The community of Welamukotuk (Oromocto First Nation) in Oromocto, New Brunswick, is dealing with an increase in mental health issues and addiction. Lingering effects of post-pandemic isolation, coupled with poverty and limited support options, have intensified these challenges for community members.
The Métis community across Canada has endured the impacts of colonization, resulting in the erosion of their traditions and cultural heritage. By gathering together, Métis citizens are hoping to rebuild a sense of pride and connection that has been lost within the community.
The impacts of colonization and the residential school system continue to reverberate through Indigenous communities, resulting in the loss of culture, language, and traditional parenting knowledge. Intergenerational trauma has contributed to cycles of substance abuse, violence, and suicide, leaving many Indigenous parents overwhelmed and communities fractured.
Advancing Reconciliation is the third in a series of three workshops hosted by Returning To Spirit, an Indigenous-led non-profit organization located in Treaty 1 territory in Winnipeg, Manitoba.
Sandy Bay First Nation, located near Amaranth, Manitoba, is taking steps to help youth in the community cope with intergenerational trauma and loss of cultural identity. Recognizing the devastating struggles with substance abuse among its young people, the Council of Elders has been looking at ways to revitalize traditional spiritual beliefs and values in alignment with Christian teachings.
Following the isolation and loss experienced during and for many, since, the Covid-19 pandemic, the Stó:lō Nation is organizing a gathering to support healing, celebrate resilience, and foster connections for its communities.
The Future Generations Foundation, formerly known as the NIB Trust Fund, is responsible for managing compensation allocated for Residential School Survivors under the Indian Residential Schools Settlement Agreement. The programming supported by the funds focuses on generational healing, connections with Elders, revitalization of culture, language, and community and better education, employment, income, and standard of living outcomes for Indigenous peoples.
The Mohawk Village Memorial Fund, created by a group of survivors from the Mohawk Residential School in Brantford, Ontario, is dedicated to reclaiming their childhoods and fostering new memories for the families and descendants of survivors. The group is constructing a playground and park designed to bring together past students, their families, and the wider community.
In Thunder Bay, Ontario, the St. Kateri Student Bursary program has been supporting Indigenous students pursuing higher education. Funded by the Indigenous Reconciliation Fund (IRF), the bursary looks to empower Northern Indigenous youth by alleviating financial barriers to education and promoting cultural pride. The response from students, teachers, and guidance counselors has been overwhelmingly positive, underscoring the importance of accessible education in Indigenous communities.
Deacon Michael Robinson is Anishinaabe and Catholic and serves as the Spiritual Director for Kitchitwa Kateri Church in Thunder Bay, Ontario. He provides spiritual direction and counselling services for community members with a focus on Indigenous spirituality, reconciliation and healing and discovery of identity.
