A welcoming dinner was held for newcomers to Portage la Prairie, hosted by the Portage Friendship Centre in partnership with the Local Immigration Partnership Program and the Portage Learning and Literacy Centre.
Local Immigration Partnership Program Coordinator Mitch Tilk says it was to bring newcomers together with local Indigenous leaders. Newcomers had the opportunity to hear directly from Indigenous people about some of the realities of life in Canada from their perspective.
"It's to give people a good baseline of knowledge and understanding. We were just scratching the surface, but it helps people familiarize themselves with some of the cultures represented here and dispel some of the misconceptions newcomers might have when they arrive in Canada. They hear stories about life in Canada, often a sanitized version from the government, when deciding to relocate. I think it was good for people to hear directly from Indigenous leaders," says Tilk.
Tilk adds that great connections were made, adding to the meaningfulness of the evening.
Among the newcomers was Sherifat Kareem, originally from Nigeria, who arrived from Saudi Arabia last month.
"I was at the welcoming party, and it was a very enlightening moment for me because I've read about Indigenous people, but hearing directly from them was so emotional. I also got to try some of their dishes. I had Bannock, which was so good that I took some for my kids. The wild rice was really nice too," notes Kareem.
She explains that while she had heard of Indigenous people, she had never seen them before.
"I didn’t know what Indigenous people looked like. There was this Indigenous elder who walked us through the different Indigenous tribes, their languages, and the history of residential schools. I learned that kids were taken from every family, and any family that didn’t send their children could be jailed. I learned that that day," she adds.
Kareem also said she learned new things about residential schools she hadn't known before.
"It was a beautiful program to meet the Indigenous people. Another thing I learned was that the Indigenous elder said they are not looking back. They have their story, but they are moving forward, focusing on positive things for Canada. They told us we are welcome here. It’s a beautiful land, a land of opportunity, and we should make good use of that opportunity," said Kareem.
Angela Roulette, founder of Children of Mother Earth Network, shared Indigenous heritage with those in attendance.
"We were at McKenzie United Church. I’m all for Portage la Prairie trying to get to know all of our, as we call them, relatives. They’re my relatives. That’s how our ancestors regarded each other. When they met, they would say, ‘Good day, my relative,’" said Roulette.
Roulette made sure to sit with a table of newcomers, including a woman from Morocco whose husband translated for her.
"I learned a couple of things about Morocco. In Morocco, they speak French. We were served traditional food, including wild rice with bison," she added.
Despite the language barrier, she noted they enjoyed much laughter.
"We had Chief Donny Smoke from Dakota Plains, and he showed them his headdress, or war bonnet. His wife, Joan, who is a school principal and educator, was also there. We had a panel at the end, followed by a question period," said Roulette.
Roulette also mentioned a Japanese gentleman’s presentation, which showed the similarities between the Hokkaido people in Japan and the Indigenous people in British Columbia.
"They talked about a controversy over salmon. There were dancers in regalia, and their movements were very similar to those of Indigenous people in BC. I started thinking, was there some migration? Then I heard on the radio how the world was once one continent. Is it possible that people from Japan migrated to BC? Their songs, music, and dance were so similar. In Hokkaido, they are struggling with salmon issues, similar to what the BC Coastal Indigenous people are facing now. That was a real eye-opener for me," said Roulette.