At Impact North Shore, we believe that learning about Truth and Reconciliation is a vital part of connecting newcomers authentically to their new lives in our community. Learning about the colonial oppression as well as the strength and resilience of Indigenous peoples, opens up opportunities for im/migrants to develop authentic relationships with land and the people who have cared for it since time immemorial.
Our Land We Live On program offers hands-on workshops and cultural experiences for participants to explore Indigenous history, teachings, and artistic traditions while reflecting on what Truth and Reconciliation mean in their own lives. These sessions are led by Indigenous knowledge keepers, artists, and educators who share their stories, teachings, and creative practices in welcoming and meaningful ways.
This fall, we hosted a Cedar Mat Weaving Workshop with the Red Cedar Woman Weavers, where 22 participants learned the cultural importance of weaving and created their own small cedar mats. In our second workshop this fall, artist and carver Xwalacktun (Rick Harry) shared how Indigenous ways of belonging are expressed through family, land, and art, inspiring 23 participants to reflect on their own relationships to community. At the Coast Salish Canvas Painting & Guided Gallery Experience, facilitated by Tsawaysia Spukwus (Alice Guss) at MONOVA, 25 participants explored Coast Salish styles and motifs while painting and learning about the stories behind the art.
Participants share their appreciation for the hands-on, engaging approaches of Indigenous knowledge keepers, that combine creativity, storytelling, and cultural teachings. Learning about Indigenous history and Truth and Reconciliation empowers newcomers to see their settlement journeys more fully and offers invitations to participate in the responsibility of Truth and Reconciliation, to listen, to learn, and to build relationships rooted in respect and reverence for the future we create together.
At Impact North Shore, we are honoured to continue this journey, as we humbly reflect on our relationships to land and history and envision communities rooted in respect.
