Truth and reconciliation: Quakers and reparations

By Rachel Yordy and Jeremy Vander Hoek

We’ve released a rich new document for non-Indigenous Quakers and others who are looking to move from words to action on reconciliation. The rest of this article is exerpts from the resource. We encourage you to read the whole thing: https://QuakerService.ca/Reparations

Learning the truth

Maybe you’re at the start of the journey and aren’t sure where to begin. Our list starts with learning as a basis for reconciliation action. As settlers, we cannot begin to work in collaboration and cooperation with Indigenous Peoples towards reconciliation if we are ignorant of the historic and ongoing harms of colonialism.

It is important to listen to Indigenous voices and read Indigenous authors who share their experiences of colonization to understand more about its impacts and the strength and resilience of Indigenous Peoples. Indigenous Peoples have been practicing their laws and cultures since time immemorial and resisting colonization for many generations.

Learning more about these practices gives us a richer understanding of the history of the land we’re on and the Nations that continue to exercise their rights and practice their lifeways. If you ever find yourself stuck on the reconciliation journey, learning is a great place to return to. There is a rapidly expanding body of inspiring Indigenous literature, memoirs, and non-fiction out there, and there is always more to learn.

Ideas:

• Take a look at https://NativeLands.ca, or https://whose.land to see whose territory you are on. After you’ve done so, take some time to learn about the Indigenous legal traditions, cultural practices, languages, and history of colonization where you are. Seek out Indigenous sources and perspectives wherever possible—like searching for the website of the First Nation whose land you are occupying or Indigenous perspectives on the Treaty territory you hold responsibilities in.
• Go to your local library, in person or online, and search for reading lists of books written by Indigenous authors, and public events where Indigenous speakers may share knowledge. Consider joining or starting a book club featuring Indigenous authors.
• Read the TRC Calls to action https://nctr.ca/publications-and-reports/reports and review the progress implementing the TRC Calls to action: https://www.cbc.ca/newsinteractives/beyond-94. Consider where you can contribute based on your knowledge and relationships.
• Review some of the reconciliation resources that CFSC has developed:
  • Land acknowledgement guide https://QuakerService.ca/LandAcknowledgment
  • Reconciliation queries https://QuakerService.ca/ReconciliationQueries
  • Reconciliation video series https://QuakerService.ca/IndigenousVoices

Relationship building

As the Truth and Reconciliation Commission reminds us, repairing relationships is at the core of reconciliation. Consider how you might build relationships with Indigenous Peoples.

Perhaps there are learning experiences at the local Friendship Centre, First Peoples’ Centre at a nearby university/college, or public events at the First Nation nearest you. These events are great places to meet people and connect. Repeated attendance is valuable as it demonstrates a willingness to engage in deeper ways than a single event. Colonialism maintains its power by reinforcing the barriers between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Peoples. Reconciliation aims to break these down.

Ideas:

• Search for Indigenous organizations and Nations that regularly host public events.
  Visit exhibits and events at Indigenous Cultural Centres, museums, art galleries, etc. and watch for Indigenous artists, curators, and community representation in national and provincial spaces.
• Attend a Kairos Blanket Exercise https://KairosCanada.org/what-we-do/indigenous-rights/blanket-exercise or Mapping the ground we stand on activity in your community https://AlongsideHope.org/mapping-exercise; or if interested in learning more about the American context, join a Towards Right Relationships event such as their Roots of injustice, seeds of change https://FriendsPeaceTeams.org/upcoming-events.
• Remember the following dates and look for local events where you can show solidarity:
  • May 5 is the National Awareness Day for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, Two Spirit, and LGBTQ+ people. (There are also commemorative events on February 14 and October 4 in many communities).
  • June is National Indigenous History Month, which brings with it many public events all across the country.
  • June 21 is National Indigenous Peoples Day, a day recognizing and celebrating the cultures and contributions of First Nations, Inuit, and Métis Peoples.
  • September 30 is the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. Many also refer to it as Orange Shirt Day in reference to the story of Phylis Jack Webstad, whose orange shirt was taken from her as a child in residential school.
• Support Indigenous authors, knowledge holders, and communities economically by purchasing books and resources, attending workshops, participating in fundraisers, and purchasing goods from Indigenous makers and vendors—this is a direct way to invest in Indigenous livelihoods and contribute to the reconciliation economy as you build respectful relationships.
• Research whether there is a treaty or agreement governing the lands on which you live, work, worship, and play. If so, when is the affiliated Treaties Recognition Day or Week? What events are commemorating and/or calling for accountability in relation to this treaty/agreement?
• Consider how you might introduce yourself in circles and workshops in respectful ways. (How might you frame your ancestry and relationships with land and First Peoples? If you are a settler, how much space do you want to take up in the circle?)

Providing individual and collective reparations

Maybe you’ve already developed relationships with Indigenous individuals or organizations nearby. Perhaps you are quite active in your reconciliation journey, participating in advocacy and activism alongside Indigenous Peoples. If so, this may be a good time to consider offering reparations either individually or with organizations you are involved in (Monthly Meetings or other Quaker bodies, workplaces, volunteer groups, etc.).

Providing reparations is often a process, as it requires conscious consideration of where reparations make sense. Your relationships with local Indigenous organizations and/or Nations may provide clear answers on where to begin.

For example, offering reparations to the People(s) on whose land your Meeting House sits is a tangible way to recognize the ways in which you’ve benefited from your presence on that land. There is not one way to offer reparations, or one right Indigenous body to give these to. So much depends on the context of colonization and your individual or community’s place-based relationships. If contemplating financial reparations, 1% of annual income is a common baseline. However, Friends may wish to consider more than that amount.

Ideas:

• Carefully consider the examples in the section below and reflect on what may be relevant to your local context. Learning from the experiences of other local faith bodies or organizations might also be helpful.
• Reparations should not be framed as ‘charitable donations’—they’re a form of restitution for historic and ongoing harm. It is not appropriate to ask for feedback or reporting after the provision of reparations. Funds are intended to be spent how the recipient sees fit.
• If you do move forward with offering reparations, please reach out to CFSC with any questions and tell us about your experience.

Advocacy and activism

Deeper involvement, including advocacy and activism, is a great way of sustaining your commitment to reconciliation. As you continue to attend events and stay connected with local Indigenous organizations or Nations, look for opportunities where you can get involved more concretely. Are there any calls for volunteers for events? What are the political challenges local Indigenous Peoples are facing? Join a protest or write letters as part of an advocacy campaign as these opportunities become available. As mentioned earlier, the reconciliation journey is not linear. Finding opportunities to support Indigenous Peoples near you can unfold organically. Settlers need to keep an eye out for these opportunities, and to remember to center Indigenous voices and calls to action.

Ideas:

• Based on your knowledge and relationships, consider where you feel led contribute to the rights and policy issues important to Indigenous Peoples:
  • What are the Indigenous rights issues facing the First Peoples nearest you? How are these Peoples calling for allyship in addressing these rights?
  • What are the largest Indigenous rights challenges across Canada today? How are Indigenous leaders asking individuals/groups to get involved in support of these issues now?
  • Research and, if so led, consider joining local Land Back and water rights causes that are open to the public where you can show solidarity in a meaningful way.
• Follow the newsletters, social media pages, and events pages where local Nations and organizations post. Calls for letter writing, protest, and solidarity are often shared there.
• Discern your/your group’s capacity to participate in different types of actions. Many of them require sustained commitment and unique gifts:
  • If you like organizing, you might help to coordinate meetings, track calls to action, and share important information with like-minded partners.
  • If you’re more energized by working within the system you might write letters, meet with MPs, or write submissions to public consultations.
  • If you enjoy being more rebellious, you may choose to join opportunities to stand with Indigenous partners on the front lines of protests and other actions, honouring Indigenous leadership.
• Not sure where to start? We also have resources to help Friends engage in any type of advocacy. This short pamphlet https://QuakerService.ca/BeingAQuakerBeingAnActivist explores what it means to be a Quaker activist. It offers insights into historical and current challenges to Friendly activism, and how these have been overcome by Quakers in their work for justice and peace.

Rachel Yordy is a volunteer member supporting CFSC’s Indigenous rights work. Jeremy Vander Hoek was a CFSC staff member and has now gone back to school to become a teacher.