Truth and Reconciliation: Reversing the River

Hmmm, are we prepared tobuild the future together?

Unless you are leaving under a rock, you know that Canada observed the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation for the first time this week. The day honours the lost children and Survivors of the terrible residential schools as well as their families and communities.

.At present, the residential school system is getting most of the headlines – and rightly so. The Truth and Reconciliation Commission estimates that 6,000 children died while attending these schools. Some sources believe the real figure is closer to 15,000.

The discovery ofhundreds of unmarked graves on the grounds of some of the residential schoolproperties has renewed the trauma. Unfortunately, many more will likely befound. But the reality is that the residential school system was only one partof what amounted to cultural genocide carried out against First Nations people.

The root source of muchof this discrimination is the Indian Actthat was introduced in 1876. In addition to authorizing the residential schoolsystem, it also significantly restricted the rights of First Nations residentsand asserted control over reserve land. It is an Act that should have beenrepealed and replaced long ago. But it is still on the books.

Further back, the issue of land rights emerges. I did some research on this topic for a short story I wrote a number of years back. I learned about the Toronto Purchase.

The British negotiatedthe purchase of land from the First Nations in the 18th Century. Butthe First Nations people had no concept of land ownership. They believed allland belonged to the Creator and that they were only agreeing to share their land.

That treaty was neveractually signed and became known as TheBlank Deed. The British restarted negotiations in the early 1800’s and gotsignatures this time around. Disputes continue to this day over what waspromised to the First Nations in this and other treaties.

I have some personalexperience to relate. I grew up in Hagersville which borders the Six NationsReservation. High school age youth from some parts of the reservation werebussed into Hagersville High School. It was very much an us and them mentality.There were many derogatory terms used to refer to the youth from the Reserve.

I recall walking alongthe street after school one day. I saw a group of Indian youth ahead of me someof whom I had classes with. I sped up and caught up with the group. When theysaw me, they turned and declared: “You can’t walk with us. Don’t you know? Werape white girls!” They had a good belly laugh about it and continued on. The culturaldivide was clear.

History is sometimesequated to a river. Streams of contributing events converge over time to form alarger outcome for better or for worse. In the case of First Nations in Canada,it regrettably has largely been for the worse.

There is much to be doneto reverse the flow of that river looking ahead. Acknowledging uncomfortable,often unconscionable truths is a first step. Reconciliation requires thewillingness to correct mistakes where that is still possible and the desire tobuild the future together respecting our differences and celebrating oursimilarities.

 ~ Now Available Online from Amazon, Chapters Indigo or Barnes &Noble: Hunting Muskie, Rites of Passage – Stories by Michael Robert Dyet

~ Michael Robert Dyet is alsothe author of Until the Deep Water Stills – An Internet-enhanced Novel whichwas a double winner in the Reader Views Literary Awards 2009. Visit Michael’swebsite at www.mdyetmetaphor.com or the novel online companion at www.mdyetmetaphor.com/blog .

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