Technolandy

Day 19 (of 2024/25) Truth and Reconciliation 

Today we are having our assembly about Truth and Reconciliation. It’s not an officially ‘need’ yet in the BC school calendar, but my view is that if Remembrance Day needs to come with a gathering… so should the school day before Truth and Reconciliation. 

And I love this reminder from a book I recently red: Reconciliation (n.) the act of restoring to harmony; resolution; reunion.

17 years ago, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission came up with its 94 Calls to Action:

https://www.rcaanc-cirnac.gc.ca/eng/1524494530110/1557511412801

It’s always a good time to think about what has happened and ought to happen with our citizens… knowing that not everyone is thrilled with the idea of reconciliation – as noted in our lead up to our upcoming provincial election when ‘land’ once again was a topic: B.C. Election: John Rustad wants B.C. Indigenous rights law repealed. Chief sees that as 40-year setback

Getting into true reconciliation 

https://apple.news/A03LQyoWhSoWiGDPspERefw suggests “the great questions of life.” These questions are:

Where do I come from?

Where am I going?

Why am I here?

Who am I?

Reconciliation is important. It is why we have given the day equal importance to Remembrance Day – the one ‘must do’ assembly in BCs school calendar that is to be done before the day ‘off’ [interesting that not every province observed either Remembrance Day nor Truth and Reconciliation Day as a Day of Observance.

Slides included:

Land acknowledgement

What reconciliation means

What our school and district are doing on our journey (district bane change; school logo update; book study – Wayi Wah! ; welcoming our GIJE program into the building while their new building is being finished on Tla’amin Nation) and some time to consider what pledge we ought to do next… with a reminder that it was because of the finding of bodies in the Kamloops Residential School that finally made everyone take a bigger reflection and step forward.

As the honourable Murray Sinclair pointed out: education got us into this mess, it’ll take education to get us out of- and we need to be mindful that as we are over seven generations into this process (that included an attempt at genocide) it’ll take us another 7 generations to get things right…

Take a moment this September 30th and consider what your role is in Truth and Reconciliation.