Oh, Canada listen to our cry
Oh, religious and political institutions listen to our song
We are spirits of the One Creator
sending you a message of seven values,
learnt from the Aki-land, forest, animals, birds and all living creatures:
Love, Respect, Truth, Bravery, Humility, Wisdom and Honesty.
You have started a path of Peace and Reconciliation
by listening to one another, exchanging gifts of each tradition and culture:
small shoe, poches, snow shoes, drum, cradle,
a note book-full of memories of pain, sorrow, sufferings -a cultural genocide,
olive branch, cross of Christ, Madonna with a-child – Yes, let us walk together
by recognizing the Truth, living the Healing, working for restorative Justice and
embracing the deep Reconciliation. Not easy, but we say FIAT-Hopeful Yes TOGETHER
to this project of brotherhood, culture of dialogue and encounter.
Yes, we heard those words of our brother Francis,
“I AM SORRY, I AM VERY SORRY AND I AM VERY SORRY
I FEEL INDIGATATION AND SHAME.”
He compared us to a well rooted tree with its beautiful branches.
Yes, that is what we are, very well rooted, not going anywhere.
This is our Land, we speak our languages
we are committed to protect our identity and culture.
This beautiful tree has been damaged by colonialization,
discrimination, racism, “Kill the Indian in the Child”-residential schools,
murder of our women, not respecting the treaties,
stealing our land-Doctrine of discovery,
Oh, we can say more and more…
Here we are, we are not going anywhere because this is our AKI.
We have been here for the past 10,000 years.
We were brave enough to show to the same institution
which rejected our cultures, traditions, languages, way of governing,
way of life, our skin colour, who treated us as a number even changed our own name,
the beauty of who we are and where we come from.
It was elegantly displayed by
powerful Fancy Dance, prayers recited in our languages like Dene- Michit and Inuktitut.
In fact, it was a Cosmic dance-our Creator’s dance,
every one dancing together: Elders, knowledge keepers, Survivors and Youth.
Our people celebrating traditional ceremonies at an open St. Peter’s square
and the Catholic church having Mass at closed doors…. Yes, every one has a place in this AKI.
Oh, for sure, the gift of cradle and small shoes of ours touched us very much,
An invitation given to humanity
to respect Life in all its forms and to treat the children with love and compassion.
“Let the little children come to me because the Life belongs to them”.
Oh, dear peoples, listen to our whispering voices and deep respirations,
Open your documents to know who were the culprits,
make their names known and bring them to justice,
abolish the Indian law and the doctrine of discovery.
We are with you, we implore together the Creator’s blessings
to do justice, to love kindness and to walk humbly with our Creator,
with one another as brothers and sisters of one ecological family.
Oh, my little angels, I, -we listened to your cry and I am sorry, we are sorry
for all that happened to you, but you know,
you are our living memories, our lighthouse, wild goose, the voice of the Creator.,
I say FIAT with my whole heart to this pilgrimage.
We say ‘Deep Yes’ to this project of Healing and Reconciliation
that starts with a respectful, intentional and spontaneous LISTENING
to Manitou, the Nature, the spirits, one another and oneself.
We are together in this journey!
Oh, Creator God, Help us to be peoples of Easter-a real reconciliation seekers!
Submitted by: Fr. Reegan Soosai, CMF
Inspired by the meeting of Pope Francis and the Indigenous Delegation to Rome
Powerful. Thank you