Wednesday, October 6, 2021

94Quilt: Blocks 88 - 94 and the Flimsy

I acknowledge that I am living on unceded territory of Anishinaabeg (Source: Canadian Encyclopedia) on the shore of erielhonan, (Iroquoian word meaning 'long tail') now called Lake Erie.

The post that explains my 94Quilt project is here.  Since July 1 I've been making a flying geese block a day as I read one of the 94 Calls to Action, its accompanying explanations and progress report, and links that go with each one. I made my last geese block on October 2. On October 3 I made the final heart block. The Calls are divided into six major sections, and so at the end of each one, I have made a heart block. Reconciliation has the most Calls within it, though there are several sub-sections. The hearts inadvertently led to me having a nice number of 100 blocks. Some of the blocks are set in the Dutchman's Puzzle setting; others are interrupted by a heart. When I saw this happening, I decided to 'interrupt' the blocks with two columns of geese going in random directions. I wanted lots of movement across the quilt, and a more modern feel to it. All of the hearts are the same fabric (a great one by Benartex, Marbella), and almost all of the reds and oranges are  repeated twice, some three times. The Moda I used for the background is gone but for a couple of small scraps, so that feels good to move yardage off the shelf. 

The National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation is the main website with a wealth of information.
Beyond 94 is the CBC-created site that is an ongoing report card monitoring how we are doing with the calls.

Reconciliation

88. Continued support for the North American Indigenous Games.
Complete. 
  • In April 2017 the federal government committed ongoing funding ($18.9 million over five years, and ongoing funding of $5.5 million every four years thereafter) both at the community level and to support the Games.
  • Dale Tamara Plett of the Chippewas of Rama First Nation in Ontario, was elected the first Indigenous woman president of the 2020 Games which were to be in Halifax, but have now been rescheduled to 2023.


89. Amend the Physical Activity and Sport Act to ensure policies are inclusive to Aboriginal Peoples.
Not started.
  • The most recent reference to Indigenous participation in sport was in 2005. That is unacceptable.


90. Ensure that national sports policies, programs and initiatives are inclusive of Aboriginal Peoples.
In progress. Projects underway.
  • According to Beyond 94, in 2015, after the release of the TRC report, Sport Canada reinstated funding to the Aboriginal Sport Circle, a national organization that advocates for athletic resources for First Nations, Métis and Inuit. Check out that link!
  • This organization has done a fair amount of work funded by the federal government in regards to this call.
  • Two of the big roadblocks are a need for more funding for smaller, more remote Indigenous communities and the pervasiveness of racism. 

91. Ensure that Indigenous Peoples’ territorial protocols are respected by officials and host countries of international sporting events.
Not started.
  • While there has been some progress, it has been minimal and without Indigenous input.
  • In 2020, you may recall that the Iroquois Nationals, an international lacrosse team ranked third in the world, who represents the Haudenosaunee Confederacy which represents six nations that span the Canada/US border, were originally excluded from participating in the 2022 World Games. Read the details on Beyond 94, but the decision was eventually overturned (it had to do with the white definition of a 'country'). Also Ireland's team also backed out to ensure them a spot.
  • In the days leading up to the 2016 Rio Olympic Games, an Indigenous runner from the Pataxo tribe in Brazil carried the torch. (Here is another country taken over by Europeans.)
  • For the 2018 Pyeonchang Winter Olympics, no Indigenous peoples were formally consulted or participated in the planning of the games.


92. Corporate sector in Canada to adopt the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People.
Not started. 
Sidenote: I learned about this in the summer of 2020 when I took the MOOC through the University of Alberta. Did you know that there were only four countries who refused to sign the 2007 UNDRIP? Guess which four? I was horrified. Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the United States. In 2009 Australia and New Zealand reversed their positions and now support it. Canada and the US announced they would revise it. Canada finally passed it into law in June 2021. 
Under President Obama, in 2010, the US announce that it would lend its support to UNDRIP. however it is only a resolution and has not been ratified by the Senate and therefore is not binding.


93. Revise the information kit for newcomers and citizenship test to reflect a more inclusive history of the Aboriginal Peoples of Canada.
In progress. Projects underway.
  • The Citizenship Study Guide has not been revised since 2011. It contains one paragraph on residential schools under its section on "Aboriginal Peoples" in the chapter "Who We Are", not in "Canada's History" (which is where it should be, and in much greater detail).
  • In June 2018, the federal government said changes to the kit were nearing completion. Now I know the pandemic hit in the beginning of 2020, but here we are 3.5 years later...
  • According to Beyond 94, “In 2021, a spokesperson for the office of the minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship said a revised citizens citizenship guide is expected to be completed and released at some point later in the year. The new guide is expected to have roughly 10 chapters giving more attention to groups such as Francophones, Black Canadians, the LGBTQ community, and Canadians with disabilities.”
  • “Chapter 3 will include a section on treaties and the Indian Act and more information on residential schools like the physical and sexual abuse suffered by many students, and the fact that many children died there and were buried in unmarked graves.”
  • Most important in my mind, is that these changes were being created “with input from Indigenous stakeholders.”

94. We call upon the Government of Canada to replace the Oath of Citizenship.
Complete.
Here is the new Oath: 
  • I swear (or affirm) that I will be faithful and bear true allegiance to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, Queen of Canada, Her heirs and successors, and that I will faithfully observe the laws of Canada including the Constitution, which recognizes and affirms the Aboriginal and treaty rights of First Nations, Inuit and Métis Peoples, and fulfil my duties as a Canadian citizen.
  • The Liberal government passed Bill C-8 to revise the wording of the oath.
  • The wording was changed slightly from what was in the Call in consultation with First Nations, Inuit and Métis organizations and leaders "to better reflect the diverseness of Indigenous People in Canada."

Sites, Articles, Books of Interest

1. I cannot stress enough the importance and value in taking the free, yes FREE, MOOC (Massive Open Online Course), Indigenous Canada, offered by the University of Alberta (my alma mater😁). It is the one that Dan Levy took in the summer of 2020, when we were all locked down at home. It is a WEALTH of information, and although its focus is mainly on Indigenous Peoples of Canada, so much of the teaching applies to Indigenous of America, of Mexico (hello, this was all Turtle Island before contact), and all the countries where Europeans invaded and crushed the Indigenous peoples. 

A NEW ONE STARTS TODAY! You will love Dr. Paul Gareau, who is leading it this time. Every single Canadian, should be required to take it. Heck, incoming immigrants should also be required to take it. We had people from all over the world in it.

2. September 30 was Canada's first National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. This article discusses the unveiling of the flag to honour survivors of residential 'schools'. More than 30 survivors had input into the elements that are on the flag.

Here is the flimsy, held up by my trusty quilt holder, MacGyver. Photobombed by Xena. This is my OMG, to quilt it up and deliver it to my friend Tammy, who you may or may not recall is the head of our Windsor/Essex Children's Aid Society. As I pieced it over the 94 days, I knew that it would find the person or family who really needed it the most, and it has. She will be the go-between again, as she has been for several years now, for Indigenous and immigrant or refugee quilts I've made. It gave me goosebumps when I contacted her to ask if she had a needy person or family, someone who maybe was affected by residential 'schools', as this was one way I could #dosomething to help in reconciliation. She said she knew exactly to whom the quilt would go because that very day something pretty profound had occurred on a deeply personal level for someone, and this quilt of reconciliation was perfect for this person. 




7 comments:

  1. I am so glad that Tammy will be making sure this quilt to the exact right person to receive it. I'll be sending loving energy to you to channel into it as you quilt and finish it.

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  2. I am happy to hear that the perfect person has already been found to receive your reconciliation quilt.

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  3. Thank you for this. Living in the US, I cry inside when I think of our current treatment of our Indigenous Peoples. I need to cry out and be heard, like you. Thank you for inspiration and joy underneath the pain.

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  4. How appropriate that this quilt is finding its way to the right person. What a beautiful ending to this journey that has just begun.

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  5. I've enjoyed seeing your progress on this and the finished top is perfect. Best of all is when we've made something meaningful that wraps someone in love.

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  6. What an amazing quilt. Will you incorporate some kind of explanation for it's inspiration into your label? And how wonderful that Tammy has the perfect recipient for it when it's completed.
    Every American should be aggrieved that we have given up our moral and ethical leadership in the world. Sadly a large percentage of our citizens remain ignorant of the damage that has been done and many just don't care.
    Pat

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