Reconciliation and recreation: Advice and lessons from outdoor groups
On Tuesday, March 26, the Outdoor Recreation Council of BC hosted a webinar focused on Reconciliation and Recreation. Four speakers from the outdoor recreation community talked about their experiences working on projects often viewed as a form of reconciliation with First Nations and Indigenous communities.
Here are the key takeaways, links and resources from the discussion.
Webinar recording
Panellists and contacts
Uzi Valiante, Squamish Off-Road Cycling Association
Building off a potential conflict about trail building without Squamish Nation permission, SORCA worked with the nation to build trust. In 2022 they signed an MOU with the Nation that governs their interactions and makes the club the steward of the trails on behalf of the Nation. uzi@sorca.ca
Irwin Oostindie, Wild Bird Trust of BC
The Trust manages Maplewood Flats, a bird-focused conservation area on the edge of North Vancouver. Recognizing their board and programming did not represent the visitors to the bird sanctuary or their neighbours, the Tsleil-Waututh Nation, the trust has shifted its board to majority Indigenous and is working to make its programming equally representative. maplewoodflats@gmail.com
Rod Clapton, BC Federation of Drift Fishers
The federation was deeply involved in the creation of the Lower Fraser Collaborative Table, a forum for discussions on fisheries allocation on the Fraser River. It includes leadership from the recreation, commercial and First Nations fisheries and has reduced conflicts on the river. rclapton@shaw.ca
Thomas Schoen, First Journey Trails, Indigenous Youth Mountain Bike Program
Schoen and his partners work with First Nations to build trails on their traditional lands and introduce mountain biking and trail building skills to Indigenous youth. The two programs provide an avenue to rediscover a connection to the land and provide employment opportunities and skill training for youth. There is a documentary about their work touring BC right now: https://iymbp.ca/dirt-relations-documentary
tom@firstjourneytrails.com
Key Takeaways
Be proactive, not transactional
Start engaging the First Nation now, before you need something from them. Building a relationship should be the only objective. Start with a phone call to the band or Nation office. The lands or resource department is a good place to start. They may not reply right away: don’t be discouraged. Let them know what your club is doing. Invite them to events. Show up at their events or even drop into their office.
Consistency is key
Developing the relationship is a lot like trail building: it takes practice, patience and hard work. Be persistent and consistent. Show that you are an ally in your actions and words.
Listen
When meeting with First Nation representatives do a lot more listening than talking. Hearing what they have to say will make your job easier in the long run.
Bring something to the table
If you need something from the Nation, bring something to the table. SORCA helps get Nation kids on bikes. The BC Marine Trails helps Nations communicate with paddlers who might visit their territory. If you don’t know what you can offer, ask what they need help with.
Find low-hanging fruit
When Clapton sits down over a coffee with representatives from a Nation he usually finds they have more in common than differences. An easy one: ensuring future generations have the same opportunities to connect to the land and water.
Read the Truth and Reconciliation report
Of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission's 94 calls to action at least three involved sport and recreation. A read through the report will probably lead to a number of ideas for how to practise reconciliation.
Do your homework
Nations often have capacity constraints. The more research you do before approaching them, the less work they have to do. If you don’t know what homework you need to do, ask.
No is a no
If a Nation says no to a proposal, respect that they have a right to self-determination on their land and likely have a good reason. There is only a conflict if you argue.
Ditch the fear
“If you’re not stepping in shit, you’re not doing a lot.” The fear of making a mistake holds us back from getting anything done. When it comes to building a relationship with First Nations there are no mistakes in having a dialogue. The panellists encourage everyone to continue to make mistakes.
Links
In the Way, Out of the Way
Voor Urban Labs is producing "In the Way, Out of the Way" a 48-page magazine in April 2024 for nonprofits seeking tools to explore redress and reconciliation. Attendees are welcome to email Irwin for a copy, maplewoodflats@gmail.com
Making Coast Salish Territorial Acknowledgments Matter
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Tei5tGoQ4s
This popular video, with 17,000 views, explores genuine reconciliation and making territorial acknowledgements matter. Learn about Musqueam, Squamish, and Tsleil-Waututh protocol practices and how people can integrate reconciliation steps into their own work.
Cultural Awareness Training
A good resource for preparing to meet with a Nation is the Cultural Awareness Program from the McLeod Lake Indian Band. It’s specific to the band, but should provide ideas for interactions with any Nation.
https://www.mlib.ca/courses/cultural-awareness-training/
Copy of the SORCA-Squamish Nation MOU
https://www.sorca.ca/s/SquamishNationandSorcaMOUexecuted.pdf