Reconciliation Week kicks off in Lethbridge

By Lethbridge Herald on September 23, 2024.

Theron Black, a member of the Honouring Traditions and Reconciliation Society, dances outside City Hall Monday during Reconciliation Week opening ceremonies. Herald photo by Al Beeber

Al Beeber – LETHBRIDGE HERALD – abeeber@lethbridgeherald.com

Reconciliation Week kicked off in Lethbridge Monday morning with speeches and a group round dance at City Hall.

The week runs until Sept. 29 with assorted events happening throughout the community including the Reconciliation Awards which were also held on Monday.

Lethbridge School Division, Holy Spirit Catholic School Division, the University of Lethbridge and Lethbridge Polytechnic are all involved in events this week as well as other organizations.

Echo Nowak, Indigenous Relations Specialist with the City, told the audience outside City Hall that “reconciliation is not just a word, it is a commitment to understanding, respect and unity. We acknowledge the past with all of its pain and the mistakes. We recognize the hurt that has been caused and the divisions that have been created but today we choose to look forward, to build bridges instead of walls and find common ground where once there was once only discord. Reconciliation requires courage, it demands that we listen more than we speak, that we seek to understand rather than to be understood. It calls on us to extend a hand of friendship even when it is difficult. And to forgive even when it is impossible,” Nowak said in her opening address.

“We are fortunate to live in the city of Lethbridge that values all of this,” said Nowak.

After a prayer by Blackfoot Elder Morris Little Wolf, Blood Tribe councillor Travis Plaited Hair encouraged the audience to learn more about the people who consider this area their territory since time immemorial and their history.

“We’ve been in this territory since time immemorial. In other words, we’ve been here for so long we don’t even know how long we’ve been here,” he said about the vast territory members of the Blackfoot Confederacy call home.

The arrival of Europeans on this continent changed everything, he said. 

Plaited Hair said all people now share this land.

Plaited Hair, who lived and worked for much of his life in Lethbridge returned to his home nation around 2012-13 and is now serving his first year on the Blood Tribe council.

He said the more people learn about their neighbours, the better people will get along.

“We have a lot to offer this community,” said Plaited Hair who has worked at the Friendship Centre, the Polytechnic and city schools.

He talked about the history of the OKI sign that is now the official greeting of the City of Lethbridge. When Bob Tarleck was mayor, discussions began with him, Chris Spearman, police chief Tom McKenzie and others. Tarleck, he said, always liked to speak Blackfoot so new words were taught to him with the first being the greeting “Oki.” 

He recalls telling Tarleck the City should make a bylaw that calls for anybody applying for a business licence that makes it mandatory that their staff greet their customers in Blackfoot.

“That just changes the attitude. When I walk into one of your businesses here and I here the worker say “Oki” that just makes me feel really good,” Plaited Hair said.

He said the word should be used 365 days a year, 24 hours a day, not just during Reconciliation Week.

“It’s good to get together like this and remind each other that we are all residents of this territory. We all live, grew up here, we should take care of it, take care of each other,” he added.

Elder Alice Bissonette of the Metis Nation told the crowd she didn’t attend residential school but in her soul could feel the pain and suffering that happened in those schools.

“I understand how hard it is for us to come in this day and age willing to work to correct all of the wrongs that were done in the past,” Bissonette added, noting a lot of people are willing to put in the effort.

She called Reconciliation Week an important part of life in Lethbridge and “we should all take advantage of the opportunity to be a part of reconciliation, to understand reconciliation.”

“I have great pride in being a Metis,” she said, discussing the infinity symbol of the Metis flag which she says is to reflect the bringing together of two cultures.

“To me, it means bringing together all people so that we can work together to build a better city, a better country and let’s face it, we’re so very fortunate to be in a free city, free country where we can stand and speak our piece” without having to look up and seek shelter, Bissonette added.

Mayor Blaine Hyggen said called reconciliation an important journey.

He added “reconciliation is not just a word, as we are well aware, it’s a commitment to understanding, healing and building respectful relationships. Today we recognize the rich cultures and history of Indigenous peoples in our community and the vital role they play in shaping our shared future.

“As mayor, I believe it’s our responsibility to listen, learn and make meaningful action towards reconciliation,” added Hyggen.

“This week provides us with an opportunity to engage a dialogue and participate in many, many different cultural activities that are happening throughout the community and reflect on how we can contribute to a more inclusive society so let us work together to honour the past and build a future rooted in respect and understanding,” the mayor added.

“Let’s make this week a transformative experience for us all.”

Nowak told the audience in closing that “we had an amazing year filled with so many events and have made new friends along the way.” She thanked all community partners who stepped up and made strong commitments to educate themselves about history and advocated for Indigenous people in the community.

She asked people to take time to reflect about what reconciliation means to them and how they can be an advocate.

Shelley Kirkvold, the education sector representative of Reconciliation Lethbridge Advisory Committee, said RLAC was honoured to welcome people to a week of reflection, learning and action. The week is a time for the community to come together and acknowledge its shared history, Kirkvold said.

Theron Black and his 22-year-old son Dylan each performed a dance near a Lethbridge Police Service emblazoned tipi before many audience members joined hands with Dylan in the round dance.

Theron Black, a member of the Honouring Traditions and Reconciliation Society, said that organization is hosting a powwow on Saturday and Sunday to which everyone is invited. 

“Reconciliation Week brings out a lot of emotions” so the powwow will end it in a good way, he said, adding a pipe ceremony is planned next Monday at Henderson Lake.

The second annual Honouring Traditions powwow and artisan expo will start Saturday at 1 p.m. with the Grand Entry and Sunday at noon.