YORKTON – A panel discussion with Sask. Indigenous leaders took place at the Yorkton Public Library April 11.
"This is the second of a four part speaker series that we're doing in four communities across south-east Sask. and it's called Kwayskahstahsôwin or 'putting things right'," said Lori Campell, Associate Vice-President of Indigenous Engagement at the University of Regina, in an interview with Yorkton This Week.
Around 30 people were in attendance for the discussion which featured Alicia Morrow and Chasity Delorme.
Morrow—a Cree woman from Peepeekisis First Nation—is the Founder and CVO (Chief Visionary Officer) of The Comeback Society, an Indigenous led non-profit organization focused on amplifying Indigenous voices and culture by promoting food sovereignty, cultural programming, cultural collaborations, land base education and education and training (). Morrow holds a Bachelor of Arts and Ceritificate of Reconciliation from the First Nation's University of Canada.
Delorme—a Cree woman from Cowessess First Nation—is board member of the University of Regina's Community Engagement and Research Centre, a Graduate of the First Nation's University of Canada and is enrolled in the Masters of Education Psychology Program at the University of Regina, according to the U of R's website.
"Kwayskahstahsôwin is a Cree word. It's a word that often within our communities our Cree speakers use when they speak about reconciliation because reconciliation doesn't really translate into our languages," said Campell, adding, "Kwayskahstahsôwin is about putting things right."
The hour-long discussion touched on multiple topics of reconciliation and why they were important.
"It's kind of a conversation to help community members know that they have a place in reconciliation–that we want them to be engaged and to help them hopefully get an idea of where they can start and participate after the conversation," said Campell.
Campell said the series was made possible through funding from the 麻豆传媒AV-Saskatchewan Community Foundation and lectures were to take place in Moose Jaw, Swift Current, Regina and Yorkton.
"The target audience is really just sort of regular people," said Campell, adding, "I always hear that there's a lot of interest and people have a better understanding of the history of Indigenous Peoples that have occurred here in our country. Everyday average people are interested in wanting to know more and to take action – to help put things right."
"We're at the University of Regina and sometimes it can be hard for people to get to the city or they don't feel like the university is the most comfortable place for them, so this is an opportunity for us to come out and meet people in the communities where they're at," said Campell.
At the time of writing, a lecture had already taken place in Moose Jaw, which Campell said was well received by the audience of 50 people.
"I don't know how many people really felt an impact—hopefully many—but I do not there was a couple that followed up with e-mails after who were teachers in the school and were looking to do things with their school and they wanted some more information and how to connect with others," said Campell, adding, "for me I think that's a positive—that's having impact—so I feel pretty good about that."
When it comes to setting things right, Morrow said during the discussion that, "being able to create that safe space to have those conversations and understanding [is important]," adding, "we all have a responsibility to create those spaces to have those conversations."
"The residential school era wasn't that long ago," said Delorme during the discussion, adding, "it's important that [non-Indigenous people] understand the genocide, the injustice, the oppression, the brutality that Indigenous people went through here in Canada – that's always the first step ... reminding yourself of that."
"If we can come to an agreement that we want to work together so that you understand that Indigenous people that are suffering and struggling right now to heal and to learn the identity and the culture that was taken away...we have promises to non-indigenous people and vice-versa." added Delorme when commenting on Kwayskahstahsôwin.
"We're all working at this together and so we're all learning together–I think just having that open-ness and that willingness to challenge the belief systems and where we're at is setting it right to me," said Morrow.
For more information on Kwayskahstahsôwin visit the .
