Show Notes
In our last episode of this season we talk with Leonard Doell, Indigenous Neighbours Coordinator at MCC Saskatchewan. Leonard has been employed by MCC for more than 20 years and has spent 40 years doing reconciliation work with the Young Chippewayan people and Mennonite and Lutheran farmers in the Laird area.
Leonard speaks about how his work has been built on the good will of those who went before him and his hope that others will come to build on the work that he has done. He invites people to create shared understandings – by learning each other’s histories and participating in events together. Leonard’s stories also highlight the work that needs to be done by both individuals and institutions. Due to the depth of his knowledge of the people and land he speaks intimately about the challenges and achievements of this story. As Leonard says, “We know how imperfect the story is, but we also know it is inspirational.”
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Links from the episode:
Stoney Knoll history
Reserve 107
Spruce River Folkfest - August 10, 2019 will be the 10th annual Spruce River Folkfest
Mennonite Central Committee Saskatchewan
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Reconcile. Everyday Conversations is a project of Mennonite Central Committee Saskatchewan aimed at facilitating conversations among settler/non-Indigenous Canadians around our role in reconciliation.
Project Coordinator: Heather Peters
Recording and Editing: Jo Kroeker
Music by A Northern Road to Glory
More from Reconcile. Everyday Conversations
“Action is the part I really focus on in my understanding (of reconciliation) because we can say a lot of things and people can come to a lot of discussion tables, but if you're not actually doing the stuff it is going to be forgotten.”
“I think now though, it's using my voice to create safe spaces, to have tough conversations, but have this conversations in a respectful and safe way. So we can … hear that before you get to reconciliation, you need to hear this ugly truth, right?”
“The chef coat that you see is actually modeled after the Turkish army. And I think there's a lot of a lot of rules and etiquette, and kitchen ways of being that are actually at odds with indigenous culture. So I'm trying to, I guess you could say decolonize that kitchen experience for people.”
In all my conversations with people about reconciliation I have heard that it isn’t an individual journey people are on. The reconciliation path is filled with relationships, teachers, learners and explorers – it is filled with other people. So we have created a reconciliation study guide that accompanies this podcast for you to be able to take to your friends, churches, communities, or neighbourhood book clubs to engage with these conversations together.
“You have to be open to it. You might not want to listen or hear what someone has to say that has a different belief system…. God calls us to love everyone, to listen to their stories. This is what have gotten me started and motivated.”