National Day of Truth and Reconciliation
With September 30th being the National Day of Truth and Reconciliation we must look at what binds us together rather than what separates us. This takes me back to one of the most spiritual days on my journey of writing this book; my first visit to the Dyer Memorial. Greg Rogers told me about the site when I was visiting the camp during COVID. He said it was a solemn, special place in the lexicon of Olympia. He spoke of the power of seeing the Memorial and what it has meant to hundreds of staff over the years. I had to check it out.
Timing, they say, is everything. I was up at camp the very week of the gruesome discovery of the remains of students at the residential school in Kamloops, B.C.
When the monument comes into view, it is breathtaking, and very spiritual. For me, alone in the woods on a beautiful Muskoka day, it really hit when I got to the top step and saw a single shoe, symbolic of all the young children who lost their lives at residential schools. What a poignant moment. Witnessing this made me think of life at Interlaken for thousands of years before Olympia Sports Camp, before European settlement, and the role that these indigenous heroes played in the formation of Canada, only to have their descendants have a government and church attempting to take away this beautiful culture, in the name of religion?
In that moment I felt connected somewhat to the many Olympians who stood where I now stand. I could picture Greg Rogers taking a leadership group there and giving them a retreat experience that they will never forget. We Can't forget.
The Dyer Memorial visit took my research on another tangent from which I learned that life at Olympia, in many ways, mirrors that of the traditional Indigenous way of life. It led me to Greg Henhawk, a member of the Mohawk of the Grand River and a knowledge keeper of ancient customs and traditions of his people. Greg in turn connected me to Dr. Natalie Welch, a Cherokee from North Carolina and now a professor of Indigenous Sport at Linfield University in Oregon. Dr. Welch taught me that the spiritual nature of the people and that respect for nature and each other was central to their way of life. I felt that any study of the land that became Olympia had to include a connection to the indigenous beginnings. Without the Dyer Memorial visit, this may never have happened and that wouldn't be doing the story justice. That's why the cover of the book is orange.
An excerpt from A Hero's Journey: Beyond Little Norway and Olympia Sports Camp
Greg Henhawk says:
" Respect for the land and what it offered was central to the indigenous lifestyle. The basic belief is that no one owns the land and that people should be custodians of all that the land has to offer, plants and animals alike. Take what you need and don't steal for yourself that could be shared with others. Their lives were dictated by nature, and they combined that with a spirituality that would guide all activity and relationships."
"Canadian morals and values were based in Victorian society, where work was the cornerstone of morality, and it was regarded as the ultimate meaning of life. Indigenous societies, on the other hand, valued games as cultural events important to the development of the community."
Dr. Natalie Welch:
"Society has evolved in its understanding of the purpose of sport and activity. Athletics are not just a means to an end, they are a process that has intrinsic values for the development of the total person, of physical and emotional wellness that stem from the spirituality and respect of the activity. In indigenous communities, physical activity and sport always had an holistic, multi-faceted meaning. What is good for the individual, the power to revitalize, heal, and improve self-identity, is good for the community and the culture the community advances."
The Truth and Reconciliation Commission, which ran from 2008-2015, provided an opportunity for Canadians to learn about the horror of residential schools by giving an opportunity for survivors of residential schools to share their stories, a truth that was hidden for generations. The TRC came up with 94 calls to action for the reconciliation process between Canadians and Indigenous people to occur.
" There is a powerful quote in the TRC final report summary. An unnamed, non-indigenous woman who was bearing witness to some residential school survivors life stories said, " By listening to your story, my story can change. By Listening to your story, I can change."
"This calls on Canadians to initiate a process that works to renew relationships on a basis of inclusion, mutual understanding and respect."
- See the 12 steps of the hero's journey come alive
- Learn a lot about yourself by reading about the journey of others.
-Learn about the land of Interlaken, from its indigenous beginnings, to the European migration, to the Norwegians during the second world war, to the launch of Olympia Sports Camp.
- Learn about the Community of Olympia that spans over 50 years.
- Learn that Olympia is a Community of Everyday Heroes
- Learn that you, too, are a hero of your own journey
How can I buy a book
-available for order through Amazon and Indigo.ca
-available at Indigo, Burlington Brant Street location.
- available at The Different Drummer Book Store on Locust Street in Burlington\
- available at Cedar Canoe Books on Main St in Huntsville
- available at the Olympia Tuck and Pro Shop
- Etransfer me $30 and I'll drive it to your house !
- available online at aherosjourney.ca
- audiobook version is available at Audible, Amazon, and iTunes
Timing is everything Chris and the message of this story very timely. Thank you!
ReplyDelete