Sask. newcomers explore importance of learning Indigenous history, truth and reconciliation

According to the 2021 census, 12.5 per cent of Saskatchewan's population is made up of immigrants. The province is expecting many more newcomers in the coming years.

Some of these immigrants are now learning about this land's First Peoples, and about truth and reconciliation.

Fiyan Lam, who came to Regina from Hong Kong last fall, is trained in social workand researched job requirements in Canada prior to her trip.

"I said, 'Oh that's quite interesting! In Canada their social work studies always includes the topic of Indigenous people, and in some job advertisements they're also mentioning that. So I think this is quite an important part,'" Lam said.

She said she never learned about Canadian history, let alone the country's Indigenous peoples, in China. She signed up for some online courses and learned about colonialism and Indigenous culture, but still wasn't taught about the residential school system or the Sixties Scoop before she arrived in Canada.

Lam said those pieces ofhistory surprised her, because she thought of Canada as "modern," "kind" and "civilized."

"Why [did] theCanada government in the past want to do that? And I [was] really feeling sad that they forcedthe kids and the parents to separate," said Lam.

"When they are separated, the culture, the history, the languageeverything [was] just disturbed."

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Lam said she recognized similarities betweentreatment of Indigenous people and how some people in China have been treated by the government, particularly when it comes to language.

"China, like India, is very big.Different cities have their own mother language [in India], but Hindi is the main language. So I will describe [that] Mandarin is like Hindi," said Lam, whose own mother language in Cantonese.

"But nowadays the kids can only speak Mandarin. They don't know how to speak their real motherlanguage and they are just being disconnected from their grandmother andgrandfather. Sometimes I feel quite sad."

Lam said finding similarities between China and Canada's complicated histories has helped her to better understand Indigenous peoples here, and why truth and reconciliation areso important. It's also helped her understand herself better.

"After I came to Canada, I realized that self identity is really important. Like, I want my children to also know Chinese. I hope that they they know where they're from."

Lam said she wants to continue to learn more about Indigenous peoples to better understand her new community. She also wants to see the Canadian government work hard to address the Truth and Reconciliation Commission's 94 calls to action.

Indigenous stereotypes

Victoria Flores is originally from the South American country of Bolivia, which was colonized by the Spanish.

Flores's family is part Quechua, an Indigenous people in South America. Hermother speaks aQuechua language. When Flores was young, she often travelled with her mother, who worked in rural Indigenous communities in Bolivia on projects like potable water, education and health.

Sheimmigrated to Canada in 2006, andmoved to Regina when she was 16 years old andattended Campbell Collegiate.

Being part Indigenous herself, Flores was troubled to hear the way people talked about Indigenous people in her new country.

"My first introduction was just hearing a lot of negative stereotypes. I hadn't even met an Indigenous person at that point, but I would just hearso many awful things," Flores said.

"I was annoyed because I saw similar things back home, where people would just stereotype Indigenous people, but in different ways 'cause the history is different. But I would connectthose similarities and just wonder, why do people speak like this?"

In high school in Regina, Flores said many Indigenous children weren't open about their backgrounds, and Indigenous education was minimal.

"For a while I had a friend who was Indigenous that I didn't know was Indigenous for a long time because she never told me. Especially at that time, it was never part of the conversation," Flores said.

"I didn't know about elders and things like that untillater on, like closer to university, because nothing came up in school."

Not long after starting at Campbell Collegiate, Flores joined anIndigenous studies class and anextracurricular club called Anti-Racist Cross-Cultural Training(ACT).

"I had the opportunity to connect with people that were trying to dispel [the discrimination] and really bring in education to change that. That allowed me toconnect with people that were like-minded," Flores said.

The more she learned, the more Flores thought about identity.

"The history of Indigenous people in Bolivia there was a lot of awful things done through colonization. But it wasn't like here where people were taken from their families and culture was stripped and they were forced to be away from their parents. All these things that give you a sense of identity."

Flores said she has a role in truth and reconciliation.

"I'm new to Canada.I'm a settler here. It's part of my responsibility to not only know and understand the history, but also be able to contribute to a a better community."

FSIN onunderstanding treaties, Indigenous rights

Heather Bear, who is seeking re-election fora vice chief role in the Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations (FSIN), said its important that newcomers learn about Indigenous rights.

"Our First Nations, we've been through a long, hard history. Our newcomers need to really know the true history. And they have to make the effort tounderstand," Bear said.

"When we look at thetreaties and the intentand the promises that were made over 100 years agowe were all supposed to prosper. We were all supposed to share the land, share the resources."

Bear said it's important newcomers understand how residential schools, and other harmful policies and laws, were imposed on Indigenous people so they can better understand the setbacks the First Peoplesface in terms of mental health, addiction, lack of housing and more.

Bear said newcomers also need to educate themselves on the Truth and Reconciliation Commission's calls to action so they can understand the importance of consultation with First Nations, andvote in governments that will take action.

"Ifthey're going to be voting citizens, we want to put people in government that will address the true spirit and intent of treaties," she said.

When it comes to education, Bear said "you're only as good as your teachers."

"We are very kind people and the most amazing hosts," Bear said, urging newcomers to attend powwows and other Indigenous events.

"It's about having those opportunities to get to know and understand one another. We need to create those authentic relationships, not just check a box."

Today Flores works with newcomers as the communications and marketing manager at Regina Open Door Society, an organization that among other services offers programs that educate immigrants, refugees and other newcomers on Indigenous history.

She said a newcomer's willingness to learn often has to do with their age or socioeconomic background.She said she is encouraged to see many newcomers, especially young people, taking more initiative about understandingIndigenous peoples.

Flores said Open Door's Indigenous programs, including one on reconciliation,are always full.

"I just love seeing the kids taking that back to their households and maybe helping with that education becoming ambassadors."