Righting Relations Network
The Righting Relations Network (RRN) has been growing since the spring of 2019, and was initiated by a study of the Calls to the Church, the Indigenous Church’s vision for itself within the United Church of Canada, followed by a discussion about a book written by a Metis scholar on land acknowledgements. Over ninety people from all corners of the region participated in these activities.
Most recently, with the assistance of Rev. Dr. Peter Bartlett, we have been discerning our call and vision as a Network. Our reflections are depicted in the diagram above. We agreed we are first and foremost learners in the work of righting relations.
Our new moderator, Rev. Dr. Carmen Lansdowne, is prioritizing reparation to the Indigenous peoples of this land. At GC 44, a process for creating a truly autonomous Indigenous church was put in place. These are exciting and important times!
We invite you to join us on this journey. We welcome more and more diverse voices – rural and urban, young and old, Indigenous and non-Indigenous.
Please direct any inquiries to: rightingrelations@gmail.com
An Open Letter to EOORC Communities of Faith
Download PDF of this letter: EOORC- RRN Letter to Communities of Faith
January 16, 2023
Calling all EOORC congregants & clergy!
We have a new network!
The Righting Relations Network (RRN) is a hub for sharing resources, ideas, questions, and furthering learning opportunities in the Eastern Ontario Outaouais Regional regarding Righting Relations between descendants of ‘Settlers’ & Newcomers, and those of Indigenous ancestry.
Many congregations have been actively responding to Call to Action #59 from the TRC (Truth and Reconciliation Commission) to educate themselves and further understanding of such things as the Indian Act, the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP), the impact of a Eurocentric dominant culture on Indigenous peoples, and how to take steps to decolonize ‘church’. We have collectively benefitted from living on stolen land. What reparations can the churches make? Perhaps the RRN can help congregations to support each other on the journey to Righting Relations.
There are many ways to raise awareness of Indigenous issues within our congregations, and to further education within our Region. Perhaps your communities of faith have suggestions to share through the RRN of how to respectfully mark these designated days:
- January 4 – Ribbon Skirt Day marking the right for Indigenous peoples to wear traditional dress without being further discriminated against
- May 5 – Red Dress Day commemorating Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls & Two Spirit People (MMIW2S+)
- June 21 – National Indigenous Peoples’ Day of Prayer, within the entire month of June which is Indigenous History Month, recognizing the contributions of Indigenous, Inuit, & Métis Peoples
- September 30 – National Day for Truth and Reconciliation (Orange Shirt Day) commemorating those impacted by the Indian Residential School system, and the Child & Family Welfare System
The Righting Relations Network hopes to:
- link congregations with each other, as the Region journeys towards decolonization
- offer suggested books, movies, webinars and courses for individuals and/or group discussion, to expand awareness of Indigenous issues
- consider what liturgical practices might be useful in becoming more engaged as an intercultural church
- coordinate webinars with guest speakers
Stay tuned for more from EOORC’s newest network…the Righting Relations Network!
Visit the RRN Webpage to learn more about
- Our Call
- Our Vision
- Our Goal
Media List
About the Media List
Beginning in 2007, for 8 years the Truth and Reconciliation Commission was a collaboration among First Nations, Inuit and Métis, and representatives of all levels of government. It met to acknowledge, witness and create an accurate historical record of the effects of the Indian Residential School system on students, their families and their communities.
There were 94 Calls to Action issued in 2015 including #59.
“We call upon church parties to the Settlement Agreement to develop ongoing education strategies to ensure that their respective congregations learn about their church’s role in colonization, the history and legacy of residential schools, and why apologies to former residential school students, their families, and communities were necessary.”
Members of EOORC Righting Relations Network are passionate about continuing this education and will provide a variety of ways to learn. We will present a series of reviews of engaging books, movies, websites and activities for you choose from. The reviews will be available on this page and in the EOORC News. We hope that they will be helpful to individuals and communities in our region as we continue to learn together.
Book Review - The Valley of the Birdtail
The Valley of the Birdtail: An Indian Reserve, a White Town, and the Road to Reconciliation is a true story written by two authors with outstanding credentials. Andrew Stobo Sniderman is a journalist, Harvard lawyer and Rhodes scholar from Montreal who has served as the human rights policy advisor to the Canadian minister of foreign affairs. Douglas Sanderson (Indigenous name – Amo Binashii) of Beaver Clan from the Opaskwayak Cree Nation teaches Law and Public Policy at the University of Toronto Faculty of Law.
The story they tell Is of two contrasting multiple generations living on opposite sides of the valley: one Indigenous on the Waywayseecappo Indian Reserve and the other non-Indigenous in Rossburn, Manitoba. It is a story of racism and reconciliation. It takes you from the depths of despair as you feel how the Indian Act affected and affects individual families to the uplifting hope of an experiment in education that could bring a change to systematic Indigenous racism in Canada.
Yes, it is possible. People need to read this book and think about what they want their Canada to be.
Book Review - Stolen Words
This children’s book, Stolen Words, written by Melanie Florence and illustrated by Gabrielle Grimard was purchased from Pat Gilmour, Grand River Book Store Grand River Bookstore, at our EOOR UCW Annual meeting last May. This Fall I loaned this book to our Sunday School and the children, youth and Sunday School teachers all loved the book, calling it beautifully written and illustrated.
This book talks about a little girl coming home from school one day and asking her grandpa how to say something in his Cree language, he is sad that he cannot teach her. He tells her that his words were stolen from him when he was taken to live at a residential school as a boy. The little girl then sets out to help her grandpa find his language again.
Available from: Second Story Press, $21.95, $14.95 (Cree) Second Story Press
Free, downloadable Teacher’s guide available from the publisher. Indigo Canada, $21.95 and $14.95(Cree paperback and Koho). https://www.indigo.ca/en-ca Strong Nations, $21.95 and $14.95 (Cree) https://www.strongnations.com/
Ottawa Public Library, 24 copies
Indigenous Calendar
About the Calendar
EOORC’s Righting Relations Network would like to share a calendar of significant Indigenous dates. The calendar includes important dates like National Truth and Reconciliation Day, Louis Riel Day, Have a Heart Day and more. You can find the calendar here.
The Righting Relations Network hopes that this calendar will be helpful to you and your Community of Faith as we all continue on the journey of reconciliation.
Resources
Video of Inaugural Event - An Evening With Rev Teresa Burnett-Cole
On January 26, 2023, Rev. Teresa Burnett-Cole presented on the topic, The Gifts of Indigenous Worship for Settler Churches. Rev. Burnett-Cole’s presentation was warmly received by more than 100 attendees on Zoom. This was the inaugural event of the Righting Relations Network. You can watch the video of Rev. Burnett-Cole’s presentation HERE.