By: Carol Baldwin, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
(Photo: PRRC Facebook Page)
The January gathering of the Prairie Rivers Reconciliation Circle (PRRC) was held at the administrative office of the Saskatoon Co-op on January 29, and the organizing committee for the annual Educational Gathering gave an important update. Plans are coming together, and it is tentatively scheduled for Friday, May 9th at the Dakota Dunes Resort on Whitecap First Nation, and the central theme will be around storytelling. Funding for holding it at the Dunes still needs to be secured, but the organizers are hopeful and are looking to add components targeting youth in particular. The resort has an outdoor amphitheatre space that can be utilized to hold sessions, especially more dynamic ones that could engage the youth. The West Central Literacy Committee has about 25 children in Grades 3-6, that might come out. Dakota Dunes has cultural activities, and by utilizing the outdoor amphitheatre we could perhaps do an outdoor classroom for them for the morning. Other ideas included The DJ Diva, a teenage DJ from Mistawasis who teaches other teens how to be a DJ.
The storytelling theme will encompass true stories, Indigenous literature, visual, contemporary, and traditional storytelling. The organizers are hoping the Senator from Whitecap will be able to share some words, and they are also hoping one of the singers will consent to do an honour song. Connie Walker has been contacted, and she is waiting to see if her schedule will allow her to attend. Connie Walker is a Pulitzer-Prize-winning investigative Cree journalist, a member of the Okanese First Nation, who created the award-winning podcasts Stolen: Surviving St. Michael’s and Missing & Murdered. Requests have been made to the OTC for speakers, and potentially the new Treaty Commissioner Dr. Kathy Walker, as well as to the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation to see if they will come and do a presentation and bring their survivor’s flag.
In Saskatchewan’s Gr. 10 to 12 curriculum relating to reconciliation, there are guidelines which talk about responding authentically to the Calls to Action, developing intercultural understanding, being an agent of change and making commitments to that, and a possible learning outcome for this year’s gathering could be to help participants create reconciliACTION plans. The NCTR website has The Six Actions of ReconciliACTION, and by utilizing the steps laid out there by the end of the day attendees could pick one thing and then put their plan into action.
The Six Actions of ReconciliaACTION are: Learn the history between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples; Understand the history and legacy of residential schools; Explore the unique intersections we have between treaty, constitutional, Indigenous, and human rights we have in Canada; Recognize the rich contributions that Indigenous peoples have made to Canada; Take action to address historical injustices and present-day wrongs; and Teach others. (https://nctr.ca/)
The Circle continues to work through the process of developing its identity and this involved more discussion of the individual responsibilities for the various roles within the Circle. Discussion included the role of a part-time administration assistant, including how many hours per week, and a time frame around which it could be filled. Discussion also centred around the position of treasurer, the roles of the tri-chair, and how responsibilities will be allocated going forward.
As this Circle and others look at how best to define themselves and determine what ‘success’ looks like, the documents that are being fleshed out and transitioning from ideals to measurable concepts and actions will be the metric that keeps the Circle aligned with the core beliefs that birthed it. Currently, success is defined by the Charter Agreement that was signed in 2020, but there needs to be greater clarity in defining how to identify ‘success’.
As Circle members continue to work at creating and refining definitive statements of identity, purpose, and mission, little, and not so little, things continue to be identified that need to be addressed. One of those is that the PRRC needs to have a clear statement of who we are and where we are located. Historically, the PRRC was centred in the Twin Rivers area, but current members come from various points far beyond the parameters of the former Twin Rivers region.
Others include what the PRRC does in terms of reconciliation. On a general level, since the PRRC is not a corporation, when looking at the 94 Calls to Action, as a group the PRRC is responding to several, specifically:
Call to Action 53: Establish a council for reconciliation
Call to Action 54: Provide multi-year funding for a council of reconciliation
Call to Action 57: Educate public servants of the history of Indigenous peoples
Call to Action 62: To develop and fund Aboriginal content in education
Call to Action 79: Develop a reconciliation framework for Canadian heritage and commemoration
The Circle is doing good work, and it is visible through the newspaper articles, but when it comes to a public face that individuals can access to see who and what the PRRC is, that is missing, and it needs to be there. Development of a website has been on “the agenda” but it needs to move from something the Circle intends to do to something it is doing. Creating a biographical statement that includes the Mission and the communities that are represented in the membership will help to formulate that public-facing identity.
For the education portion of the January gathering, the Circle heard from Tracey and her daughter Lulu about ribbon skirts. Tracey began making ribbon skirts for Lulu as a means of reclaiming and passing on her culture and heritage. The history of ribbon skirts goes back to the 1800s. Nearly all First Nations and Indigenous groups have a strong tradition in this well-known piece of clothing, and all have their own stories and protocols surrounding them. The ribbon skirts are incorporated into ceremony and are another visual representation of culture. For many Indigenous peoples, the Ribbon Skirt represents personal reclamation. It represents reclaiming identity and proudly wearing that identity, and Lulu shared that when she wears her skirt she feels connected to her ancestors.
There are many different meanings behind the colours, materials and number and length of ribbons on the skirts. This is often specific and unique to each person or family who creates a skirt. Although there are no ‘rules’ about who can wear a ribbon skirt, it is important to recognize that they are not fashion statements, they are representative of culture and honour and should be worn in a respectful way.
The next gathering of the PRRC will be on February 28.