Healing Together

There is no single action that can erase the pain felt by residential school survivors.

There is no amount of time that can heal families who had a child that never returned home. Healing is a long, multifaceted process that requires empathetic listening, relationships built on trust and respect, and collaborative efforts to create strong and resilient foundations. Many Indigenous communities have turned to their sacred traditions to facilitate the process. 

Circles for Reconciliation Inc. (CFR) is launching Mīnowasta Kakike (Repair Forever), a year-long project that will hold talking and sharing circles with five Indigenous and five non-Indigenous participants. The goal of these circles is simple but powerful: to deepen understanding, foster empathy and bring the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action to life. The discussions will be a mix of digital and in-person to ensure the circles are accessible to all communities. To maximize impact, CFR will also continue to host a quarterly webinar series featuring Indigenous and non-Indigenous speakers, engaging more than 200 people over the course of the project. Whether in-person or online, dialogue helps combat misinformation, dispel despair and create healthier pathways to healing.

The Indigenous Reconciliation Fund (IRF) is joining this initiative by funding the costs of the circles and enabling CFR to sustain its work. Founded in 2019, CFR is a grassroots organization that grounds its initiatives in the lived experiences of its members. Co-founded by two First Nation leaders and guided by Elders and Knowledge Keepers, CFR relies on 200 trained volunteer facilitators to help create safe environments for participants to listen, reflect and share their stories. 

Archdiocese of Winnipeg