Vancouver’s first Reconciliation Expo will take place on September 24th following this year’s Walk for Reconciliation – a monumental event that is expected to draw tens of thousands of people in support of revitalizing relationships among Indigenous peoples and all Canadians. The Reconciliation Expo, which will be held at Strathcona Park at the end of the 2km walk, will feature cultural performances, local artisans, educational activities, exhibits, and notable speakers including a keynote by National Chief Perry Bellegarde of the Assembly of First Nations.
The inaugural event is the perfect way to conclude the Walk – and to continue the journey towards reconciliation together. At its core, the reconciliation movement is one of diversity, inclusivity and multiculturalism, values that will be reflected and celebrated throughout the event. Both the Walk for Reconciliation and the Reconciliation Expo serve as a call to action, inspiring all Canadians and Indigenous Peoples across Canada to make a personal and shared commitment to reconciliation.
The Reconciliation Expo will feature a diverse range of exhibits and activities that encompass the past, the present, the future, and the concept of ‘Namwayut, which means “We Are All One” in the Kwakwaka’wakw language. In particular, the ‘Namwayut section of the Expo will provide people with unique opportunities to experience firsthand how multiculturalism is tied with the process of reconciliation. Among the highlights to be found here is the Weavers Corner, where participants will be able to experience and learn about traditional weaving techniques using plants, such as stinging nettle, as a means of reconnecting with the land and learning about each other’s shared histories. On-site, there will be 12 guides who have in-depth knowledge of natural materials and various weaving techniques from different cultural backgrounds, to facilitate the activity and help people rediscover shared traditions.
“It becomes a way to connect one place to another,” said Sharon Kallis, Executive Director of EartHand Gleaners Society, the local arts-based, non-profit organization facilitating the Weavers Corner. “We are all connected to the land and have been dependent on what the land provides for our own survival.” Through shared activities like weaving using plants that have originated from different parts of the world, Kallis hopes that people will realize that people have much more in common than they would think. “These are the human traditions that link all of us together.”
The Expo will also feature multiple exhibits, including the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation’s exhibit and a full-size replica of Carey Newman’s Witness Blanket – a large scale art installation made from hundreds of items reclaimed from Residential Schools, churches, government buildings and cultural structures across Canada. People will also have the opportunity to take part in hands-on activities such as lacrosse drills hosted by the Indigenous Sport, Physical Activity and Recreation Council (ISPARC) and the Kairos Blanket Exercise, an interactive learning experience that covers over 500 years of history.
With such a wide range of things to do and see, including culturally-diverse performances on the Main Stage, the Reconciliation Expo is meant to be a reminder that the reconciliation movement involves everyone. It is an open invitation and an opportunity for people of all walks of life to explore, reflect and discover their own place in the journey towards reconciliation.
The Reconciliation Expo will open at 10:30 a.m. in Strathcona Park following the Walk for Reconciliation, which will begin at 9:30 a.m. on Cambie St. and Georgia St. For more information on the Walk for Reconciliation and the Reconciliation Expo, visit WalkforReconciliation.ca.
The Walk for Reconciliation is part of Reconciliation in Action: A National Engagement Strategy, a Canada 150 Signature Project, and is funded in part by the Government of Canada. The Walk for Reconciliation is a Canada 150+ Signature Event and the event is being delivered partnership between the City of Vancouver and Reconciliation Canada.
