Reconciliation can take many forms

My name is Kalissa Smith, and I am a Grade 11 student in Groves’ House. I am a settler of Canadian descent.

 

Over the past two years, I have had the opportunity to be mentored by Brad Assu. He has taught me about his Nation’s history and traditions while mentoring me in the basic skills and fundamentals of carving. Brad is a member of the We Wai Kai Nation at Cape Mudge on Quadra Island. He is also a Shawnigan Lake School Old Boy from Lonsdale’s House who graduated in 1983.

 

Through our mentoring relationship, we have worked together to create two three-foot welcome poles, which you may have noticed in the Shaw Centre, where the two totem poles that Brad donated also reside. I am hoping that over the next two years, as part of my capstone project, I can carve a third welcome pole with its arms facing outward, which signifies welcoming people into the community.

 

Brad has also been working on creating and designing pins for the School. The Assu family is part of the Eagle Clan. In September 2003, Brad’s father hosted a potlatch in honour of his father. Brad’s parents asked him to create an eagle design for the occasion, and the pin you will be receiving features the design he created.

 

The eagle is a sacred messenger between the physical world and the Creator. It is believed to carry human prayers to the Creator.

 

On Friday, September 25, the Indigenous Affinity Group and I will come around to the Houses to distribute these pins. Brad would like to thank everyone for accepting a pin and for always making him feel so welcome at the School.

 

You are encouraged to wear these pins to Saturday Chapel on the 26th. If you wish to participate, you can also wear them on September 30th, National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.

 

On September 30, all of our Grade 9 and 10 students will be attending the Every Child Matters March in Duncan, while all senior students will be attending the South Island Powwow in Victoria, hosted by the Songhees Nation. The Powwow takes place on the traditional territory of the Lekwungen peoples.

 

I am especially excited that our senior students will have the opportunity to attend the Powwow this year. It is a new experience for many of us, and I am really looking forward to experiencing the dances, songs, culture, and community together.

 

For those who don’t know, the word “Powwow” has been adopted by many Indigenous Nations to describe a gathering where community members come together to share dances, songs, and culture. In the context of Truth and Reconciliation, it can also be an opportunity for healing and cultural reclamation.

 

That being said, when I first took on this carving journey, it was not driven by the idea of reconciliation. It began with a shared passion for woodworking, culture, and the opportunity to create something together. Through the process, I came to understand that meaningful connections can grow naturally through shared experiences, relationships, and a willingness to learn from one another.

 

What resulted was a more natural and organic form of reconciliation, rooted not in a single project or outcome, but in building relationships, sharing knowledge, listening, and creating a space where culture and community could be respected and celebrated.

 

For me, this experience has been a reminder that reconciliation can take many forms. Sometimes, it begins simply by coming together, working with our hands, sharing stories, and taking the time to learn from one another.