Angie Merasty (standing with microphone) shares her experiences of prejudice behaviour towards her during her time visiting Flin Flin. (Aaron Schulze/northeastNOW Staff)

By Aaron Schulze

Reconciliation Nipawin Discussion

‘I feel hopeful’: Reconciliation Nipawin gets community involved in conversation

Mar 12, 2020 | 9:49 AM

A packed Evergreen Centre in Nipawin touched on numerous topics regarding reconciliation on Wednesday, March 10.

Reconciliation Nipawin – a community group whose mandate is to begin the process of truth and reconciliation in the Nipawin area – brought in over 100 spectators, young and old, from across the province for a community discussion.

Stories and thoughts of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (MMIWG), the meaning of treaties, and the opportunities and challenges with reconciliation were shared and responded to by attendees.

One story that stuck out to Angie Merasty, a youth project coordinator from the Office of the Treaty Commissioner (OTC), was one from a Reconciliation Nipawin board member. She hung red dresses in a public setting as part of the REDress Project – an ongoing project that remembers MMIWG by hanging empty, red dresses in various environments – only to find a white dress hung among them with a sign that read “white people get murdered too.”

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The tale reminded Merasty of visiting Flin Flon, as it was her family’s closest and main shopping area during her time growing up in Pelican Narrows.

“I remember growing up, thinking ‘I don’t want to go to Flin Flon,’ because I was treated differently when I went there, even as a little girl,” Merasty told northeastNOW. “I remember comments and the looks from the town’s people. It just wasn’t comfortable.”

It was just a few weeks prior to the Reconciliation Nipawin discussion that Merasty visited Flin Flon again, and was pleasantly surprised to see the city’s Main Street have nearly every business hang a red dress for MMIWG.

“It was a cold, blistery day and I didn’t care,” she said. “I parked, took the time, and walked up and down that street and took photos of every business. It was such a hopeful site. At one point, I saw this little boy standing outside the library… and he saw me taking photos and asked me ‘are you taking photos of the dresses?’ I said yes, I am.

“I asked, ‘do you know what the dress represents?’ And he said in a cute, innocent voice: ‘it’s because of the girls that are missing.’ He was five. If a five-year-old can learn and be taught about the REDress movement, we all can. I’m very hopeful.”

As attendees at the community discussion shared their experiences, ideas, and views, Reconciliation Nipawin members drawed down where they would fit on a chart divided by opportunity, challenges, and otherwise regarding reconciliation (Aaron Schulze/northeastNOW Staff).

Even as a teenager, Merasty admitted she never would have thought that experience would have been possible. The change in tune over the decades makes her hopeful for what Reconciliation Nipawin is attempting to do.

“I feel hopeful that they’ll get to a place where we’re learning about each other and are open minded enough to hang those red dresses and create that discussion that’s needed in all areas of the province,” she said. “I know that One Arrow… literally signed on 32 different agencies to continue working in the area of reconciliation. I don’t think Nipawin is there yet to sign an agreement per say, but the willingness is definitely there; you can see it in this room.”

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aaron.schulze@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @SchulzePANow