Hey people! Welcome back to my blog!

As we dive into new, exciting projects this year, I want to take a moment to reflect on our 2024 winter exhibition project, which centered on reconciliation.

Reconciliation. You’ve likely heard the word before—on the news, in class, or discussions, especially in Canadian politics. But what does it truly mean? Before this project, I didn’t fully understand its meaning or that it’s more than just a concept, It’s an action.—one we’re all part of. Lucky for me, this project was all about exploring that. 

Reconciliation is an ongoing process of building, restoring, and maintaining peaceful, respectful relationships between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples in Canada. It is essential because, for centuries, Indigenous communities have experienced systemic harm, displacement, and marginalization. The need to reconcile arises from recognizing that this history must be acknowledged and healed to create a future of mutual respect, equity, and understanding.

Reconciliation goes beyond symbolic gestures like land acknowledgments. It is not a quick fix or a one-time event—it demands continuous effort, open-mindedness, and genuine action. It requires actively listening, learning from past wrongs, and committing to meaningful change. Words alone are not enough; they must be followed by concrete steps.

Some key reconciliation efforts include: 

• Implementing the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s (TRC) Calls to Action
• National and provincial Days of Recognition, such as National Day for Truth and Reconciliation and National Indigenous Peoples Day
• Land acknowledgments and agreements at federal and provincial levels
• Efforts to revitalize Indigenous languages
• Support for Indigenous cultural revitalization projects
• Funding for residential school survivors and the repatriation of Indigenous lands
• Indigenous-led media, film, and literature initiatives

One of the first things we did was identify the topics that interested us most, and then we were divided into teams of three based on those choices. My focus was on funding and land repatriation, which I found compelling because of the intergenerational trauma statistics that highlight the ongoing impact of historical injustices.

Our goal was to engage our audience meaningfully in reconciliation, but first, we needed to build our own understanding. Individually, we began by diving into research on our chosen topic. By compiling a “bank of knowledge” with all our sources, it became much easier to find the information we needed and develop a vision for an impactful presentation.

We then came together as a group, sharing our insights and brainstorming creative ways to bring what we had learned to life in a dynamic and interactive exhibition.

What I realized early on was that reconciliation is far from simple, and so was my group’s topic. At first glance, funding might seem like the easy solution in a society driven by money. But money alone can’t heal the deep intergenerational trauma caused by residential schools and decades of injustice.

Land repatriation, too, is a massive and often misunderstood issue. The process of returning Indigenous lands to Indigenous peoples is complicated by history. Many of these lands were never officially transferred to the Crown in the first place—settlers claimed them. In British Columbia, for example, settlers planted flags and assumed title over land without consent. Today, 95% of BC remains unceded Indigenous territory, meaning no treaties were ever made to transfer ownership. Land Back isn’t a land grab, as some may mistakenly think. It’s about returning land to its rightful stewards. However, the value of land in today’s economy—both industrial and financial—makes the process of returning it much more difficult.

One of our biggest challenges was figuring out how to teach the audience about these complex topics and, more importantly, how to make them care. My team—Keaton, Francis, and I—decided to make our booth fully interactive, encouraging the audience to engage with the material in a way that would stick. We created two keynotes with essential information and facts, which the audience would use to complete an interactive timeline. They’d match up years with the corresponding facts and dates they’d just learned. Then, we introduced a marble run: the audience would choose one of two paths. One path led to a cycle of intergenerational trauma, while the other pointed toward proper healing, through initiatives like funding for cultural healing programs. Even the road to healing wasn’t straightforward—it showed that progress isn’t linear and that systemic obstacles remain.

I took on the task of creating the keynote presentation about Land Repatriation—what it is, why it’s so challenging, and how people can get involved in making change. I also contributed to researching the information for the timeline and marble run. Francis created a detailed keynote on funding for residential school survivors, while Keaton designed and constructed the marble run and timeline. Check out my keynote here.

By the time we had finished doing our research, there was only one week until the exhibition. I’m always impressed at what we can pull together in such a short time.

The exhibition went smoothly, and the audience enjoyed our interactive timeline and marble run. One thing I hadn’t thought about until the last minute was how to engage with the guests. Explaining such a complex topic in just a few minutes without losing their interest was challenging. Most people didn’t want to engage with the keynotes, which were essential for connecting the dates with the events on the timeline. 

Looking back, I feel my team could’ve done a better job of helping the audience understand how they could make a difference, particularly when it comes to money and land.

Here’s a picture of our exhibition set up!

 

How might we engage in meaningful reconciliation?

There isn’t one simple answer to this question—reconciliation is a journey with many paths, and each of us has a part to play. The first step is understanding what reconciliation truly means and acknowledging that we can’t be passive. It’s not about avoiding responsibility because we weren’t personally involved in past injustices. We are all part of the solution.

Reconciliation asks us to confront the truth of our history, recognize the harm that’s been done, and commit to healing. It’s about listening to Indigenous voices and learning from their histories and cultures. It involves supporting land repatriation and actively educating ourselves and others. It’s also about being open to perspectives that challenge our own and working together to create an environment where we can all move forward.

Ultimately, reconciliation begins with action—learning, listening, and doing. We cannot move forward unless we fully grasp what reconciliation means and commit to being an active part of it.

As always, thanks for reading!