Niverville's Truth and Reconciliation Ceremony on September 30, 2022

A recording of the Niverville Truth and Reconciliation Ceremony on Friday, September 30,  can be found at this site.  https://livestream.com/nivcf/truthandrec  

Click on this site, to connect with an overview of reports of other events that have taken place in Niverville over the past year on Niverville's own Journey Towards Truth and Reconciliation since the first National Day of Truth and Reconciliation on September 30, 2021.  This site will give you other links first to summaries, and then to more in-depth reporting for those who want to dive deeper into Niverville's cultural and historical roots, and various truth and reconciliation ceremonies that have taken place over the past year!

Friday, September 30, 2022, was the 2nd annual National Day for Truth and Reconciliation in Canada.  The day is meant to bring awareness and reflection on the legacy of Canada's residential school system, which aimed to erase the languages and cultures of the indigenous peoples of this land.  We learn from the past while we yearn for a future that will be different from the past, a future in which we build bridges of understanding instead of walls of misunderstanding based on a lack of relational, personal, intimate and heart-to-heart knowledge.  

Before going over the order of the Truth and Reconciliation Ceremony below, I would like to acknowledge the presence of a man who was among us who should have been acknowledged, and would have been had I been aware that he was in the building, as he also was a residential school survivor.  His name is Wally McKay.

Wally McKay is a former Grand Chief from Ontario, and in 1994 was the runner-up to become the Grand National Chief.  In December of 1995, he was the chief organizer for Elijah Harper's Sacred Assembly, and in the picture on the left, on December 6 of 1995, he is translating for Elijah Harper's father, Alan B. Harper, as he opens up the Sacred Assembly with a prayer of invocation.  Alan B. Harper, Elijah Harper's father, was a faithful pastor at the Red Sucker Lake First Nation for 54 years.

In the picture on the right, taken one year ago on September 30, 2021, Wally McKay is sharing at the first Truth and Reconciliation Ceremony in Niverville about his experience in the residential schools, and also about his experience in organizing Elijah Harper's Sacred Assembly back in 1995.  I was privileged to attend Wally's marriage to Melanie in March of 2020.

 

Melanie McKay is the First Nation's lady who baked the bannock that was served during the noon-hour meal right after the Ceremony on September 30, 2022.  She spontaneously offered to prepare bannock for the occasion when she heard about it, and she purchased supplies at her own expense, and prepared the bannock, and brought it to the Niverville Community Fellowship to be shared with others, who, in the spirit of reconciliation, were able to "break bannock together over lunch."  This should have been acknowledged publicly.  THANK YOU, Melanie, what a huge BLESSING you are!

I would also like to say a very special THANK YOU to the staff and volunteers at the Niverville Community Fellowship who did everything with such efficiency and such excellence.  Tanya is an administrator par excellent, and everyone on the pastoral staff was a pleasure to work with.  On short notice, the church extended itself to allow their beautiful facility to be used free of charge, provided sound, projection, livestreaming and provided the volunteers to do an A-1 job in both purchasing items and in preparing the lunch which was greatly enjoyed by all!

So heartfelt thanks go out to David Funk, lead pastor, Dan Macloskie, pastor of care and discipleship, Matt Antonio, youth pastor and Tanya Plett, administrative assistance.  Special kudos go out as well to Jake Harnett who handled the sound.  Each one of you were and are the most!

During the afternoon of September 30, a response came in from a lady who lives in the region, and she wrote about the Ceremony, "Just a word of thanks for hosting a Truth and Reconciliation event for the region today.  I live in Kleefeld and wanted to mark the day, but didn't want to drive to Winnipeg.  Each speaker (and musician!) brought a powerful message, and was respectfully received.  I really learned a lot, shed a tear here and there, and laughed also.  Thanks for being welcoming to all..."

Here, then, was the order of the Ceremony on Friday morning, September 30, 2022.

Niverville Community Truth and Reconciliation Ceremony

Friday, September 30, 2022

Niverville Community Fellowship, 85 - 2nd Street South

1.  Acknowledgement and recognition that we are on Treaty No. 1 Territory

Treaty 1 Territory

Traditional land of the Anishinaabe, Cree and Dakota people

and homeland of the Métis Nation

We are grateful for the indigenous recognition of the fact that the concept of owning land is as alien as owning air, that land is a gift from the Creator who is also the Owner of all things.  The belief that the Creator was the Owner of the land was inherent in the treaties that were made.  The land has been entrusted to us to partner, to share, to bless and to serve one another by love.

We are grateful for this understanding that human beings are not owners, but are stewards, caretakers and managers of all that they have been entrusted with, and will give an account to insure that the property humans steward is used to care, to be generous and to support one another, and to share in the harvest with those in need, not for greed.  Examples of this are exemplified by chiefs such as Peguis who believed that the land was owned by the Great Father.

We are grateful for their understanding of stewardship of this land, and for their hospitality as the host peoples of the land which allows us to live, work and serve God the Creator here.

2.  Opening Remarks by Elijah Harper at  Sacred Assembly, December 6, 1995.         (2 minute clip)

    View the 2-minute clip here.     

3.  Response to Elijah Harper by former Prime Minister Jean Chrétien on December 6, 1995.

4.  Welcome to Treaty No. 1 Territory -- Peter YellowQuill, 5th generation descendant of Chief YellowQuill, a signatory to Treaty No. 1, and residential school survivor.

5.  Two minutes of silence for the survivors, and for those who did not return from the residential schools.

6.  Glen and Verla Cochrane carry the legacy of Chief Peguis.  In 1817, Peguis signed a treaty with the Selkirk settlers, and he never turned his back on these settlers, even during their greatest trials and reverses.  He opened his heart to share the land with people who were being persecuted.   

In the year 1838, Chief Peguis made the statement, "I want for the word of God to always be spoken on my land!"

 

Chief Peguis passed away in 1864.  As the head of a sovereign nation, he took on the name William King.  Hence his son was named Henry Prince.  Henry Prince signed Treaty No. 1 on August 3, 1871, along with Chief YellowQuill.  The colors of the flag of the Peguis First  Nation are yellow ("as long as the sushines..."), green ("as long as the grass grows...") and blue ("as long as the rivers flow,") and the red circle represents the circle of life and the red people (First Nations).  The two lines represent the two nations that signed the treaties as one sovereign nation to another, and this was supposed to mean that neither would try to the other.

Glen Cochrane met his wife Verla at a glue-sniffing party at ages 15 and 13 respectively, but today  Glen is a support to the Peguis Wellness Team for mental health, and is free of any form of drug addiction.  

He is also a former three-term Band Council member, and is the senior minister at the Peguis Church.Glen Cochrane met his wife Verla at a glue-sniffing party at ages 15 and 13 respectively, but today Glen is a support to the Peguis Wellness Team for mental health, and is free of any form of drug addiction.  He is also a former three-term Band Council member, and is the senior minister at the Peguis Church.

 

Verla told the story about how her grandmother was a part of an exile or relocation that took place in 1907 from the St. Peter's Reserve just north of Selkirk on Treaty No. 1 Territory to the present-day location of the Peguis First Nation on Treaty No. 2 Territory under the pretension that it was a democratic vote, but the vote was rigged in a way to get an affirmative vote for a relocation that became for the Peguis Band "a Trail of Tears." 

Reserve residents had been given only one day’s notice of the meeting called to consider surrender, and many did not hear and did not attend. The meeting was held at a time when people were out on Lake Winnipeg fishing and could not attend given only one day’s notice.  A Commission after the fact in 1911 found that the surrender agreement was neither partially nor fully read to all of those present, and what was read was in English only. The terms were not translated or explained in Cree or Saulteaux. The meeting was held in a small school house, and only one-half of those present could get in while others had to attempt to listen at the windows and door.

The vote was recorded in a controversial manner. Those present were asked to separate into two rows; those in favour to stand on one side, and those against on the other. There was a great deal of confusion for a time with people travelling from one side to another, and it was difficult to keep the two crowds separate.   The commissioners found that it was just at that moment that an Agent called out at the top of his voice in the Cree language, 'Which of you want $90 go over there!' indicating the affirmative side with his hand.  The deputy superintendent general of Indian Affairs Frank Pedley was present at the surrender meeting and had $5000 in a satchel which it was made clear would be distributed if the surrender carried, and if it was defeated “the satchel with its precious contents would go back to Ottawa.” 

The commissioners found clear evidence that up to the time of the “parading the satchel” before them, the band was not favourable to the surrender and had not asked for it. When the vote was taken it was found that 107 were standing in favour, and 98 against, but no record of the vote was taken as was customary in elections for chief and councilors. There could well have been people there who had no right to vote as no attempt was made to authenticate band membership. 

Certain additions to the surrender document were made after the vote and were never voted on or ratified by the band, so that the surrender submitted to the vote was not the same as the one signed.  A variety of measures were used in an effort to sway votes in favour of surrender. However, there is also good news, and hope for the future.

7.  Glen Cochrane then introduced Bernie McCorrister, a school teacher from the Peguis Central School who is the instructor of the Land-based Education Program that teaches Youth traditional knowledge and values that come from living off of the land, including hunting, fishing and trapping skills, and also identifying plants for their medicinal and food value.  A fuller explanation of this excellent program which is so vital for the connection to the land to be restored, so that the land will support the inhabitants in the community when Government welfare becomes an unhealthy dependency.  

In First Nations communities, the hunters are the heroes, because they do not just hunt for themselves, but for the entire community, and particularly those who cannot hunt, such as the widows, the orphans and the most vulnerable and needy.

A more complete description of this program can be accessed at this site, and a video of the program can be viewed here.  It is hope that at some point in the coming year, that both Glen Cochrane and Bernie McCorrister can connect with the students and staff at the Niverville High School and the Student Action Group here.  

Some of these students such as Edlynne Paez attended the Ceremony in Niverville on Friday, September 30, 2022, and there is a strong desire to see a future connection with the Peguis First Nation take place.

8.  To close off the Niverville Truth and Reconciliation Ceremony on the second National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, Howard Jolly made some very heartfelt and moving comments. He shared a song that he has recently written but had not yet recorded.  It was on the unmarked graves of residential school children.  Terry Martin was there to help accompany him on a guitar.

 

Howard is the Executive Director of the First Nations Alliance Churches of Canada, and is also the lead singer of the Rising Above Band, a group that is closely connected to Rising Above, a local ministry that is addressing the residential school issue head on, and is bringing residential school healing.  

We are very blessed to have a ministry such as this that resides right here in our community of Niverville.  While the song that Howard sang on Friday, September 30, 2022, was so new that he has not yet recorded it, one can hear this song by checking out the recording of the entire Ceremony at this link.  You will find this song on the unmarked graves from the 1:48:00 mark to the 1:52:00 mark of the recording.

There was a second song that Howard would like to have sung, but he ended up singing only one due to the lateness of the hour.  Why don't you listen to the recording of Howard's song which has touched so many hearts, Redeemed Redman.  You can listen to it, and let it minister to your heart by checking out this YouTube.

The Ceremony was followed up with a beautiful lunch provided by the volunteers from the Niverville Christian Fellowship.  It provided the opportunity for a lot of great conversations and interactions as people had been not only educated and informed, but deeply touched in their hearts.  The lunch room was abuzz with animated and enthusiastic conversations!

Regarding this and other events that took place in Niverville leading up to Friday, September 30, Niverville's local newspaper, The Citizen, published an excellent article written by Brenda Sawatzky entitled, Niverville Ceremonies Focus on Truth and Reconciliation.  Read the report.

During the afternoon of Friday, September 30, Peter YellowQuill was also able to share his story and touch the hearts of the staff and some of the visitors at the Mennonite Heritage Village (MHV) in Steinbach.  A big "thank you" to Gary Dyck, the Executive Director of the MHV for arranging for this time of sharing from the heart for a residential school survivor, and also for organizing a self-guided tour of the MHV on Friday, September 30, in order to help the visitors to also interpret history through the lens of the people who were on the land prior to the settlement period so that we can walk together with greater personal knowledge of one another.