Page 11 - December 2, 2019
P. 11
THE WEEKLY ANCHOR
THE WEEKLY ANCHOR MONDAY NOVEMBER 25, 2019 PAGE 11
MONDAY DECEMBER 2, 2019 PAGE 11
Powerful KAIROS Blanket Exercise recognizes Canada's past
by Cassie Kushniruk
“In order for Canada to become a country, we
need to recognize our past,” said Keepers of the
Athabasca Workshop Coordinator Joseph Large
during the KAIROS Blanket Exercise at the
Edson Friendship Centre on November 21.
The Keepers of the Athabasca is a group of
First Nations, Metis, Inuit, environmental groups
and watershed citizens who work together for the
protection of water, land and air in the Athabasca
River Watershed.
Around a year and a half ago, the Keepers of
the Athabasca received funding to create a series
of workshops to educate members of the public
on themes connected to their mission.
One of these workshops, dubbed the KAIROS
Blanket Exercise, is a unique, participatory
history lesson developed to 'foster understanding
about our shared history as Indigenous and non- On November 21, community members gathered at the Edson Friendship Centre to participate in the
Indigenous peoples'. “It reenacts about 200 years Keepers of the Athabasca's KAIROS Blanket Exercise. Pictured is Workshop Coordinator Joseph Large
of history from when the colonial people arrived (far left) teaching participants about the approximate 200 years of Indigenous history in Canada. photo
[in Canada] to residential schools,” said Keepers Cassie Kushniruk
of the Athabasca Co-Chair Paul Belanger.
“We want to bring this particular workshop to
many communities in the Athabasca Watershed
from Jasper to Hinton right through to Fort
McMurray,” Belanger added.
During the most recent exercise in Edson, a
series of blankets were set up in the Friendship
Centre, representing the land occupied by
Indigenous nations prior to Confederation. Each
participant was given a colored card and stood on
the blankets to symbolize the various Indigenous
nations that were affected by European
colonization. As Large described each event that
took its toll on Indigenous peoples as a result of
Confederation, selected participants were asked
to step off their blankets to represent the
Indigenous people who died or were displaced On November 21, community members gathered at the Edson Friendship Centre to participate in the
from their communities. Keepers of the Athabasca's KAIROS Blanket Exercise. photo Cassie Kushniruk
Large began the workshop by explaining the
history of Indigenous peoples in Canada, starting excellent as participants were fully immersed and
in the 15th century when European explorers practicing spirituality. had visual representations of land and territory
first discovered Canada, known to the In the mid-1800s to the 1990s, the federal through the blankets. “When you're just given
Indigenous Peoples as Turtle Island at the time. government took First Nations, Inuit and Metis numbers on a piece of paper it doesn't mean as
In the beginning, there was cooperation children from their homes and communities and much as when you can have a visual reference to
between the European settlers and the Indigenous placed them in boarding schools run by churches, make that connection,” she said.
communities who occupied the land, Large said. which were often located far from their homes. One participant stated that she was deeply
“They recognized [Indigenous communities] as “Most students say that they suffered from very affected by the exercise, as all events mentioned
independent nations with whom they could make bad conditions and different kinds of abuses,” had happened in her own family at one point of
treaties,” he added. “The treaties officially said Large.“Many lost family connections and time. “I was married young, and just before I was
recognized their power and independence as didn't learn their language, culture and traditions going to have my child, I had an agent tell me
nations.” because they rarely went home. Many never that by the time my child was born, they were
Large continued, “For the Indigenous people, returned home or had trouble reintegrating if going to take him away,” she recalled. “My mom
the treaties were very special and sacred they did.” had to give my husband permission for us to
agreements, but the Europeans had a different Although the official partnership between the leave just so that my child wouldn't be taken
view. For them, the land was something that federal government and the churches ended in away. [My child] is 52 now.”
could be bought and sold, and treaties were their the 1970s, some residential schools continued to “The violence of colonization has left a lot of
way of getting the Indigenous People to give up operate until the 1990s. pain,” Large closed. “In order for Canada to
their land.” From the 1960s to the 1980s, thousands of First become a country, we need to recognize our past.
“After a while, we didn't get along very well Nations and Metis children were taken from their We need to acknowledge it in order to step
with the Europeans,” Large stated. When the War homes and adopted or fostered, primarily by non- forward.”
of 1812 ended, the Europeans no longer needed Indigenous people. This period was known as the
Indigenous people to help them fight, and Sixties Scoop, and many Indigenous children
Happ
European newcomers turned towards farming experienced violence, racism and abuse during Happy 24th Birthdayy 24th Birthday
and started looking for more land as the fur trade this time and often lost connection to their
Che
dried up. identity and culture. Cheynayna
Large stated that during this time, Indigenous “Over the years, more than 70% of the land set
December 7
people lost more than just their land, but also aside for Indigenous people in the treaties has December 7
their way of living, culture, “and in some cases, been lost or stolen,” mentioned Large. Belanger
their reason to live”. added, “One way the Canadian government
When the Constitution was signed in 1867, pressures Indigenous peoples to leave their lands
Indigenous peoples and lands reserved for and assimilate is by failing to provide enough
Indigenous peoples were put under the control of funds for basic services.” This includes basic
the federal government. services such as clean drinking water and house
In 1876, all laws dealing with Indigenous repairs.
peoples were gathered and put into the Indian At this time, participants were asked to share
Act, which was used to “attack who [the their experience after having completed the
Indigenous people] were as people”. “They were KAIROS Blanket Exercise. One participant
treated like they knew nothing and couldn't run noted, “I had no clue what the blanket ceremony
their own lives,” Large said. was. It was excellent. I would really like to see
The Indian Act forced Indigenous peoples onto the whole world wake up to see what Canada
reserves and restricted them from voting, leaving truly is and where we truly come from.”
their reserve, talking about their rights, and Another attendant stated that the exercise was
THE WEEKLY ANCHOR MONDAY NOVEMBER 25, 2019 PAGE 11
MONDAY DECEMBER 2, 2019 PAGE 11
Powerful KAIROS Blanket Exercise recognizes Canada's past
by Cassie Kushniruk
“In order for Canada to become a country, we
need to recognize our past,” said Keepers of the
Athabasca Workshop Coordinator Joseph Large
during the KAIROS Blanket Exercise at the
Edson Friendship Centre on November 21.
The Keepers of the Athabasca is a group of
First Nations, Metis, Inuit, environmental groups
and watershed citizens who work together for the
protection of water, land and air in the Athabasca
River Watershed.
Around a year and a half ago, the Keepers of
the Athabasca received funding to create a series
of workshops to educate members of the public
on themes connected to their mission.
One of these workshops, dubbed the KAIROS
Blanket Exercise, is a unique, participatory
history lesson developed to 'foster understanding
about our shared history as Indigenous and non- On November 21, community members gathered at the Edson Friendship Centre to participate in the
Indigenous peoples'. “It reenacts about 200 years Keepers of the Athabasca's KAIROS Blanket Exercise. Pictured is Workshop Coordinator Joseph Large
of history from when the colonial people arrived (far left) teaching participants about the approximate 200 years of Indigenous history in Canada. photo
[in Canada] to residential schools,” said Keepers Cassie Kushniruk
of the Athabasca Co-Chair Paul Belanger.
“We want to bring this particular workshop to
many communities in the Athabasca Watershed
from Jasper to Hinton right through to Fort
McMurray,” Belanger added.
During the most recent exercise in Edson, a
series of blankets were set up in the Friendship
Centre, representing the land occupied by
Indigenous nations prior to Confederation. Each
participant was given a colored card and stood on
the blankets to symbolize the various Indigenous
nations that were affected by European
colonization. As Large described each event that
took its toll on Indigenous peoples as a result of
Confederation, selected participants were asked
to step off their blankets to represent the
Indigenous people who died or were displaced On November 21, community members gathered at the Edson Friendship Centre to participate in the
from their communities. Keepers of the Athabasca's KAIROS Blanket Exercise. photo Cassie Kushniruk
Large began the workshop by explaining the
history of Indigenous peoples in Canada, starting excellent as participants were fully immersed and
in the 15th century when European explorers practicing spirituality. had visual representations of land and territory
first discovered Canada, known to the In the mid-1800s to the 1990s, the federal through the blankets. “When you're just given
Indigenous Peoples as Turtle Island at the time. government took First Nations, Inuit and Metis numbers on a piece of paper it doesn't mean as
In the beginning, there was cooperation children from their homes and communities and much as when you can have a visual reference to
between the European settlers and the Indigenous placed them in boarding schools run by churches, make that connection,” she said.
communities who occupied the land, Large said. which were often located far from their homes. One participant stated that she was deeply
“They recognized [Indigenous communities] as “Most students say that they suffered from very affected by the exercise, as all events mentioned
independent nations with whom they could make bad conditions and different kinds of abuses,” had happened in her own family at one point of
treaties,” he added. “The treaties officially said Large.“Many lost family connections and time. “I was married young, and just before I was
recognized their power and independence as didn't learn their language, culture and traditions going to have my child, I had an agent tell me
nations.” because they rarely went home. Many never that by the time my child was born, they were
Large continued, “For the Indigenous people, returned home or had trouble reintegrating if going to take him away,” she recalled. “My mom
the treaties were very special and sacred they did.” had to give my husband permission for us to
agreements, but the Europeans had a different Although the official partnership between the leave just so that my child wouldn't be taken
view. For them, the land was something that federal government and the churches ended in away. [My child] is 52 now.”
could be bought and sold, and treaties were their the 1970s, some residential schools continued to “The violence of colonization has left a lot of
way of getting the Indigenous People to give up operate until the 1990s. pain,” Large closed. “In order for Canada to
their land.” From the 1960s to the 1980s, thousands of First become a country, we need to recognize our past.
“After a while, we didn't get along very well Nations and Metis children were taken from their We need to acknowledge it in order to step
with the Europeans,” Large stated. When the War homes and adopted or fostered, primarily by non- forward.”
of 1812 ended, the Europeans no longer needed Indigenous people. This period was known as the
Indigenous people to help them fight, and Sixties Scoop, and many Indigenous children
Happ
European newcomers turned towards farming experienced violence, racism and abuse during Happy 24th Birthdayy 24th Birthday
and started looking for more land as the fur trade this time and often lost connection to their
Che
dried up. identity and culture. Cheynayna
Large stated that during this time, Indigenous “Over the years, more than 70% of the land set
December 7
people lost more than just their land, but also aside for Indigenous people in the treaties has December 7
their way of living, culture, “and in some cases, been lost or stolen,” mentioned Large. Belanger
their reason to live”. added, “One way the Canadian government
When the Constitution was signed in 1867, pressures Indigenous peoples to leave their lands
Indigenous peoples and lands reserved for and assimilate is by failing to provide enough
Indigenous peoples were put under the control of funds for basic services.” This includes basic
the federal government. services such as clean drinking water and house
In 1876, all laws dealing with Indigenous repairs.
peoples were gathered and put into the Indian At this time, participants were asked to share
Act, which was used to “attack who [the their experience after having completed the
Indigenous people] were as people”. “They were KAIROS Blanket Exercise. One participant
treated like they knew nothing and couldn't run noted, “I had no clue what the blanket ceremony
their own lives,” Large said. was. It was excellent. I would really like to see
The Indian Act forced Indigenous peoples onto the whole world wake up to see what Canada
reserves and restricted them from voting, leaving truly is and where we truly come from.”
their reserve, talking about their rights, and Another attendant stated that the exercise was
