reconciliation. To learn more or to join our mailing list, contact allmyrelations@ottawa.anglican.ca. 

The post Reading for reconciliation appeared first on Perspective.

Those who came to St. Margaret’s on this September 30 listened to and watched a recorded message from National Indigenous Archbishop Chris Harper to Anglicans across Canada as the homily.

“It is a day that many churches across this land will pause and have special services. It is a day when many [at]… municipal gatherings will reflect and tell stories and will share the history that all of us have inherited in the residential experience. But that experience is felt in different ways, especially for the Indigenous people — how many were traumatized…. And it is them that we also need to uphold in prayer and honor their stories….”

He said he likes the new variation of the word reconciliation that has emerged: reconciliaction. “It’s something that we do together.” … September 30th is a day “for all of us to first listen to the truth of the other and the Indigenous experience and what they live in every day. I ask that you listen with an open heart and a prayer that we together may seek reconciliation together. Check your hearts for the fences and the gates of defense that may hinder you from the shared journey of healing and hope.”

Individual Anglicans and parish groups honoured the day in various ways, including wearing orange and reflecting on the history of Indian Residential Schools and colonialism in Canada during worship services on Sunday, Sept. 29.

A group of parishioners from St. Bartholomew’s in Ottawa accompanied Incumbent the Rev. Canon Catherine Ascah on a reconciliation walking pilgrimage through Beechwood Cemetery, reflecting on the history of residential schools as they visited the graves of Nicholas Flood Davin, an architect of the residential school system, and Duncan Campbell Scott, the superintendent of the Department of Indian Affairs from 1913-1922. They also visited the grave of Dr. Peter Bryce, who was hired by the department to report on health conditions in the residential schools. His highly critical report called for major changes at the schools but was buried by the government at the time. He was forced to retire but later self-published his report. So many people leave messages of thanks at his grave that a mailbox has been placed there. They also paused at a plaque dedicated to Métis historian, journalist and author Olive Dickason, a key figure the study of Indigenous history in Canada. Other Anglicans took part in historical tours offered by Beechwood Cemetery and attended its screening of the film Spirit Bear: Echoes of the Past.

In Almonte, the Rev. Jonathan Kouri and parishioners from St. Paul’s attended and helped out as volunteers at a community event Reconciliation Through Art, which included an exhibit of works from Indigenous artists.

Kathryn Fournier, an Indigenous member of the diocesan All My Relations Circle (AMRC) led 15 people from her hiking group and AMRC co-chair Gwynneth Evans on a walk on the Chief Pinesi Portage Trail, which offers historical information about the Algonquin chief whose traditional hunting area surrounds the trail near the confluence of the Ottawa, Gatineau and Rideau rivers.

Fournier told Crosstalk the broad interest in September 30 is encouraging, but she thinks it is important for Canadians to know that residential schools were only one of the tools in the toolkit created to “eliminate the ‘Indian problem,’ which was seen as an impediment to the creation of Canada.” She mentioned The Indian Act as an example. “I hope that we use September 30, as well as June, Indigenous People’s History Month,… as times to better inform ourselves about the whole picture that goes way, way beyond residential schools.”

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