Grant Recipients
The following projects have been awarded grants from the Indigenous Reconciliation Fund in the Archdiocese of Vancouver.
Re-publishing of the book "Amongst God's Own" under the new title “St Mary’s – The Legacy of an Indian Residential School." The book will be made available to educational institutions and First Nations across Canada, as well as contacts within the Archdiocese of Vancouver and the Sisters of St. Ann in Victoria. The project will edit the existing book, adding additional photographs recently released by the Oblates to Mission Community Archives, a new copyright page, a new cover page design, and new acknowledgments.
St. Paul's Squamish Nation Church in North Vancouver will provide Squamish language classes. The project was inspired by parishioners who expressed their desire to walk with Indigenous brothers and sisters in greater solidarity and understanding.
For the past 30 years, each band (there are 11) takes turns to host this gathering. On May 9-12, 2024, it will be the N'Quatqua's turn to host. The 3-4 day event will include cultural activities, speeches, food, traditional singing and dancing, entertainment, and more. The event leads up to the annual celebration and takes about 2 weeks. Before the event, there will be a "Unity Ride" through horses, language, and culture.
The Cost of Silence #UsToo is a call to action for all survivors to share their stories of sexual abuse using the hashtag #UsToo. This project will fund the distribution of The Cost of Silence - #UsToo Healer’s Edition & Preventative Justice Edition to 25 indigenous communities within the Archdiocese of Vancouver, 10 to Anishinaabe communities, and Gitxsan communities. The film shows living examples of a few of the solutions: sexual abuse in children should be treated as soon as possible to mitigate the damage it wreaks on a victim's life; perpetrators can be taught to control their urges and can be prevented from perpetrating by offering them services to address their addiction.
The Dr. Peter Centre ensures that people with HIV, complex health and social needs are supported as experts in their health and well-being. Close to a third of the people who access the Dr. Peter Centre identify as Indigenous. The grant will ensure cultural programming that can begin to meaningfully address the needs of Indigenous peoples who come to the Dr. Peter Centre. This fulltime Indigenous programming currently entails an onsite coordinator, Cultural Advisor, Elders, and several part-time cultural workers who provide art therapy, smudging, talking circles, medicine gathering, Indigenous meals, out trips to participate in ceremony, as well as decolonization and cultural safety training for staff and Board members of the Dr. Peter Centre. The goal is to ensure that there are Indigenous team members available 7 days a week.
This project aims to commission a Coast Salish Pole that watches over the surrounding area and contributes to the wellness and health of the Sts’ailes people in the area. The project will also create a public garden area on the property of the former Chehalis Indian Day School.
The Syiyaya Reconciliation Movement is a joint initiative addressing intergenerational trauma experienced by survivors and families of St. Augustine's Residential School in Sechelt. The project aims to restore cultural practices, identities, and dignity by teaching regalia weaving and facilitating private healing at the former school site. A healing ceremony, feast, and the unveiling of a Totem Pole will honour survivors and strengthen the commitment to reconciliation.
This project funds Stó:lō Nation's research on St. Mary's Residential School in Mission, focusing on missing children and unmarked graves. It seeks historical documents from the Catholic Church in Vancouver to identify burials of Indigenous peoples at the OMI Cemetery and other Fraser Valley Catholic cemeteries. The Stó:lō Research and Resource Management Centre and archivist Carey Pallister will create a comprehensive cemetery map and database. Consultants will support the project, upholding Indigenous data sovereignty. This project will contribute to ongoing investigations, healing, education, and Indigenous data sovereignty. It promotes data empowerment and decolonization.
The Sto:lo Commemorative Gathering was initiated by Sto:lo leadership, longhouse families, and residential school survivors. It aims to provide a proper memorial service for the former students of St. Mary's Residential School, fostering healing and unity among Indigenous groups across British Columbia through traditional spiritual and cultural protocols. This gathering signifies an important step towards remembrance, reconciliation, and cultural preservation.
View other projects across Canada