Truth and Reconciliation Resources
The AGGV has immense gratitude for the collaborations, partnerships, and relationships that have developed with Indigenous community members and organizations over the years. The staff at the gallery acknowledge the great responsibility that comes with these relationships, to do good work and do well by those who have shared their time and knowledge with us. The weight of that is very humbling and also mobilizing.
The work ahead, for settlers, is to address the systemic barriers and racism that exist in the DNA of arts institutions. The gallery team is aware of the depth of work and action needed to shift our practices beyond the status quo. The work has started and there is much more to come. It is with openness and a strong desire for change that the AGGV aims to seek out other ways of doing that serve, with deep respect, the many communities in this region. Moving forward together, the gallery will work to create space for open dialogue and healing.
We also have the following list of resources that AGGV staff have found helpful in their learning so be sure to add these to your reading list:
- UNDRIP: https://www.un.org/development/desa/indigenouspeoples/declaration-on-the-rights-of-indigenous-peoples.html
- How to say SENĆOŦEN the language of the W̱SÁNEĆ people, TicTok by Tiffany Joseph: https://www.tiktok.com/@swxeloselwet/video/6951473287868321029?lang=en&is_copy_url=1&is_from_webapp=v1
- Interactive resources by Native Land (Just text your zip code or your city and state separated by a comma to 1-855-917-5263 and the bot will respond with the names of the Native lands that correspond to that region. The bot works by leveraging data from Native Land’s interactive map, which tracks Indigenous territories, treaties, and languages): https://www.instagram.com/p/CT2MfCvF03_/?utm_medium=copy_link
- Find out where you can purchase your orange shirt: https://victoriaorangeshirtday.com/
- To help support museums, galleries, and cultural organizations in taking action to support truth and reconciliation on Sept 30, BCMA has published a resource guide with a background on September 30/Orange Shirt Day/National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, resources to help you plan for the day in your institution, and details on how the BCMA plans to recognize the day: https://museum.bc.ca/national-day-for-truth-and-reconciliation/
- Resources for settlers from WSANEC leadership council https://wsanec.com/learn-settlers/
- Decolonizing the Museum? Chris Creighton-Kelly & France Trépanier from Primary Colours: https://museum.bc.ca/brain/decolonizing-the-museum-with-chris-creighton-kelly-france-trepanier-from-primary-colours/
- Gesturing towards decolonial futures: https://decolonialfutures.net/
- AGGV Teacher Resource Guide: Powerful Pictures: Representation and Storytelling featuring artists: Sonny Assu, Terrance Houle, Meryl McMaster and Marianne Nicolson: https://aggv.ca/learn/teacher-resource-guides/
- Tk’emlúps Nation has shared a video teaching people how to sing and drum its honour song: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/tk-emlups-sharing-song-1.6180478
- Imaginary Spaces of Conciliation and Reconciliation by David Garneau: https://inhabitinginheritance.files.wordpress.com/2016/02/pages-from-west-coast-line-74-1.pdf
- The 2003 CBC Massey Lectures, The Truth about Stories: A Native Narrative: https://www.cbc.ca/radio/ideas/the-2003-cbc-massey-lectures-the-truth-about-stories-a-native-narrative-1.2946870
- Indigenous Canada Free self-directed online course from the U of A: https://www.ualberta.ca/admissions-programs/online-courses/indigenous-canada/index.html
