KAIROS

Mass Blanket Exercise on Parliament Hill during the Truth and Reconciliation Commission‘s Calls to Action.

I should have shared this before Thanksgiving, but it is always important to be thankful for what we have. Everyday! Not just on holidays.

I am gracious for being able to travel to Ottawa this summer so I could hear the stories of survivors at TRC. I feel like things are changing and there is hope for the future. Being a part of this video makes me feel like I’m part of this history! What an honor.

Created by KAIROS, the model of the blanket exercise is used to gain perspective on the true history of Canada; how colonization affected the people who lived here first.

As a Canadian who is living on the land where many consider genocide to have occurred, I think the blanket exercise humbled me incredibly. History books in school lied to me.

This is a very quick activity and is free to use by anyone, anywhere (offices, classrooms, community events etc.) it has even been adapted to be used with grades 1 and up.

The Blanket Exercise Manual

Scrolls for Grades 4-8 Exercise

“We are deeply grateful to gather here on unceded, unsurrendered, Algonquin territory. Although divided by political boundaries, this remains Algonquin land.
We come together in this time between truth and the hope of reconciliation, seeking wisdom and accompaniment of one another as we try to find a good way forward.
Believing in the possibilities of a reconciled future, we will not ignore the many injustices that persist and the many inequalities that continue to divide. […] ” Jennifer Henry Executive Director – KAIROS

The moment I stepped in, I could feel an immense energy radiating from the room. I couldn’t immediately understand, but change was happening before my eyes.

Aboriginal Elders spoke about the cultural genocide they experienced while attending residential schools. Issues about the living quality on reserves, unequal treatment towards native women (including 2000+ unsolved murders), environmental law infractions and the government completely disregarding all efforts made by native people to prosper in Canada.

These are some heavy subjects, but it is important to know about the dark, often disregarded part of our history. (more…)