Marking the second National Day for Truth and Reconciliation — ‘Where to begin?’

Most afternoons, Freddy Taylor works at a small table in a corner of the art gallery at Whetung Ojibway Centre on Curve Lake First Nation. His paintings are among the most beautiful I have ever seen, and they cover a lot of emotional territory. At the age of five, Freddy was sent to the Mohawk Institute Indian residential school where he spent the next 10 years of his life. He was hurt badly by his experiences there; painting has been his pathway to healing.

A long pathway to healing also lies ahead for the residents of James Smith First Nation in Saskatchewan. We were shocked and saddened by the violence that resulted in the death of 10 people and the two suspects earlier this month. The queen's passing may have diverted our attention briefly, but the response of most Canadians to the tragedy in the James Smith Cree Nation has been one of compassion. This is a welcome change from what the response might have been only a few years ago, prior to the work completed by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.

There was a time when First Nations issues were often greeted with a shrug and a sense that responsibility for those issues lay solely with the community, itself.

Truth and Reconciliation is changing that. We now have a better understanding of how the Indian Act, the residential schools, and racism entrenched in law, have badly affected First Nations and Indigenous peoples throughout our history. The Truth and Reconciliation Commission's findings documents this.

Knowing and accepting those truths is necessary for Reconciliation. But I hope that we will also create greater awareness of what is happening within First Nations communities today. One such community is Curve Lake First Nation, the ancestral home of my family.

Curve Lake is located north of Peterborough, with approximately 1,400 member and non-member residents. Locals know about their annual powwow, the Whetung Ojibway Centre, and the successes of its members in leadership, law, sports, and arts and literature. The Chief of Curve Lake is Keith Knott. At the age of 86, he knows a lot about the community's history because he has been a big part of it. Among many other honours, he was awarded the Order of Canada in 2018, something he credits to community members more than himself.

When the Chief was a child, Curve Lake was a beautiful place. There were 40 homes, a day school, and a church, with one phone shared by the entire community. There were gravel roads with no electricity or running water and yet, it did not feel impoverished in any way. People visited with each other often, and the Chief's favourite memories are of times when men would gather at the old hall, talking about their time in the lumber camps or serving as guides for American fishing tourists.

But the impact of the Indian Act was never too far away. Legislation ensured that you couldn't borrow money from a bank for a home or sell your produce off reserve. It was the Indian agent who ran Council meetings and made all the decisions. And to this day, the Indian Act remains largely as it was when first enacted in 1876.

The most damaging and discriminatory elements of government policy all come out of it. And this is not distant history. The Canadian government operated over 130 residential schools in Canada between 1831 and 1998. The last federally funded school closed 25 years ago.

In talking about Reconciliation, Chief Knott notes that it is something that First Nations cannot undertake for they were the ones on the receiving end of that history. What overwhelms people sometimes is the question: where to begin? For Chief Knott, the answer to that is simple. Canadians need to learn about our shared history. Reconciliation is not about apologies alone; it's about learning what happened so that we can ensure it never happens again, to Indigenous peoples or anyone else. For all the harm it has done, most of us know very little about the Indian Act. We can learn to co-exist and even thrive together - but we need to get educated first.

Curve Lake faces its share of challenges today. Rapid growth, demand for housing, substance abuse, family violence - these exist at Curve Lake, as they do in most communities. But the community is facing those issues head-on. A strong family and health support system, a solid community leadership and governance structure, and creative healing and preventative programs will help to tackle these issues.

And beyond this, Curve Lake has worked hard to diversify and develop its economy through a host of projects, including an aquaculture and aquaponics facility, tourism development, support for entrepreneurs, and the building of a water treatment plant. Those investments will create sustainable jobs in the community. And Curve Lake remains a great place to raise a family. Opportunities for sports, culture, and recreation are driven by a powerful volunteer spirit in the community. Girls' empowerment, youth drop-ins, Ojibwa language classes, drum socials, health talks, and much more happen on a monthly basis - impressive for a community of 1,400 people.

Now, here's the important thing we need to remember. These things are not just happening at Curve Lake. Change is happening in all First Nations communities. This year, we celebrated the widespread return of pow wow celebrations and Pride events. A National Indigenous Economic Strategy was introduced to improve the socioeconomic status of all Indigenous persons. And Niijaansinaanik Child & Family Services has introduced its Orange Standard, providing culturally safe services for children, youth, and families, and reflecting further evolution in how we approach child welfare issues.

At Whitedog First Nation, in northwestern Ontario, part of Wabaseemoong Independent Nations, the community has come together to provide a range of youth drop-in, mentorship, and other programs, including a 24/7 Youth Crisis Response Line to provide timely intervention when their youth are struggling. This was a community that was devastated by mercury contamination of its water sources in the 1970s, something that it still deals with today. They will be celebrating Orange Shirt Day on Sept. 30 with the rest of us.

This is not to downplay the challenges that communities face; that, we cannot do. But as we promote a common understanding of our shared history, we need to recognize the many positive things that are happening within First Nations communities. Resilience and resurgence are as much a part of Indigenous identity as anything else.

Indeed, Curve Lake is just as beautiful today as it was 80 years ago. And its future is promising, as the Chief says. The young people are the future of Curve Lake... we just hope that things work out well for each and every one of them."

Freddy Taylor is part of Curve Lake's history, too. He has no interest in talking about Reconciliation and history - but he does like to talk about his healing journey. His paintings reveal a deep connection with Creator; the story of how that happened for him is something he shares with those who visit him at the gallery. That would be just one of many ways to get educated. On this second National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, let's personally commit ourselves to doing that, now and in the years ahead.

Gary Whetung is member of Curve Lake First Nation and a member of the Waterloo Region Record's Community Editorial Board. His great-grandmother Bella Howard attended Indian finishing school' at Muncey, Ont. It was formally known as the Mount Elgin Industrial Training Institute, one of more than 130 Indian residential schools in Canada.