Making a Foundational Difference

Healing begins when we pause, reflect and take responsibility for the harms that have been done to others.

For generations, the wounds of the residential school system have remained unhealed and unaddressed by those who perpetrated them. This has left Indigenous Peoples disconnected and lacking access to critical support systems needed to heal. However, this is changing as the topic of residential schools has reached the national stage. Indigenous Peoples are calling for long overdue acknowledgement and supports to renew the strength and resilience of their communities. 

The Ta na wa Ns7ey̓nitm ta Snew̓íyelh (Language and Cultural Affairs) department of Squamish Nation in British Columbia is developing a project to reconnect their members to their Indigeneity and build a better future. This project will offer seasonal, land-based learning experiences rooted in Squamish teachings. Guided by Knowledge Keepers, each gathering will emphasize holistic wellness through cultural and language-based practices, restoring balance, strengthening community ties and deepening participants’ understanding of who they are and where they come from.

The Indigenous Reconciliation Fund (IRF) is providing funding to help launch this project in the winter of 2026. The launch will bring together up to 50 participants and Knowledge Keepers at Potlatch Creek (Ts’uts’wsem) in Howe Sound to experience ceremony, song and cultural sharing. The IRF’s contribution will further support the video documentation of stories and memories shared from Squamish Nation members. After completing all four seasonal sessions, participants will reunite in ceremony to share their experiences, honour their journeys and celebrate healing and resilience.

Archdiocese of Vancouver