Theme Discussion
Listen to the story, “Stolen Words”:
This week, the news was full of the sad story of indigenous children taken away from their families and sent to Residential Schools. The idea was to make the children more like the European settlers in Canada, to make them forget their language and their culture. It broke apart families and caused a lot of hurt for our First Nations neighbours. They are still hurting today and the news of so many children who died and were buried in Kamloops has made all of us both sad and angry.
Have you ever hurt someone? Maybe you struck out in anger, or maybe you just bumped them by accident. When that happens, we are usually asked to apologize, to tell the hurt person that we are sorry. Does that help? Does it make all of the hurt go away? What else do we need to do to make the situation better and to be friends again?
When we become friends again with someone we have hurt, that’s called “reconciliation”. That’s what Canadians hope will happen between the indigenous people and all the other people who call Canada home. The United Church of Canada said “sorry” for the Residential Schools in 1996 but we are still working to make things better. We need to make life better for indigenous people in our country and we need to show them love and respect. It will take a lot of work and a lot of time for the hurt to go away.
Jesus taught us to love our neighbours. How can we show our indigenous neighbours that we love them and that we really want to make up for the hurt that was caused by the Residential Schools? One way is to listen to their stories and to learn about their culture. They have so much to teach us about caring for each other and for the earth.
In just a couple of weeks we will be celebrating the Indigenous Day of Prayer at BCUC. What a great opportunity to learn and share stories! We are so blessed to have Esther and Marlon Stewart in our congregation. They love to share their culture with us. This is one way we can get to know each other better – and that’s a big part of reconciliation.
Response Activity Ideas
Show of Support Shoe
Many are responding to the recently discovered burial site at the Kamloops Residential School by leaving shoes as a memorial to the many children who lost their lives.
(Image source: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/survivors-families-react-ottawa-to-215-bodies-kamloops-residential-school-1.6047161)
Write and/draw a message of support, a promise to do better and learn more, a call for more action, or a prayer on this shoe. Where will you post it? How will you act upon what you wrote?
Click to print PDF
Four Directions – Sacred circle
Materials: colouring tools, scissors, glue, cardstock/construction paper, hole punch, yarn/string
Read about the significance of the Four Directions and the Seven Sacred teachings common to many First Nations peoples on the print out. What connections can you make to our Christian beliefs and teachings?
Cut out the Sacred circle and glue it onto cardstock or construction paper. On the back of each colour, write/draw the key elements and meanings of each section.
Next, cut out the feathers. On each, write one of the Seven Sacred teachings, then attach them to your circle with yarn or string to hang below.
Share what you learned with someone else!
Click to print all 3 PDFs
Nature Printmaking
A connection to our natural world is a vital part of indigenous cultures. As part of this year’s Solstice Festival, Algonquin artist Emily Brascoupé-Hoefler taught students about printmaking using natural materials in a virtual presentation. Try it out yourself!
Materials: paint, flat tray or plate, brush or small roller, paper, collection of leaves, petals and/or flat stones, etc. (This can also be done with markers instead of paint!)
Choose the first item you would like to print. Set it on your tray and paint a very thin layer of paint over it (or colour it heavily with marker). Carefully pick it up, then press the item down onto the paper, coloured side down, and press firmly all over the backside, before lifting gently away. Repeat with other items, experimenting with colour, repeated prints, and layering of prints.
Inuit and First Nations Music and Games
Learn more watching these videos!
Throat-singing:
Inuit games:
The bear song: