KAMSACK — A truth-telling gathering in Regina hosted by the Keeseekoose First Nation aims to light the path towards reconciliation.
will be held Sept. 15 to 17 at the Conexus Arts Centre in Regina within Treaty 4 territory.
Keynote speakers are Kimberly Murray, Independent Special Interlocutor for Missing Children and Unmarked Graves and Burial Sites associated with Indian Residential Schools; Archbishop of Regina Don Bolen; and Keeseekoose Chief Lee Kitchemonia.
According to a release, Keeseekoose residential school survivors organized the Lighting the Path gathering to truth tell the depth of harm so they can identify the path forward to resolve unfinished business.
Theodore Quewezance is the chair of the conference. He is also a residential school survivor.
“Residential school survivors are frustrated with the ongoing social health economic disparities within our communities,” he said in a media release. “We are triggered each time we lose a loved one prematurely. We are expected to get on with life without the trauma related resources to address a century of neglect and abuse.
“This conference is about truth telling. Most people do not know the depth of the harm and the path to do real conciliation.”
As of Sept. 10, approximately 300 have registered for the gathering, which is open for survivors, Elders, community leaders and Intergenerational Indigenous peoples from across Canada to attend.
“Our people have lived for centuries in what we now call Canada. Our traditions, our laws and our language sustained our communities,” Kitchemonia said. “As our spirituality was taken, we lost. The harm was tolerated. The harm must stop.”
The gathering will introduce the Anishinabek traditional path to healing and real conciliation, the release said.
“When a harm is committed the traditional cultural expectation is: you were expected to make it right,” said Keeseekoose Elder Cuthbert Keshane.
“You meet to understand the depth of the harm done to the individual, family, community, nation as well as animals and environment. What traditional laws were broken? Offender approaches the victim requesting to resolve the harm. Victim can reject or consent, which may involve their family members or other injured members. Traditional judges adjudicate the meetings and both parties had to consent to the settlements of fixing the harm.
“Depending on the seriousness of the harm, like taking a life, you would work for the family to fill the gap for a lifetime. Only the person harmed can forgive.”
The release from the conference said survivors are frustrated because while the Truth and Reconciliation Commission identified harms done, the organizations that have done the harm haven’t followed the path that will lead to reconciliation and healing beyond announcing support for reconciliation.
Quewezance said that survivors who now attend government-funded conferences hear the same speakers with the same messages, but when they get up to speak, they are limited on what they can speak about and how long.
“Survivors need a voice. They need to be leading real conciliation,” Quewezance said. “The Anishinabek traditional path to healing provides that option.”
The gathering aims to give survivors a choice to path forward for individual, family and community. It’s starting with truth telling as it provides a clear description of the root cause of the issues and why it continues.
The conference release said they are using cultural solutions because imposed solutions do not work.
“Elders need a voice,” said event co-ordinator Darlene Masney. “It is only when we know the root cause of problems can we stop what we are experiencing. Our old people prophesied what we see today, but they also said our hope is in our culture, tradition and language. This conference will provide that hope.”
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