Ravens: Messengers of Change takes flight to foster Reconciliation
KAIROS Canada and the Legacy of Hope Foundation launch accompaniment to KAIROS Blanket Exercise
(Toronto, ON) – KAIROS Canada and the Legacy of Hope Foundation (LHF) are thrilled to launch Ravens: Messengers of Change, an educational resource for people of all ages that creates awareness and action for Reconciliation in Canada by calling on everyone to become, like Ravens, the messengers of change.
The resource is available on the KAIROS and LHF websites and downloadable free of charge.
KAIROS and LHF encourage schools, families, organizations, government officials and companies to participate in the resource’s activities in the safety of their homes or outdoors during the pandemic.
“It has been humbling to be able to connect the Raven symbol with this educational activity for Reconciliation,” said Chrystal Waban, Indigenous Rights Program Coordinator for KAIROS Canada. “We hope people relate to the spirit of the Ravens campaign and commit to take inspired action.”
Ravens: Messengers of Change was born out of a need to help participants of the KAIROS Blanket Exercise take their newfound understanding a step further through concrete actions on their journey as informed allies.
The KAIROS Blanket Exercise (KBE) was developed in response to the 1996 Report of the Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples which recommended education about Canadian-Indigenous history as one of the steps to Reconciliation. The KBE covers more than 500 years in a 90-minute experiential workshop that fosters understanding about our shared history as Indigenous and non-Indigenous.
Ravens: Messengers of Change is easily adapted for use by people of all ages. The resource features an activity called ‘Building a Tree of Reconciliation,’ which draws on the First Nations Holistic Lifelong Learning Model developed by First Nations members in partnership with the Canadian Council of Learning (2007).
“Completing this Activity takes participants up to the present day and emphasizes the need for informed actions which support Reconciliation,” says Teresa Edwards, Executive Director and In-House Legal Counsel at the LHF. “‘Building a Tree of Reconciliation’ was developed to help participants take responsibility for their learning and offers practical solutions to improve the current situation.”
To many Indigenous (First Nations, Inuit and Métis) Peoples, ravens are a familiar character in traditional stories within their Nations. They are often regarded as important messengers whose warnings tell of an impending danger or truth that must be faced, or somehow exposed. In some stories, they may be portrayed as sneaky or as a trickster. A trickster may be a character in a story that exhibits a great degree of intellect or secret knowledge, and uses it to play tricks or otherwise disobey normal rules and conventional behavior, but most often the raven’s actions end up benefitting humankind.
About KAIROS: Canadian Ecumenical Justice Initiatives
KAIROS is a social justice organization that includes ten Canadian churches and religious organizations. We are Indigenous, settlers and newcomers in Canada working with people of faith or conscience all over the world for ecological justice and human rights. We deliberate on issues of common concern, advocate for social change and join with people of faith and goodwill in action for social transformation. Learn more: www.kairoscanada.org.
About Legacy of Hope Foundation
The Legacy of Hope Foundation (LHF) is a national, Indigenous-led, charitable organization that has been working to promote healing and Reconciliation in Canada for 20 years. The LHF’s goal is to educate and raise awareness about the history and existing intergenerational impacts of the Residential School System, Sixties Scoop, and Day Schools on Indigenous (First Nations, Inuit, and Métis) Survivors, their descendants, and their communities in order to support their healing and to foster Reconciliation in Canada. For more information on the LHF and its 18 exhibitions, research reports, K-12 curricula, and resources for educators, and trainers, visit the LHF website at www.legacyofhope.ca.
Media Contacts:
Cheryl McNamara, Media Coordinator, KAIROS Canada
416-875-0097 (mobile), cmcnamara@kairoscanada.org
Teresa Edwards, B.A., JD. Executive Director and In-House Legal Counsel, Legacy of Hope Foundation
613-237-4806 Ext. 303, tedwards@legacyofhope.ca
