Journey Towards Healing and Reconciliation Conference next week

By KENDALL KING, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter on March 5, 2022.

kking@medicinehatnews.com

The Miywasin Friendship Centre is virtually hosting its seventh Annual Journey Towards Healing and Reconciliation Conference from March 7-11.

The conference, sponsored by the Alberta Native Friendship Centre Association and the Medicine Hat Community Housing Society, brings together guest speakers from across Canada, exploring a variety of topics with focus on healing and reconciliation. Following each session is an audience question period.

“This is an opportunity to bring a wide variety of prominent voices (together),” JoLynn Parenteau, Indigenous co-ordinated access program manager at Miywasin Friendship Centre, told the News. “It’s an opportunity to learn from Indigenous folks who are educated and who have had profound experiences.”

Parenteau believes the conference will provide insight and offer guidance to those in attendance.

“It should be really impactful,” said Parenteau. “The tagline for this year is ‘spark change for the next seven generations,’ because our elders tell us it will take seven generations to heal from the trauma of residential schools.”

Speakers at the conference include; Whitney Ogle, presenting on her experience as an individual with both Lakota and European ancestry; Sharon Mckay, speaking on the tradition of ribbon skirt making, Nadia Houle exploring the ways in which Indigenous culture can be incorporated into pregnancy, birth and child rearing; Stephanie Harpe, providing an update on missing, murdered and exploited Indigenous peoples; Mervin McKay, explaining the Indigenous perspective on Canada’s education systems; Elder Earnest Poundmaker, presenting on the relation between language and culture; Doreen Williams, conducting a circle of wisdom; Eddy Robinson, speaking on truth and reconciliation efforts for Indigenous youth; Elder Charlie Fox, sharing his experience with therapeutic horse riding; Elder Dan Fox, advocating for the revitalization of buffalo and Blackfoot culture; and Audrey Poitras, Jason Madden and Alex Kusturok sharing information about Alberta’s Métis community.

There will also be a special presentation by Teddy Syrette on March 24, discussing the ways in which gender-identity is connected to colonial ideals and exploring LGBTQ+ themes in Indigenous culture, including 2Spirit peoples.

“We’ll also be hearing from a handful of Miywasin staff throughout the week,” said Parenteau, “(and) there will be a recorded performance of the Miywasin singers, which is a traditional drum group.”

The conference is free to attend and open to all, however those interested are advised to register online prior to the conference, as there is a limit of 300 attendees per session.

“It’s not restricted to Indigenous people,” said Parenteau. “Reconciliation is all about partnership and allyship, so anyone who is interested in any or all of these sessions is very welcome.”

Parenteau is grateful to those who contributed and made the conference possible.

“We’re very grateful for this opportunity to hear stories and share and learn from one another,” she said. “For us to all gather together, safely and virtually, we’re really fortunate.”

A full conference schedule and registration forms are available at http://miywasincentre.net/healingreconciliationconference.

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