We will be starting each episode moving forward with a land acknowledgement as a way to show respect to the Dakota, Lakota, Nakota, Cree and Saulteaux people of Treaty 4 territory. We want to take reconciliation seriously, but here’s the catch…
Those words are hollow and empty without action. Reconciliation is about more than the words we say. If we are to take it seriously, we must do better in all areas of life. It’s about participating in the world in ways that make it a reality rather than a dream.
So hold us accountable! If we say or do something contrary to reconciliation, call us out. We’ll make mistakes and adjust. Not being perfect isn’t an excuse to not try doing the right thing. This isn’t to say land acknowledgements are bad. They are good and should be practiced more, especially by Governments and Churches that have done so much damage to Indigenous people. But we have to back the words up.
It’s a small gesture, but we felt it was important to explain why we will be doing this and what our motivations are. It’s important to remember we share the land with gracious hosts that were here before us. The great poet Wendell Berry says to “Practice Resurrection.” To borrow his idea and build on it, let us also practice reconciliation.
If Jesus had only said “God is love” and then walked away, would anyone have cared? Would his life even be a footnote in history? But people know and are confident that God is love because Jesus LIVED it.
Make reconciliation a lived experience, not just a thought experiment.
