The A’nó:wara Learning Circle before the Ohén:ton Karihwatéhkwen, opening address, and tobacco ceremony
By: Jessyka Maliksi
A record 220 people gathered around the A’nó:wara Learning Circle on Monday morning to participate in the Haudenosaunee opening ceremony to kick off the Truth and Reconciliation Week at Loyalist College.
Last year, 30 people attended, said Jennifer ‘Tewathahá:kwa’ Maracle, director of Indigenous Studies.
The ceremony started with Maracle giving thanks to everyone who showed up and explaining the importance and process of the tobacco ceremony.
Maracle went around the crowd, handing out pieces of tobacco. Those participating were told to take some tobacco with their left hand and recite their thoughts and intentions for the following day or week while transferring it to their right hand. The significance of passing the tobacco from one hand to another is that it crosses your heart.
Tobacco is used as a form of medicine she said in an interview with QNet News.
Everyone’s tobacco is then placed into a basket and burned while the Ohéton Karihwatéhkwen, the opening address, is delivered.
“Akwé:kon énska,” repeated Maracle during the opening address.
This means coming together as one.
“We give thanks to everyone or to every member of our cosmological family and took our messages up to the creator to let him know we are thinking about all the children this week,” said Maracle.
Indigenous children were separated from their families and communities to attend residential schools, where they were striped of their culture. According to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, there may be more than 6,000 children who were killed at residential schools, with that number still increasing. In May 2021, 200 unmarked graves were discovered at one of Canada’s oldest residential schools. Truth and Reconciliation Week remembers the children and ends with Orange Shirt Day on Saturday.
Orange Shirt Day is an annual recognition of the children. It falls on Sept. 30, which is the time of the year when the children were taken away from their homes. On this day, people wear orange shirts to show their support for the Every Child Matters movement. The shirt commemorates those who lost their life at residential schools and their families, as well as the survivors.
International Project Management student Diksha Shanker attended the event yesterday with no expectations.
“It was quite nice to know about it (Indigenous history), and also, it was very heartbreaking to know about the atrocities that were taking place back in time,” said Shanker. “It’s something very similar to what happened in India…it just shows how colonialism, capitalism has actually degraded the human form.”
Throughout the week, people are educated about Indigenous culture and what First Nations, Inuit, and Metis went through during colonization. She said that non-indigenous individuals learn about the importance of this week and their responsibility as Canadian citizens.
“Truth and reconciliation is the responsibility of every Canadian. It is not the responsibility of Indigenous people. We already know the truth. We don’t have to reconcile,” said Maracle in an interview after the ceremony.
Shanker recognizes the importance of the responsibility of learning about truth and reconciliation.
“It’s a collective responsibility of all actually to support them. It’s like supporting LGBTQ (rights) even if you’re not a person (of the community). So, why not support a person trying to recollect their culture,” she said.
The large attendance was not lost on Marcale. It is an indication the community is realizing its role.
“We’re doing our job,” she said.
Educating students at Loyalist College about Indigenous culture and history is significant in increasing understanding and building community. It is especially true when certain students can relate to certain aspects.
Shanker said she could really relate.
“I enjoyed the teachings that they gave us about grounding ourselves…and about setting intentions…it actually reminded me of my family back home,” said Shanker.
After this ceremony, Shanker said she walked away with more knowledge about Indigenous history.
“It has taught me that everyone is human, and no human has (the) right to treat anyone badly just because they’re having capitalistic tendencies,” she said.
Throughout the week, there will be multiple activities and events in the school to help educate students about Truth and Reconciliation.
“We have a large international population here, who are newcomers to Canada, and we’re trying to give them the opportunities to learn more about us,” said Maracle.
Some of the activities include:
- Monday, Sept. 25: 10 a.m. Ohén:ton Karihwatéhkwen (opening address) and tobacco ceremony at the A’nó:wara Learning Circle
- Tuesday, Sept. 26: 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Drop-in Medicine bag Making in Shark Tank Pub
- Wednesday, Sept. 27: 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. or 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. Blanket Exercise in Gym – Registration Required
- Thursday, Sept. 28: 11 a.m. to 11:45 a.m. Nature Walk on Campus
- 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Drum Making in the Shark Tank Pub
- Friday, Sept. 29: 10 a.m. Closing Ceremony at the A’nó:wara Learning Circle
Students can support Truth and Reconciliation Week by attending any of these events and purchasing an Orange T-Shirt.
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