We are all in the same canoe under the same sun

Each day during the week began with the raising of a different Indigenous flag, and the week wrapped up on Friday, May 27, with a day of activities designed to share stories in hopes of fostering wider conversations about Canada’s Indigenous Peoples.

Raising the flags is a first for 1 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group, if not a first for the entire Canadian Armed Forces (CAF), said Corporal Justin George.

“Honouring each of these four flags consecutively during the week is an incredible step forward in the CAF’s work towards acknowledging the diversity in its ranks and the lengthy contributions made by the peoples represented by these flags have done throughout Canada’s military history,” he said.

The Treaty 6 flag was raised on May 24 to honour the First Peoples that fall under Treaty 6, as well as acknowledge that 3rd Canadian Division Support Base Edmonton and the main training grounds in Wainwright are both located on Treaty 6 territory. The Metis flag (May 25) and the Inuit flag (May 26) were raised to honour two of the First Peoples of Canada, and the Defence Aboriginal Advisory Group (DAAG) flag (May 27) was raised to honour all three groups: the First Nations Peoples, the Metis and the Inuit, and to honour the DAAG itself.

Each morning everyone in attendance had the opportunity to participate in a smudge ceremony followed by a land acknowledgment and a brief on the day’s event. The commanders in attendance then shared some words and the ceremony concluded with shaking hands in agreement with a sense of understanding and commitment to a stronger future.

The main event on May 27 included a larger number of attendees throughout the day.

“The day’s main focus was to reach out and share our history in hopes that one conversation leads to 10 and 10 leads to 100 and so on,” explained Cpl George.

During the Indigenous knowledge portion of the day, attendees had the chance to learn about various aspects of Indigenous culture: Indigenous medicines, the importance of Indigenous hair, Ojibwe creation stories and the history of Treaty 6.

The Indigenous medicines component touched on the local plants with medicinal properties found both on the base in Edmonton and at the main training area in Wainwright. Among the local medicines are Prickly Rose, Trembling Aspen, Common Yarrow and Sage. This component was presented by Master Corporal Phoenix George.

The Indigenous hair segment discussed the significance of hair to Indigenous Peoples. While hair is a personal experience to each individual, Cpl George explained his relationship with his hair as a member of the Okanagan Nation in British Columbia.

“I was taught to respect my hair,” he said. “Even when it leaves my physical self, hair that has fallen out or removed from my brush will be kept until it was time to release it back to mother earth by burning it.”

This segment was led by Cpl George and Private Brandon Procyk.

The final two knowledge sessions were about Ojibwe creation stories presented by MCpl David George, and the history of Treaty 6, led by Master Warrant Officer Sheldon Quinn.

Following the round robin knowledge sharing, the activities moved on to a five‑kilometre walk for awareness.

“The goal for this was to promote conversations about what was learned during the previous knowledge sharings,” explained Cpl George, adding the DAAG members on the walk were also open to answering any other questions the participants may have had in regards to the Indigenous Peoples of Canada, to the best of their knowledge.

“With conversation comes a better understanding and with a better understanding we can help promote positive steps towards Truth and Reconciliation,” said Cpl George.

The day’s final activity was an Indigenous cuisine experience, which gave attendees the opportunity to sample a selection of foods important to Indigenous Peoples.

Among the offerings were bison steak bites and dried bison meat. The bison used to total in the millions thousands of years ago before European colonization, and were a primary source of nourishment and sustainability for the First Peoples.

Also available was Pemmican, which is a dried meat, traditionally bison pounded into coarse powder and mixed with an equal amount of melted fat; occasionally saskatoon berries, cranberries, and even cherries, currants, chokeberries or blueberries were added. Pemmican has a long shelf life and was a primary source of nourishment throughout the winter months when hunting for wild meat was limited, Cpl George explained.