At 8:30 am on Thursday, September 28th, our EDUC 394 class met to participate in a Ceremonial Fire Circle at UNBC in acknowledgment of the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation in Canada.
Despite the rain, we all arrived early and eager, ready to learn from our guests and openly embrace the stories shared. I went into that morning curious and uncertain of what was going to occur, as I had never participated in events like this before. However, I knew that the overall tone of the morning was introspective, emotionally heavy, and thought-provoking.
We had two activities that day; a guest speaker named Clayton Gauthier at 8:30, and then the UHNBC Drummers at 10. Clayton shared his story of his connection to the land and the gifts given to him by the Mother. His stories and messages spurred a lot of emotion and caused me to reflect on different areas of my life. It was an enlightening experience I will never forget.
In many aspects, the UHNBC Drummers caused the most emotion to be brought up for me. As they guided the class through different songs and explained the meanings behind them, I felt overwhelmed with gratitude and sadness at the same time. Gratitude for the fact they were sharing these with us and allowing us to participate. Sadness as the root of many of the songs related to suffering.
I could not be more grateful to have participated in this day with friends and classmates. It was truly an impactful day for me and I will never forget the messages and stories shared with us. The drum circle is something I will encourage those around me to participate in, and I am certain I will be participating in again.
