Treaty people tour a chance to pause, ponder

Ahead of Orange Shirt Day, Winnipeggers are invited to view city sites through an Indigenous lens as a path to reconciliation.

The We Are All Treaty People ride and walk, sponsored by the Mennonite Coalition for Indigenous Solidarity of Mennonite Church Manitoba, is a self-guided tour that allows participants to cycle or walk through sites of significance to Indigenous peoples. It is set for Saturday.

“It’s a way to learn more about Indigenous people and their stories on the land where Winnipeg is located, a way to take treaty responsibilities seriously,” said organizer Jonathan Neufeld, co-pastor at Charleswood Mennonite Church, adding the event is a way to notice things that might normally be missed while driving in the city.

“It’s about slowing down and paying attention,” he said, noting that participants can choose how far they want to walk or ride. “It’s a ‘choose your own adventure.’”

The event starts at the Mennonite Central Committee Manitoba office at 140 Bannatyne Ave. at 9:30 a.m. Riders and walkers can visit 15 locations, including the Indigenous garden at the Leaf, Rooster Town, St. John’s Healing Forest, the former Assiniboia Residential School site, Louis Riel’s gravesite, the Tina Fontaine tree at the Alexander Dock and various sites at The Forks.

Participants are invited to pause and reflect at each location, using a link provided by the organizers.

“Some of the locations are about tragedies, others are places of encouragement,” Neufeld said.

The event ends with a lunch and conversation at noon back at the Mennonite central committee office.

There is no registration fee for the event, but a donation of $25 is encouraged. Funds raised will be given to the Clan Mothers Healing Village, which supports Indigenous women and two-spirit people to help them find healing from trauma, exploitation and violence.

Krista Anderson, social enterprise and innovation manager for the Healing Village, said the support is much appreciated.

“Not only will it help people become familiar with places important to Indigenous people in Winnipeg, it will help us provide skills-based support and training to women and two-spirit people so they heal,” she said.

People can register for the event online here.

The event is part of the We Are All Treaty People Celebration, from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday at The Forks, which is sponsored by the Mennonite central committee, the Anglican Diocese of Rupert’s Land, the United Church of Canada and Winnipeg Quakers.

The National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, also known as Orange Shirt Day, is Sept. 30.

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