Event 1 - Reconciliation: What does it mean to you?

The focus of the event was to celebrate Treaty 7 territory (Calgary and surrounding areas), raise awareness on colonization, increase efforts for decolonization, facilitate learning, and honour the Indigenous peoples of Canada through active reconciliation. We hoped to create a space that allowed participants to connect and collaborate,  to build community, and to discuss individual actions that one can take to participate in reconciliation. Our guest speakers included Tim Fox (Natoyi’sokasiim), Blood (Kainai) Nation and Naheed Nenshi.

Knowledge sharing with Tim Fox

The reflection tools Tim Fox referred to are sharing circles and H3 (Head, Heart, Hands).

Sharing circle format allows all voices to have a chance to speak and be heard.

H3 – a question is asked for each area. 

• • • Head – What questions do I still have and how can I begin finding the answers? 

    • Heart – What values was I raised with or hold to importance now and how can I remind myself of those values when this work gets challenging tough or uncomfortable? 

    • Hands – suggest action and what are the daily, weekly, monthly, and annual actions I can take that demonstrate my commitment to this work?

The grounding message Tim sends to participants is:

Thank you for taking the time and interest in joining us for a conversation on deeper understanding of­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­ ­________________________. I am excited to host this conversation with your team.

To begin our experience together, I invite each of you to ground yourself by reflecting on place, identity and your work in your community. I appreciate that everyone is at various phases of understanding when it comes to Reconciliation. I hope that our short time together will be, for some, a continued step of your journey in the space of Reconciliation and right relations.

1. 1. 1. In an effort to provide context and begin establishing a space of curiosity and openness, please make time to read the article: Settlers with Opinions and view this short clip.

      2. Finally, as part of our time together we ask that you begin to prepare yourselves and please bring the territorial acknowledgment of where you were born and if you were not born in this country, a territorial acknowledgment of where you now live, work or play along with teaching from that place that helps guide your thinking about Reconciliation and relationship. If you are looking for resources in this area, we recommend the app called “Whose Land” or native-land to start exploring.

Event 2 - Connecting through Film and Conversation 

The focus of the event was to tell stories, share memories, and connect with others through film. We hoped to create a space that allowed participants to discuss their experiences, reflect on generational similarities and differences, and promote a sense of belonging within the community. The intention was to tell stories, share experiences, reflect on similarities and differences, and connect with others across generations through film. 

Although we cannot include a copy of the film that was viewed, our speaker Amber Dukart has provided us with her presentation. Hopefully this will give you some insight into what was discussed during the event. 

Event 3 - Moving through Challenging Times

The intention of the event was to emphasize mindfulness, affordability, nutrition, and strategies for making connections during difficult times. During this event, we discussed the challenges of affordable living, gained knowledge on maintaining sustainable well-being and promoted intergenerational discussion, participation, and enjoyment. 

During the event, we provided the audience with brochures containing community resources and opportunities for connecting intergenerationally with others. This information is included under 'Gallery and Artifacts' for your convenience. 

Event 4 - Framing our Memories

The intention of this event was to to honour intergenerational connections by learning to capture and preserve memories. We hoped to create a space that allowed participants to creatively express themselves, learn from other generations, discover ways to share stories, and recognize the beauty of meaningful legacies. Our guest speaker described their StoryShare program and shared some of the recordings their organization has made to perserve the stories and memories of Calgary seniors. 

During this event, the audience participated in a small group activity and 'framed' their memories. Pictures of this can be found below, under 'Gallery and Artifacts'. 

Additionally, our guest speaker Doreen Vanderstoop has invited you to connect with her via her website. This contains Doreen's biography and contact information. The link is below. 

https://www.doreenvanderstoop.ca