Aboriginal Awareness

This week was Aboriginal Awareness week that was started with National Aboriginal Day on Monday, the same day as the summer solstice.

I've been reflecting a lot on the history between Canada, as a people and as a government, and the aboriginals of this country. It has brought me to such sadness realizing the trauma, pain and anguish these people have experienced since the first European settlers came to this continent. And more so when they were forced into Residential Schools.

A few days ago, I was enthralled in a speech given by our Prime Minister 2 years ago. An apology to the aboriginal community, on behalf of Canadians and the Canadian government.

www.vimeo.com/8705019

I thought, FINALLY!! Finally the government is taking responsibility and finally these people can start their journey towards healing! It's amazing what an apology can do, the liberation of an entire community!

I don't think we as Canadians, as Albertan's pay enough attention to the First Nations, Inuit or Metis nor try to understand their way of life and the experiences they went through and yet how they as a people survived all of that! Such resiliency!

I got to go to Head Smashed in Buffalo Jump this week with my students and other teachers and students from our program and was enamored with the beauty in the traditions of the native community. Their dance, their mannerisms, their language, their music! I felt my heart leaping with such great joy, I felt honored to witness a small sample of their life.

So this week, though I felt alone in my thoughts and actions, I paid homage to this First People's.

May God bless the aboriginal communities throughout the world!