The raw truth unveiled during blanket exercise at St. Benedict

The history of Canada and its relationship with Indigenous peoples was unveiled today at St. Benedict Catholic Secondary School in Sudbury.

A number of students took part in a Kairos Blanket Exercise to learn the truth about how the Indigenous Peoples were treated by European colonizers, settlers and the Canadian government for hundreds of years.

Ms. Dowdall organized the blanket activity in collaboration with the Indigenous Sharing Learning Centre at Laurentian University. She explains that the blankets represent the land we know as Canada (Turtle Island) and works to increase empathy and understanding among participants.

The activity was created in 1996 by the Aboriginal Rights Coalition to develop a new way for people to understand the shared history of Indigenous peoples in Canada. The students walk thru pre-contact, treaty making, colonization and resistance. It’s always followed by a talking circle.

A huge thank you goes out to the classes at St. Benedict Catholic Secondary School that participated in the blanket exercise today.

In photo: Avery Dambremont, who is studying grade 11 Aboriginal art takes part in a blanket ceremony in the school gymnasium today.