Reconciliation? What is it?

I often wonder what reconciliation means. Does it mean that non Indigenous people will finally understand what we as Indigenous people have gone through?

Will they understand how first impact affected us? Will they care that it was first contact that changed our way of life. Changed our traditions and how it affected the way we could practice our culture?

Colonization was put in place to effectively kill “the Indian inside”. No one thought of the repercussions or what it would bring years later when there was a resurgence of Indigenous people fighting back. We fought for our culture, our traditions and way of life. We fought for who we are.

I often wonder what reconciliation means. Does it mean Indigenous people’s and settlers will be able to work together? That remains to be seen.

I see reconciliation as a two way road. A way of understanding that involves the participation of Indigenous and non Indigenous people alike.

Is that too much to ask for?