A look back at the week of activities for the national day of truth and reconciliation at UQAT
Published on October 21, 2024
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A look back at the week of activities for the national day of truth and reconciliation at UQAT
From 23 to 30 September, UQAT organised a week of activities dedicated to the National Day of Truth and Reconciliation. The SAENCAT team took part in several of the activities organised throughout the week. These were moments of personal introspection that allowed us to learn more and reflect on the importance of the reconciliation process through different individual reflections. Here's a summary of these activities through the experience of Mélissa, the Anicinabe Nation liaison officer.
As UQAT is so close to the Secretariat's office, I was both curious and willing to take part in a number of activities throughout the week. I'd like to share with you some of my favourites from UQAT's well-planned programme.
Capsule William: I started the week by diving into the immersive Capsule William experience. This virtual reality activity offered a striking perspective on the history and consequences of residential schools. It was very well done, and really immersed us in the atmosphere. It was so realistic you could almost smell the wood fire!
Dinner talk by Stanley Vollant: On Wednesday, I attended a conference dinner hosted by Stanley Vollant. With humility and wisdom, he shared his inspiring journey and touched on issues of reconciliation. His message of resilience and solidarity resonated with everyone present, reinforcing the importance of mutual understanding and respect. I could have listened to him for hours.
Thursday solidarity walk: To round off my week, I joined the Thursday solidarity walk, which was part of the Mamu Nikintauat event. The new outdoor space for teaching, sharing and reconciliation is a really welcoming place. The view is superb and the medicine wheel on the ground sets the tone, reminding us that we are in a special place. I was particularly impressed by the speech given by one of the march's participants, Mr. Edouard Kistabish, the 81-year-old former Chief of Pikogan. His words resonated powerfully. During the march, we took the city of Val-d'Or by storm in our orange shirts. I felt very much surrounded by all those participants with smiles on their faces.
Highlight: The fried bannock cooked by the young people of Kitcisakik in their new street food truck, Midjim Obaban, was a real treat! You absolutely must try it.
Thank you for this wonderful week, which prompted me to do some soul-searching on the subject of reconciliation.
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