Thoughts from Roseau River

    


     Since we've all finally learned each other's names here on site one, we decided we had better meet someone new just to keep us from getting too cocky.  We spent each day this week listening, laughing, learning, and living life through the eyes of the Anishinabe people.  While becoming re-acquainted with the flip-chart of our kindergarten nightmares, our Roseau instructors gave us insight into clan roles and responsibilities, medicines, ceremonies and the Anishinabe creation story.  Our learning experience heated up when some of our numbers participated in a traditional sweat lodge ceremony. We shared the Anishinabe people's sorrow as we relived the pain of the residential school abuses and experienced their joy while busting out our best inter-tribal dance moves.  Some of the "non-academic" highlights of the week include (but not limited to) killer sting-pong matches, a van stuck in the mud, mystery utensil meal, a very messy mud soccer match, the crowning of site one's very own UFC champion (shout out Ryan!), and an on-the-edge-of-your-seat-thrilling van committee meeting.  Our Anishinabe hosts welcomed us with open arms and hopeful hearts, eager to build friendships and ignite a generation of well-informed activists.  As we've shared stories and dances a spark of determination has caught in our hearts-we leave this week with a new passion for reconciliation and a vision of friendship that extend across borders and transcends formal apologies and signed papers (http://www.aboriginalcanada.gc.ca/acp/site.nsf/eng/ao20009.html).   After a week of expanding mindsets, challenging the unknown and rooting our faith as we grow stronger in Christ.  We're excited that not only are we able to greet member of the Roseau River Reserve by name, but we can call them friend as well.  

-Miriam Mahaffy