CPT Reflection and Call to Action

From July 28 to August 6, I participated in a Christian Peacemaker Teams delegation to Kenora ON. For ten days I was immersed in a learning experience that deepened my understanding of the issues facing Aboriginal people in Canada. I have learned on a much more personal level the depth of pain and suffering that we have inflicted on them. With the current media attention on the situation in Caledonia, I have heard a lot of people grumbling about Aboriginal people. They say, “Natives are lazy”, “They don’t pay tax”, or “They are so dependent on handouts”. I cringe when I hear these things. I have seen how our people have systematically undermined both Aboriginal culture and self-sufficient economies and we continue to do it today!

However, I have also experienced hope. I met an Aboriginal community that is embarking on new initiatives to bring themselves economic independence. There are programs that are bringing together Aboriginal youth to reacquaint them with their culture and heritage and traditional knowledge and wisdom. I met a woman who has conquered alcoholism and depression by spiritually reconnecting to the Creator. Our delegation was invited to an isolated Aboriginal camp, an invitation rarely extended to non-natives, from a people who normally automatically distrust anything Christian.

Reflecting on our experiences, the members of the delegation have decided to give up our Thanksgiving Turkeys this year. I have always thought that Thanksgiving is a time to celebrate the bounty God has given us. And I recall the story of the early European settlers being cared for through the winter by the generosity of welcoming Aboriginal communities. I want you to understand though, that some Aboriginal people see our Thanksgiving as a celebration of our colonial success. While we give thanks for our bounty, Aboriginal people mourn for all we have stolen from them. This Thanksgiving day, I will stand in solidarity with my new Aboriginal friends by fasting. I will use the opportunity to reflect on my personal complicity in a system that perpetuates injustice and broken relationships. I invite all who feel called to this spiritual discipline to join me.