HEALING AND RECONCILIATION FOR COMMUNITIES AND FAMILIES
Redefining Survival
The doors firmly closed on the last residential school less than 30 years ago, in 1996. By then it was much too late.
A countless number of Indigenous children had passed through the system, suffering at the hands of these institutions for more than one hundred years.
The devastating effects on communities, cultures and traditions and the lasting impacts of widespread trauma are still felt today.
Despite this, Indigenous Peoples are not letting trauma control their communities anymore. Organizations are introducing impactful programs focusing on healing and well-being. The people of Tootinaowaziibeeng Treaty Reserve in Manitoba, have formed an Elder’s Circle. The Circle will support survivors in their healing journeys, provide a safe space for open dialogue and will hold ceremonies to reconnect with culture. The TTR Elder’s Circle will be open to Indigenous Peoples young and old, from the Nation and beyond, who are seeking to walk the path of healing.
The Indigenous Reconciliation Fund (IRF) is excited to provide funding to support phase one of the project. As a new organization, the Circle is focused on program preparation and logistical planning to ensure it’s able to meet its mandate of addressing the legacy of the residential school system. It has already been received with excitement within the community and positive impacts are already being felt.
The TTR Elder’s Circle was created by survivors of the residential school system and intergenerational members within and around Tootinaowaziibeeng Treaty Reserve. This passionate group recognized the need based on their own personal experiences and understood how transformative a monthly gathering could prove. Registered in 2024, the organization has already designed a memorial monument to the Indigenous children of residential schools and created the Elder’s Circle.
Archdiocese of Winnipeg
