When I started the BCFP project called Truth Before Reconciliation, I didn’t expect it to change how I saw Canadian history so deeply. I had heard about residential schools before, but I never really understood the full story, how much pain, loss, and survival was behind those two words. This project helped me move from just knowing about history to actually understanding it.
Starting with the Truth
One of the parts of our project was creating a semantic map that showed connections between key ideas like truth, reconciliation, culture, trauma, healing, and community. Making that map helped me see how everything ties together. “Legacy” connected to “survivors,” which connected to “healing,” which connected to “Goverment action.” It was like a web showing how all these pieces of Canada’s past and present are linked. The map helped me realize that reconciliation is a process of learning, connecting, and understanding the relationships between history and people today.
Looking at Culture Through Comparison
Next, we worked on a Venn diagram comparing Indigenous and European practices, using the Tridish Café as an example of how Indigenous values show up in modern businesses. On one side, we listed Indigenous practices, community based decision making, sharing resources, and respecting the land. On the other side, we had European business ideas like profit focus, hierarchy, and efficiency. In the middle were shared values like hard work, creativity, and a sense of purpose.
The Tridish Café really stood out to me because it’s a space that brings people together to share culture and food while supporting Indigenous entrepreneurs. It blends traditional teachings with modern business, showing that Indigenous identity and success can go hand in hand. That comparison helped me see that reconciliation also means recognizing and valuing Indigenous ways of doing things, not just learning about the harm that was done in the past.
Hearing the Voices of Survivors
The part of the project that affected me most was writing a reflective response after watching a video about residential schools. Hearing survivors talk about being taken from their families and losing their language was heartbreaking. Some described the loneliness of being punished for speaking their own words or showing emotion. Others talked about how those experiences still affect their children and grandchildren today.
Learning Through Challenge
The hardest part of this project was digging deeper than what I already knew. It was uncomfortable to read about and watch the realities of residential schools, but that discomfort pushed me to learn more. I also learned research and critical thinking skills, especially when connecting ideas in the semantic map and comparing cultural systems. More than that, I learned how to reflect meaningfully and write about heavy topics with honesty and care.
How I’ve Changed
This project made me see Canadian history differently. it’s about stories of loss, resistance, and survival. It made me realize that reconciliation isn’t just a word used in politics or classrooms. It’s something every Canadian can be part of, whether that’s by learning, listening, or supporting Indigenous communities in real ways.
I feel sadness for what happened, but I also feel hope when I see Indigenous people rebuilding culture, teaching languages, and creating spaces like the Tridish Café that bring people together. The truth isn’t easy to face, but it’s what leads to understanding.
We can’t build reconciliation on silence, truth has to come first.
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