“I will open my mind and listen more to people who don’t have a voice.” “Bless our ancestors, our past, and our children, our future!” “Try to live in another’s culture. Be kind to all.” “We all wear masks. Let’s take off those masks. To be ourselves. To love one another.” “Love is learning. Learn to love.” “Respect Mother Earth. Love her and care for her.”

These are just a small sampling of the intentions, thoughts, and actions we asked Heart of the City festival-goers to share in creating an intercultural world of love and understanding, and contributing to eliminating racism.

Throughout the weekend, Our McCauley was honoured to join the festival this year in bringing Indigenous and Intercultural knowledge sharing through the raising of a teepee (courtesy of RISE), Indigenous workshops, and demonstrations.

In the teepee, Indigenous cultural facilitator Janet Paskemin offered smudging, traditional medicine teachings, singing and drumming, conversations on reconciliation, and ring toss games for the kids. We ate bannock and had a bannock making workshop with Constance Paskemin and her daughters, a Nehiyaw (Cree) language workshop with Reuben Quinn, drum-making and story-telling with Chubby Cree, and a Dream Catcher workshop with Aaron Lee.

Our two days were filled with stories shared, healing, learning, and developing deeper understandings of Indigenous cultures and history here in Treaty 6 and all of Turtle Island. Thank you to all who participated!

Sunday, July 15 (1-4 p.m.), will be our fourth Intercultural Gathering where we will be showcasing Chinese and Indigenous histories (including shared histories) through ceremony, talk, photo exhibits, art, and dance.

If you are interested in attending the monthly gatherings, sharing a skill, or have ideas for workshops, please contact ourmccauley@gmail.com and keep updated via www.facebook.com/ourmccauley. All are welcome!

Photos from Our McCauley at Heart of the City are in our Heart of the City feature in this issue.

The Our McCauley initiative was created to foster intercultural relationships and enhance community engagement in the McCauley area to address racism and poverty. We are a collaboration of multiple Indigenous and Newcomer service agencies in the area and the McCauley Community League’s Abundant Communities initiative, along with a Community Connector Programmer contractor to help realize our goals.
 
We respectfully acknowledge that we are located on occupied lands, Treaty 6 territory, _amiskwacîwâskahikan ᐊᒥᐢᑲᐧᒋᐋᐧᐢᑲᐦᐃᑲᐣ - a traditional gathering place for diverse Indigenous and many others whose histories, languages, and cultures continue to influence our vibrant community._