Monday, January 16, 2012

Day Ninety: Share Your Truth

Roseanne, our old nanny, emails me this morning with the schedule for the Truth and Reconciliation Community Hearing in Regina.

7:00 - 7:30                      Pipe Ceremony -- Elder Mike Pinay    Glass Teepee
8:30 Registration  Opens                                                             Level 1 -- Main Entrance
9:00-9:30                       Drum Group -- Opening Honor Song
                                      University Welcome -- President Dr. Doyle Anderson
                                      Opening Remarks -- Emcee Mike Pinay                              Main Atrium
9:30-9:45                       Commissioners Opening Remarks                                        Main Atrium
9:45-10:30                     Commissioners Sharing Panel                                               Main Atrium
10:30 -- 10:45 am            HEALTH BREAK
10:45 am to Noon            Commissioners Sharing Panel              Main Atrium
Noon to 1:00pm               Lunch -- On Site                                 Lunch Area
1:00-2:30 pm                   Commissioners Sharing Panel               Main Atrium
1:00-3:00pm                    Sharing Circle                                      Common Area
2:30-3:00pm                    HEALTH BREAK                             
3:00-4:30pm                    Commissioners Sharing Panel               Main Atrium
4:30pm                            Closing Day Remarks                           Glass Teepee
                                        Drum Group -- Closing Song   

I had texted Roseanne yesterday to see if she knew the times for the Regina Hearing, and then she had phoned me. It was so fun to hear her cherry voice, full of quirky brilliance. Roseanne had also been my student in Wolseley, so I'm doubly proud, as teacher and ex-employer/family member, of her affiliation with the trc. Roseanne tells me that the trc will be coming to Fort Qu'Appelle in the spring, and that I should be able to attend and maybe bring some students.

I remember visiting with Martin Brokenleg on the plane, coming back from Vancouver, after being in Hong Kong. He'd said how he'd wished we'd gone the Truth and Reconciliation route, like South Africa, like Desmond Tutu and Nelson Mandela, for addressing Residential School crime and oppression.

A few weeks ago I had taped this poster outside my classroom door:

                      Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada                          trc.ca

SHARE YOUR TRUTH

TRC Community Hearing -- Regina

In preparation for the Saskatchewan National Event in June 2012
the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada (TRC)
will be in Regina, SK:
January 16, 17, 18, 2012
Location: First Nations University of Canada
1 First Nations Way, Regina, SK

This Hearing will provide an opportunity for Residential School Survivors to
share with the Commission and Canada the unique experiences of children
who attended Residential School.

This is also an opportunity for all Canadians, both Aboriginal and
non-Aboriginal, to learn more about and bear witness to the legacy of the
Residential School system.

For a complete listing of TRC Hearings or to view the webcast, visit trc.ca

For more information please call:
Kimberly Quinney, Reginal Liaison -- Saskatchewan
Phone: 306.665.4991 or 306.371.3403 or kimberly.quinney@trc.ca

Health Support Workers are available on site.

Join us for the Saskatchewan National Event in Saskatoon
June 21-24, 2012 at Prairieland Park

And here I am in my classroom with grade tens. Michelle Hugli-Brass is guiding the kids through the Question-Line strategies of an interview. We're writing a book, maybe a magazine, of people who have been leaders in challenging times. She smiles, circles the room, explains, reads over questions, comments individually, makes jokes.

My voice is full of management: You over there, put your texter away. And you, listen, we have a guest in the room. You, come sit in the chair beside my desk. And you. are you done your focus statement? Do you want to highlight beginning, middle and end questions? Here, write down the five w's. You can use the washroom after so-and-so gets back.

This is my truth today.

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