Circles on Indigenous Worldviews
Initiatives of Change (IofC) has had a long history of working together with Indigenous people towards healing history and relationships between the different peoples of Canada. It began in 1934 when Chief Walking Buffalo of the Stoney Nakoda First Nation in Alberta, met Dr. Frank Buchman, the founder of IofC. Referring to an international conference he had attended in 1958, Chief Walking Buffalo said, “It was at that conference I put away all bitterness,
pride and fear and took up the work of my blood brother Frank Buchman.”
In 1959, Dr. Buchman gave a challenge to Walking Buffalo and Chief David Crowchild (Tsuut’ina, Alberta), and some of his family, to take their vision to the world. (See Walking Buffalo: World Journey )
Since then, many life-changing events, large and small have taken place. In 1976, the musical revue Song of Asia toured Canada at the invitation of the Chiefs of Treaty Seven. In 2008, a Canadian gathering – Towards a community of 
communities: from solitudes to partnership - was held on the Plains of Abraham, marking 400 years since the founding of Quebec City. In 2011 the Truth and Reconciliation Commission welcomed a proposal for The Citizen Project, which aimed to provide a way for all communities in Quebec - French, English, Indigenous and New Immigrant - to get involved with the residential schools Truth and Reconciliation process. A series of one-day public events took place over two years in Victoriaville, Montreal, Quebec City and Sherbrooke, followed up by the creation of continuing dialogue circles in each region. Among the partners in this initiative, were local indigenous communities, residential school survivors and Espace Arts Nature, who created a moving stage presentation, Voix du Silence, inspired by the words of survivors, which they presented as part of the one-day events. Voix du Silence later toured schools in the province at the request of the Quebec government.
With its history and the new awareness in Canadian society, of the pain Indigenous peoples have carried over the years with the locating of unmarked graves, IofC Canada has now initiated Circles on Indigenous Worldviews.
Why - We are often reminded that trust and reconciliation cannot come without justice. We are told that there is systemic racism in Canadian institutions, organizations and we know that prejudices can be passed from one generation to another. Circles on Indigenous Worldviews is based on a conviction that trust can be built if we acknowledge the truth of history, recognize prejudices, and make the changes necessary, in our own lives that can have a ripple affect to those around us.
What - Through a series of monthly or bi-monthly online dialogues we will learn from Indigenous leaders as they share their own life experiences. Through truth-telling, non-Indigenous people will learn how early relationships with Indigenous peoples were created and how they affect decisions made today, everyday. We will also hear how they are involved in building towards a new future.
As a contribution to the learnings and understandings between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples, Initiatives of Change Canada, is inviting you to a series of online dialogues in order to discover Canada from the time of the arrival of the Settlers to today. We will learn from Indigenous people involved in a variety of worldviews. Please join us as we learn together.
If you would like to receive announcements of future events, click here .
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