Building Bridges: A Transformative Workshop on Reconciliation and Inclusion in Canada
Charlene Seward is a proud member of the Squamish Nation with close family ties to the Snuneymuxw Nation. She brings a decade of experience in Indigenous engagement and reconciliation-focused work, with a passion for developing meaningful relationships that support change at multiple levels. Charlene has worked with government agencies, non-profit organizations, educational institutions, and corporations across the country, building capacity for tangible change. In the 2024 Limitless Conference, Charlene conducted a workshop for students, instructors, and staff on the journey towards reconciliation. The workshop also discussed some action plans on how to create a meaningful impact on Reconciliation and a deeper relationship with the Indigenous communities.
Navigating the Legal Landscape: Indigenous Rights, Court Challenges, and Cultural Repatriations in BC
Dr. Bruce Miller has been a professor at UBC since 1990, researching Indigenous peoples and their relations with the state in its various local, national, and international manifestations. He has served as an expert witness in Indigenous litigation in the United States and Canada, including, United States v Washington (a treaty case) and, the Radek case before the BC Human Rights Tribunal, (a precedent-setting case regarding Aboriginal presence in public spaces and racial profiling). He conducted a workshop during the 2024 Limitless Conference on Indigenous lands and rights in BC, the legal cases and challenges of the Indigenous communities in BC and stories from the repatriation process for many Indigenous artefacts, following Salish Law protocols.
Residential School History and Education Through an Indigenous Lens
Spelexilh, Anjeanette Dawson is an Indigenous educator, historian, counselor, traditional wool weaver, knowledge keeper, and cultural worker. She has been involved in Indigenous Education for 35 years and has worked in band operated, catholic, private, public and independent schools.
On March 17, 2023, she conducted a workshop on the impact of the Residential School system on the life, culture, and language of the Squamish people. The workshop helped the students to understand education through an Indigenous lens. Limitless, 2023.
Plants and Walking Tours
Lori Snyder is a Métis herbalist and plant and herbal medicine specialist who conducted a walking tour in 2023. She expresses her gratitude to Mother Earth through nature walks, plants, dreams, moon teachings, creating skin and herbal remedies, and making earth art. On the walking tour, she shared her knowledge of plants and herbs in the neighborhood.
Indigenous Poetry Workshop
Dawn Naas is a Nisga’a educator and poet who conducted a poetry workshop and orientation program for students in 2023. She shared her poetry in the context of Residential Schools and the intergenerational trauma of the Indigenous peoples.
Squamish Weaving
Anjeanette Dawson, a Squamish educator, and a traditional weaver, conducted weaving workshops in 2023 for the students and staff. In those sessions, the students, instructors, and staff learned to weave a small bag and about the history and revival of wool weaving in the Squamish community.
Lecture on the colonial history of Canada and its impact on the present
Brandon Redford is an Indigenous educator and mentor who delivered a talk to introduce the past and presence of Indigenous peoples in Canada. He graduated from UBC Okanagan, with a Bachelor in Human Kinetics- Clinical Exercise Physiology. His talk was titled “Indigenous Canada- An introduction to the Social and historical context of the First Nations, Métis, and Inuit People” and explored several themes including the historical colonial violence, legal settings such as the Indian Act, and their importance in the current society.
Listening Room
Listening to the Indigenous stories and voices is one of the most important aspects of Reconciliation. We organized a Listening Room experience for the students to listen to the Residential School survivor testimonies and reflect on our shared responsibility for healing these wounds in 2022. This was combined with a handout for students on the history of Residential Schools, the importance of Reconciliation, and the importance of Listening. In the end, the students were given a chance to reflect on their experience with a guided questionnaire.
Bannock Lunch
A Bannock Lunch for Students was introduced where around 200 students received a free vegetable-filled Bannock from the Mr. Bannock food truck as a part of the Truth and Reconciliation week in 2022 and 2023. Paul Natrall, otherwise known as Mr. Bannock is from the Squamish Nation and started Vancouver’s 1st Indigenous food truck. This created an opportunity for the students to learn more about the Indigenous culinary systems.
