Local Muslims, Indigenous people hold interfaith event
On Sunday, Indigenous and Muslim Winnipeggers gathered for an interfaith event to seek common ground and discuss truth and reconciliation. The Islamic Social Services Association organized the second annual Muslim-Indigenous Solidarity event, which took place at Canadian Mennonite University. The gathering acknowledged Orange Shirt Day, now known as the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, and featured conversations with elders, shared prayers, and crafting activities.
Many attendees shared the traumatic impacts of colonialism, including organizer Shahina Siddiqui, who recounted her own experiences attending a Catholic day school in Pakistan. She emphasized the need to take the first step in extending a hand to others, noting that commonalities exist among Indigenous and Muslim communities despite their shared history of colonial harm.
The event featured personal stories from several Indigenous elders, who discussed their experiences with residential schools and racism. David Budd, one of the elders, acknowledged tense relationships between Indigenous Manitobans and newcomers but stressed the importance of education and compassion in building connections. He shared a story about all people having a place on Turtle Island and urged the audience to get to know one another and build relationships.
Orange Shirt Day is observed as the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation in Canada, officially established in 2021 and provincially in 2023.
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