A Few Words About Where We're Coming From

Reconciliation has been promoted as something that happens between ourselves and someone else - someone that we were once conciliatory with but have since fallen out of relationship with. In Canada, this word has been used to capture the intention of creating right relations between Indigenous and settler peoples and governments. If we look further into mainstream culture’s way of being with the Original Peoples of this land we will see that we have never been conciliatory, or friendly. The Canadian government, religion, and industry have, and continue to, work to remove Indigenous peoples from their land, isolate people from their communities and families, and limit Indigenous communities from being self-sufficient through participation in mainstream economy. The goal was, and continues to be, to occupy Indigenous lands and resources. Collectively and unconsciously we have created a way of seeing the world that allows us to carry on within a system that privileges settler peoples (especially those with white skin), while disadvantaging Indigenous peoples.

Some of us recognize and oppose the privilege that is ingrained in the system and work within our communities to fight injustice. Still, the system continues and, in spite of the good intentions of many, "reconciliation" between Indigenous and settler peoples continues to be an elusive goal. An assumption of these sessions is that one reason we struggle is because reconciliation is rarely discussed as something that needs to happen within non-Indigenous peoples first, before right relations can be experienced on a societal level. In session 1 you will learn that we are calling this work uncolonizing, as it is the settlers journey of challenging colonial beliefs within themselves. It is an essential step on the way to decolonizing, which is the return of Indigenous lands and the recognition of Indigenous sovereignty.

This Uncolonizing Focus Group will focus on conversations about how our faith and our actions intersect. This community is intended for folks who have completed the Truth, Healing, and Reconciliation Reflection Guides and want to deepen their understanding of how to take action in a decolonizing way. Over six months the group meets six times to intentionally challenge internal bias and to support one another while working through the materials at home and in the world.

We welcome you on board and look forward to our time together,

Erin & Amber