Truth for reconciliation at USask

Douglas Sanderson (AMO BINASHII) and Andrew Stobo Sniderman, authors of Valley of the Birdtail: An Indian Reserve, A White Town and the Road to Reconciliation, spoke of their process of developing the book, the relationships they built along the way, and their overall takeaways, calling the USask community to action.   

The forum, in its seventh year, is a response to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada: Calls to Action and provided an opportunity for the campus community to gather, reflect, and learn how to take a more active role in acknowledging truth and working towards reconciliation.  

“When Valley of the Birdtail first came out two years ago I heard Douglas Sanderson speaking in Ottawa and I was so moved that I knew I needed to get him and his co-author to USask,” said Jaime.  

When it came to planning the forum, Jaime knew she wanted to shift the focus from presentation to conversation. “We wanted to have an opportunity for more intentional learning and the book became a way for us to do that.”  

Valley of the Birdtail tells the story of two communities, the town of Rossburn, Manitoba and the Waywayseecappo Indian reserve, divided by a beautiful valley and 150 years of racism. The book highlights the disparity between them, providing historical context and weaving the stories of two families together, offering a lens on the past and a perspective for the future.  

“The future I want us to think about just doesn’t make sense if you don’t know the history,” explained Sanderson. “We have to remember it’s about truth and reconciliation, but we tend to look past the truth part.”  

Truth is exactly what the book explores and there’s an opportunity for USask members to be a part of this discussion, regardless of timing.  

“Even if you didn’t get to hear the authors speak, you can still set aside time as a team to do book clubs,” said Jaime. “It’s important to make sure that we are always learning and creating space on campus to address issues that are front of mind for Indigenous communities and current events impacting our lives.”  

The importance of that sometimes goes unnoticed, Jamie said. 

“I’m reminded that we have death every single day on reserves in Canada, and throughout Turtle Island, Indigenous people are dying,” Jaime said. “It’s an atrocity, and it’s not just about drug addictions or alcoholism or domestic violence, those are products of something much bigger. It’s that colonization has occurred and continues to play a significant role in our daily lives. However, it goes nearly unnoticed by people who aren’t Indigenous.” 

Valley of the Birdtail details the impact of colonization on Indigenous peoples and during the forum Sniderman emphasizes what needs to be done.  

“Your Indigenous colleagues are tired,” Sniderman shared. “More of us need to walk at their side and figure out a way to walk together. I hope this book communicates an invitation to non-Indigenous people to feel more responsible for the future and to be part of that.” 

“You can do little things that can totally transform your lives and the lives of others. Small gestures will ripple forth in ways we cannot discount.” 

For ways to access Valley of the Birdtail, please email Indigenous@usask.ca. Book club questions can be found here for all to use.