On Thursday, September 28, members of the Saint Mary’s community gathered for a Campus Reflection Walk in advance of the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.
Dr. Robert Sumerby-Murray, Saint Mary’s President, and Dr. Rohini Bannerjee, Associate Vice-President (Diversity Excellence), welcomed more than 80 students, staff and faculty as they gathered for an opportunity to connect with and acknowledge Mi’kma’ki, the ancestral and unceded territory of L’nu, on which Saint Mary’s is located.
The collaborative event consisted of an accessible route, marked with ten posters, each prompting questions or statements for reflection, as Treaty people, in considering the 94 Calls to Action brought forward by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada. “Everyone took their time on the walk,” says Dr. Bannerjee. “There were moments of silence and moments of deep conversation.”
In particular, Dr. Bannerjee made note of the student participants who joined from The Language Centre, noting, “their presence embodied curiosity and a commitment to better understanding T&R from the point of view of visitors to the land.”
At the end of the route, members of the Residence Life team hosted a final reflections table, with orange t-shirt paper cut-outs for people to write their thoughts, express their gratitude toward the land or highlight something from the walk that resonated with them. The reflections will be on display on the bulletin board across from Loyola Residence (LR) 108 for the month of October, with new pieces being added throughout the month.