Blanket Exercise

The Blanket Exercise Third Edition
A teaching tool by KAIROS to raise awareness and understanding of the nation to

nation relationship between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples in Canada.
Two Versions Included: Grades 4-8 and Grades 9-12/Adult
Grade 6 students at a Blanket Exercise in Mississauga, ON. Photo: KAIROS

Table of Contents
Welcome to the Blanket Exercise:.............3
The Blanket Exercise:
Learning the history
Doing the Blanket Exercise:........................5
were rarely taught
Copyright KAIROS: Canadian Ecumenical Justice Initiatives,
Sample agendas:.............................................8 Third edition, revised August 2013
Credits:
Introduction The creators of the original Blanket Exercise, 1998:
Ed Bianchi, Suzanne Doerge, Chris Hiller, Dr. Rose-Alma J. McDonald
The Blanket Exercise for Grades 9-12
(Assembly of First Nations).
and adults:...................................................... 10
Writers for the 2013 version:
Gayadowehs Lu Ann Hill-MacDonald (Senior Policy Analyst: Education,
Blanket Exercise adult script:............15-27 Jurisdiction and Governance, Assembly of First Nations); Priscilla
Solomon, CSJ (KAIROS Indigenous Rights Circle); Steve van de Hoef
and Mike Hogeterp (Christian Reformed Church in North America
national staff ); Ed Bianchi, Caroline Foster, Julie Graham and Katy
Pullout maps:.........................Centre of book
Quinn (KAIROS staff )
Editors:
Reflecting:....................................................... 32 Ed Bianchi, Julie Graham, Katy Quinn, Jeanette Romkema, Willie Willis.
Design by:
Cathy Vandergeest, www.gawck.ca
Case studies:................................................... 34
Special thanks to participants in the Blanket Exercise consultation in
Ottawa, April 2012; the Lethbridge training workshop participants in
May 2013; and to the many thousands of people who have participated
Suggested follow up:.................................. 35 in the Blanket Exercise since 1998 and given us a wealth of ideas. The
Blanket Exercise is an ever-changing popular education exercise. It will
continue to change and KAIROS always welcomes your ideas.
Introduction
How to order:
Blanket Exercise Grades 4-8:................... 38 Email orders@kairoscanada.org or call us toll-free at 1-877-403-8933.
Or see our website under Shop. The Blanket Exercise is available as
a PDF or in print for a minimal cost, and free supplementary online
Blanket Exercise Grades 4-8 script:....... 40 resources are included.
ABOUT KAIROS:
KAIROS unites eleven national Canadian churches and religious
organizations in faithful work for human rights and ecological justice
through research, education, partnership, and advocacy. In 1996, the
report of the Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples stated that
public education is key to realizing a renewed relationship between
Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples - one based on sharing,
respect and the mutual recognition of rights and responsibilities. This
Exercise is one expression of our commitment to that public education.
Through creative and innovative public education initiatives and
campaigns such as the Blanket Exercise, and through diverse
partnerships with both Indigenous and non-Indigenous groups and
communities, KAIROS works towards a just, peaceful and respectful
relationship between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples that
recognizes Indigenous peoples rights. See more at: http://www.
kairoscanada.org/dignity-rights/indigenous-rights/blanket-exercise/
2 Blanket Exercise | KAIROS, 2013

Welcome to the
Blanket Exercise
Introduction
The KAIROS Blanket Exercise is a teaching tool that uses participatory
popular education to raise awareness of the nation-to-nation
relationship between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples in
Canada. It teaches a history of Canada that most people never learn.
Since its creation in 1997, it has been done hundreds of times with
thousands of people of all ages and from all backgrounds, by a wide
variety of groups that include Indigenous and non-Indigenous people.
It is a way to open, or continue, the conversation about decolonization.
The exercise is designed to deepen understanding of the denial

of Indigenous peoples nationhood throughout Canadian history.
It explores the major themes and recommendations of the Royal
Commission on Aboriginal Peoples (RCAP), examines how federal
policies and programs impact the lives of Indigenous peoples in
Canada, and identifies what Indigenous peoples and their allies
are doing to bring about positive change.
WHAT IS IT?
As the name suggests, the Blanket Exercise begins with blankets
arranged on the floor to represent Canada before the arrival of
European explorers and settlers. The participants, who represent Blanket Exercise at the Papaschase-South Edmonton-
Indigenous peoples, begin by moving around on the blankets. While Millwoods Reconciliation Gathering, Alberta, Summer
a narrator reads from a script, other participants representing the 2012. Photo: Theresa Wynn
Europeans or newcomers - join and begin to interact with those
on the blankets. As the script traces the history of the relationship
between Europeans and Indigenous nations in Canada, the
participants respond to various cues and interact by reading prepared
scrolls. At the end of the exercise only a few people remain on the
blankets, which have been folded into small bundles and cover only
a fraction of their original area.
TWO VERSIONS
In this booklet you will find two different versions of the script: one
for grades 4-8 and one for grades 9 to adult. At the end of the booklet
you will find a list of suggested follow-up activities.
You are invited to explore and use this exercise in your community,
school, group, or place of worship. Please do not hesitate to contact
us with questions on any stage of the process, or with advice on how
we can make the Blanket Exercise even better! Wed love to hear about
any Blanket Exercises you put on, and we invite you to use our online
evaluation form. See our contact information on the inside front
cover and additional resources on the back cover and on our website
Blanket Exercise page at http://www.kairoscanada.org/dignity-rights/
indigenous-rights/blanket-exercise/
Blanket Exercise | KAIROS, 2013 3

KAIROS hopes the Blanket Exercise will inspire participants to take
action on the injustices facing Indigenous peoples, and to challenge
mainstream Canadian beliefs and attitudes that continue the process
of colonization even today.
GOALS
To engage participants in the historic relationship between Europeans
and the Indigenous nations, and in the history of the colonization of
the lands we now call Canada.
To make it clear that Indigenous peoples continue to exist as living

communities and continue to have distinct rights and identities as nations,
under the treaties and the Constitution.
To help participants explore and begin to acknowledge the

continuing impact of colonization on Indigenous communities.
For students and teachers: To contribute to ensuring that the living

history between Indigenous peoples and newcomers is part of
classroom learning.
For church members and other members of the public: To put

Canadas national apology on Indian residential schools and church
apologies for that system into a wider context.
Students at the Education Day Blanket Exercises,

Quebec National Event of the Truth and Reconciliation
Commission, Montreal, April 2013. Photo: KAIROS
The Blanket Exercise at the Feast for Friends, Winnipeg MB, November
2012. Photo credit: Unknown

Doing the If you have time or if you plan to do
the Blanket Exercise more than once,
Blanket Exercise consider working with resources like

your local Friendship Centre or other
Indigenous education group to
A) WHAT YOU NEED: research the traditional territory
Space: and/or treaty lands on which you live.
A large, open room with movable chairs. Then connect with student or adult art
If possible, a microphone or two. Ideally, one mic should be classes to decorate some blankets or
wireless or have a long cord. banners with durable paint or appliqu.
Include these local blankets with your
Chairs in a big circle with the blankets laid out in the middle. regular blankets for the exercise and use
Materials: them in the debrief after.
Blankets: Ideally, one blanket for every two participants plus
one extra.
A box of tissues.
A camera. People often ask what the Blanket
Printer or Powerpoint photos (Optional: See page 33) Exercise looks like. We invite you to take
photos or video footage and send them
Props: Use your imagination. For example, some people use top
to KAIROS at info@kairoscanada.org
hats or plumed hats for the Europeans, switching to clip-on ties
as the exercise moves into the modern era. If possible, get a real But please make sure you get permission
Hudsons Bay blanket for use during the section that speaks to the from participants first. KAIROS has a
epidemics that devastated Indigenous communities. release form you can use; see our free
Scrolls: Each of the two versions of the script use scrolls to be kit of extra resources for the Blanket
read by participants. The text of the scrolls is in the script; a Exercise.
printable version of the scrolls is available as a free PDF on the KAIROS
website, under the Blanket Exercise section. Print this file double-
sided, then roll the pages up and secure them so they look like scrolls.
Index cards: Prepare these ahead of time, with extras in case your
group is bigger than anticipated. You will need two blue cards,
white index cards for about half the participants, and yellow cards
for about one-third of the remaining participants. One of the
yellow cards should have an X on it. If the group is large enough,
try to ensure that at least 10 participants do not receive cards.
3 maps from the Report of the Royal Commission on Aboriginal
Peoples, which you will find in the centre of the booklet Turtle
Island, Treaties and Aboriginal Lands Today. Or download the
free PowerPoint of these maps from the KAIROS site, in the same
section as the scrolls.
Action material: See pages 34-37.
B) PEOPLE
One narrator and one or two people to act as the European character.
One facilitator or ceremonial leader for the talking circle.
We strongly recommend that whenever possible, you work in advance
and during the Exercise with an Indigenous elder, ceremonial leader
or resource people.

Making sure the script If possible, invite a local Indigenous elder or resource person to welcome
speaks to your context: you to their traditional territory. KAIROS and its members are inviting
The versions of the Blanket Exercise all groups to start taking this step. If no resource person is available,
you have in front of you cover national acknowledge the name of the Indigenous community whose territory
history. They dont cover equally you are on, and give thanks for their continued presence and work.
important regional and local realities. As
Participants and format: The ideal number of participants for this
you prepare for the exercise, consider
exercise is about 25, but it can be easily and successfully adapted for
what you can add. And please do add! smaller groups by having participants read more than one scroll. The
For example, Prairie Indigenous key is to ensure that there are some participants left on the blankets at
people and settlers often point to the the end of the exercise. Larger groups can also be easily accommodated
importance of the Mtis culture, and by using the fish-bowl approach, which means having some
of the deliberate near-extermination participants play active roles on the blankets while others observe in a
circle around the group and help to read the scrolls.
of the bison (buffalo). In the east, early
peace and friendship treaties like the
Two Row Wampum and Covenant Chain
C) TIME REQUIRED
Doing the Blanket Exercise and the sharing circle that should always
are important examples of what later
follow takes one hour minimum. It is always better not to rush it.
treaties could have been. In British
Reflecting together afterwards is important, so take as much time
Columbia, historic treaties are mostly
as possible. The larger the group, the more time you will need. If you
absent and the reasons for this could
are working with Indigenous ceremonial leaders, elders or resource
be mentioned, as could early sea-based
people, allow for an additional hour if at all possible. See page 8 for
trade and exploration. In the north, the
some suggested outlines and timing.
Inuit experienced much later and faster
colonization, and this important reality D) PREPARATION
should be explored. Plan to arrive 30-60 minutes early for set up.
You can add to the script (spoken by the Contact information: If you are doing this with a group that doesnt
European or Narrator) or to the scrolls regularly meet together, try to ensure everyone leaves their contact
(spoken by participants). You can also information. This allows you to send out evaluation forms (or invite
add to the PowerPoint of maps thats people to use the KAIROS form) and it lets you do follow up.
included with the Blanket Exercise.
Note the location of the four compass directions in the room youll
be using.
Choosing the script: Depending on the age of the participants,

choose the appropriate version of the Blanket Exercise script and read
over it carefully. Ideally, speak to one or two people ahead of time,
give them a copy of the script, and ask if they would agree to play the
role of the European(s). Or choose a confident member of your group
on the spot if necessary.
Banner celebrating UN Declaration on the rights of
Indigenous Peoples, KAIROS Parksville-Qualicum. Adapting the script: The script you have here is a general one. You
should add at least one scroll or reference that reflects your local
context. (See the sidebar.)
Copy and roll the scrolls. (See the KAIROS website under Blanket
Exercise or shop for a free PDF, or copy the text from the script.) Set aside
Hearing Indigenous Voices Scrolls 1-4 (adult) as youll use them first.
Once you are in the space, lay out the blankets, making sure the
edges touch, and put chairs in a circle around the blankets. Fold one
blanket and set it aside. Set up the PowerPoint or make paper copies
of the maps in this book.

E) THINKING THROUGH ROLES
Inviting people to take roles:
The Blanket Exercise is designed to invite people to walk in the shoes
of Indigenous peoples. This does not mean that you invite people
to pretend they are Indigenous; rather, this is meant to be a space
for imagination and reflection. Its also important that participants
both enter and exit this role. Participants might also feel some anger
towards the European characters even after the Exercise ends.
For example, just before you invite people on to the blankets, remind
them that in this exercise, they are taking the role of the First Peoples
and in the case of one or two people, they are acting as European
newcomers. Ask them to take off their shoes, then close their eyes and
imagine the role. Take three breaths, and then step on to the blankets.
When the Exercise and the first circle or debrief is done, again ask
people to sit in silence briefly, then invite them to come out of their
roles, closing this with three deep breaths.
Your role as facilitator(s)
Emotions: Indigenous rights are not an easy discussion in most
contexts in Canada. Youre taking a risk by facilitating this exercise,
so its important to go easy on yourself. You are not responsible for
making people feel comfortable or for solving their emotions. Its okay
if people go away unsettled; in fact, non-Indigenous people should
feel unsettled by this exercise. Thats one of the goals. Work with others
to set up follow up opportunities so questions and reactions can be KAIROS staff member Katy Quinn introduces the
discussed over the longer term, but dont feel responsible for peoples Blanket Exercise to the Nation to Nation Bike Tour
emotions or reactions. participants. Photo: Kerry Marsh
Please keep in mind that some groups find the exercise emotional and
will react in different ways. Some may laugh inappropriately or get A talking circle should be facilitated
angry. It is important to remember this during the debrief session or by an Indigenous elder or ceremonial
talking circle. You may want to consider asking the group why certain leader when possible. If this is not
reactions happened at certain points. This type of discussion can help possible, explain that in a circle, one
sensitize the participants and may avoid lingering questions about
person starts and each person speaks
what kind of behaviour or reaction is appropriate.
in turn, going around the circle. It can
Many people, both Indigenous and non-Indigenous, will express help to use a stone; each person holds
anger or sadness during the circle after the exercise. This is both the stone while talking, then passes it
appropriate and important. Dont worry. Let people sit with their on. Tell participants they do not need
emotions and dont feel you need to solve or directly address their to talk if they prefer not to, and to pass
responses while in the circle. the stone on without speaking if they
For Indigenous participants, some of the exercises content may bring wish. Participants should not debate or
up difficult memories. The realities described in the exercise are not comment on what others say; a circle
abstract or safely distant for any Indigenous community. If at any involves speaking ones own story,
point people wish to leave the exercise, let them go without drawing thoughts and feelings. For the first
attention to it. Try to follow up with the person or people after the circle (which may be the only circle you
exercise. have time for), encourage participants
Tough questions: Dont feel you need to know everything and that to speak from the heart, focusing on
you have to answer every question or ensure it gets answered. We are feelings rather than moving right into
all learning, and questions or disagreements are part of that process. analysis or problem-solving. How did
Many questions can be addressed by local resource people. And they feel during the exercise? If possible,
KAIROS can help if specific content raises questions. Dont hesitate to open a second circle focused more on
write to us or call us. thoughts and other reactions.

Sample agendas
for classrooms and
community groups
The Blanket Exercise can fit into any kind of one-off event or into a
study series or course. The Exercise itself takes an hour minimum,
including the introduction to the vocabulary and the time on the
blankets, working with the script.
Whenever possible, we very strongly encourage you to hold a time for

debrief or talking circle (with an elder if possible), so that people are
given the space and encouragement to sit with their own reactions
and responses. Depending on the size of the group, a talking circle
can take over an hour.
The action material following the script (pages 3437) will take a
minimum of 20 minutes to cover. The action section works best if you
can move into it directly after the Exercise and make it interactive.
Since this isnt always possible, we suggest mentioning the case
studies and posting some links to actions, but engaging wider ideas for
action at another session or class. KAIROS hope for the action section
is that you will research your own community and area and share this
information, before moving on to create your own plan for follow-up.
Participants in a Blanket Exercise hosted by KAIROS Flow:

Belleville, ON in Spring 2012. Photo: KAIROS Gathering
What is the Blanket Exercise?
Goals
Introducing words and ideas
Maps
Hearing Indigenous voices
Banner celebrating the UN Declaration from the school
Moving onto the blankets: the script
in Kuujjuaq, QC.
Closing the script
Talking circle or debrief time
Now what? Action discussion
Sample agendas:
(NOTE that holding the Blanket Exercise outdoors is fun and adds a
different flavour.)
1 hour in the classroom:

Choose the right version for the age group and have all the blankets
ready to go, with chairs and desks pushed to the side if possible.
Offer a very quick overview of the vocabulary and maps. (Note that a
free PowerPoint on both is posted to the KAIROS website.) Read the
hearing Indigenous Voices scrolls either on or off the blankets, then

step straight into roles and the script. Since a talking circle or debrief
are likely not possible in this time frame you need to acknowledge
that the exercise will raise strong feelings for some. Please try to hold
a debrief in your next class, and make time for questions as well as
action suggestions.
2 hours:
As above, but hold a talking circle or debrief. Then move into the
action suggestions offered in this book, as well as others.
4 hours:
As above, but add a video, a speaker, and/or a more detailed
conversation on your local context. What are tensions in your
community? With whom do you need to connect in order to expand
your understanding and begin a conversation? What kind of public
education or engagement can you offer? What kind of advocacy
might be possible? Where are there opportunities to listen and be
present? Before you end, try to map out next steps and identify
people to help you move this forward.
For church groups:

The KAIROS book In Peace and Friendship offers five group or parish/
congregational sessions grounded in biblical teachings on covenant
and treaties as covenants. Please contact orders@kairoscanada.org for
a copy. Your own tradition will have resources tooplease contact
your national office. Together these resources can help you create a
great Lenten or study series.
Participants in a Blanket Exercise at the Papaschase-
South Edmonton-Millwoods Reconciliation Gathering,
Alberta, Summer 2012. Photo: Theresa Wynn
Banner from the Canadian Union of Postal Workers,

Winnipeg.
A student participating in the Shannens Dream project. Photo: Liam Sharp/

First Nations Child and Family Caring Society

The Blanket
Exercise for
Grades 9-12/ Adults
BEGINNING
Invite the elder or a group facilitator to welcome people to the
traditional territory, or acknowledge it.
If this is your first session together as a group, ensure you spend some
time getting to know one another. Set some group norms that will
guide how you act towards one another. Consider showing the Public
Service Alliance of Canada video Justice for Aboriginal Peoples - Its
time http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r5DrXZUI inU
Let the group know that you will be exploring the issues raised in the
video.
Explain that the Blanket Exercise is an opportunity to learn our shared

history, and to form a common memory. It was written following the
release of the Report of the Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples
(RCAP) in 1996 with the participation of many Indigenous people. It
is an opportunity to experience our shared history from a different,
perhaps unfamiliar point of view.
Blanket Exercise at Nunavut Sivuniksavut, Ottawa. SOME IDEAS AND WORDS TO REVIEW BEFORE
Photo: KAIROS GETTING STARTED: 10 MINUTES
The following are important words and concepts that are not always
well understood by the majority of Canadians. If you are doing
a longer study series or class, consider inviting local Indigenous
resource people who can share a more personal or community
understanding of all of these concepts and words.
What is a treaty?
If time permits, ask people what comes to mind when they hear the
word treaty.
Then say something like:
Treaties are agreements between sovereign nations. They are

recognized by other nations; they are international. Hundreds
of treaties of peace and friendship were concluded between the
European settlers and First Nations during the period prior to
Confederation. These treaties tried to create peaceful coexistence
and the sharing of resources. But after Confederation, the European
settlers used treaty making as a tool to take over vast areas of land.
During this time, the numbered treaties 1 through 11 were concluded
between First Nations and the Crown. For Indigenous peoples, treaties
outline the rights and responsibilities of all parties to the agreement
and they are very much alive today. Treaties should involve all
Canadians equally, yet many Canadians hardly know treaties exist.

What does it mean to be a sovereign nation?
Again, ask the participants what comes to mind when they hear the
word nation.
A sovereign nation has the right to self-determination and has

a government and territory that is recognized by other nations.
While European nations focus on the protection of individual rights,
Indigenous nations centre on collective rights such as land, language,
spiritual traditions, and self-governance, to name a few. Indigenous
individuals rely on strong nations for their well-being because they
protect and nurture the collective rights through which an individual
finds cultural meaning and identity. The Indigenous struggle for
sovereignty is a struggle for nationhood, and many believe that the
recognition of Indigenous nationhood will make Canada stronger. The
historic peace and friendship treaties are central to sovereignty and
nationhood as they address how to coexist as distinct peoples. Yet the
more modern, numbered treaties often did not take this approach,
as we will see.
Assimilation (pronounced ass-im-i-LAY-shun) is the process of

absorbing one cultural group into another. This can be done through
harsh and extreme state policies such as removing children from their
families and placing them in the homes or institutions of another
culture. Forcing a people to assimilate through legislation is cultural
genocide because the goal is to completely erase or absorb a culture.
What is the difference between equity and equality? Blanket Exercise at Nunavut Sivuniksavut, Ottawa.
(Share this depending on how much time you have; it can also be added Photo: KAIROS
to discussion after the Exercise.)
Equality means each person gets the same treatment or the same
amount of something. It involves systematically dividing something
into equal parts. Equity, on the other hand, recognizes that not
everyone has the same needs. It is about justice and a fair process that
leads to an equal outcome. Equity takes into account the injustices
of the past and how they have placed some in positions of privilege
while others face significant barriers to achieving well-being. (One
way to illustrate this concept is to ask everyone to take one shoe off and
put them in a pile in the middle of the circle. Then ask everyone to grab a
shoe at random and put it on. Ask if theyd be willing to leave for the day
with their new shoe. When they say no, ask why not, since everyone who
had two shoes to start still has two now. Equity is not about everyone
having the same things or the same access, though equality can be one
important part of equity.)
OTHER WORDS YOU WILL HEAR AND THEIR

MEANINGS (10 MINUTES)
Language is always changing, especially as people struggle to get out
from under colonization and find new ways of identifying themselves.
These meanings are not set in stone.

Indigenous peoples pronounced in-DIJ-en-us) This is a term for which
there is no single definition because it is up to each Indigenous person
to define this for themselves. This is something that for far too long
has been done by others. Cree lawyer Sharon Venne suggests that
being Indigenous means being descendants of the people occupying
a territory when the colonizers arrived.
Indigenous is a global word, not just a Canadian one. It recognizes

many realities worldwide where people who are the original
inhabitants of a place have been pushed aside or oppressed by
ethnic groups who arrived later. Examples today include Canada, the
US, almost all of the Americas and the Caribbean, the Philippines,
Australia, northern Europe and many other places.
Indigenous speaks to global solidarity amongst these peoples, and it

has important legal significance as well.
When we speak of peoples, as opposed to people, it is a recognition of

collective rights: that each Indigenous people is a distinct entity with
its own cultural and political rights. That s is important!
Aboriginal peoples refers to the original peoples of North America

who belong to historic, cultural and political groups. Canadas
Constitution Act, 1982 recognizes three groups of Aboriginal peoples:
First Nations, Inuit and Mtis. There are a number of synonyms for
Aboriginal peoples, including Indigenous peoples, First Peoples, and
original peoples. None of these terms should be used to describe only
End of the Blanket Exercise at the launch of the Na-
tion to Nation KAIROS/ Otesha Bike Tour, Akwesasne one or two of the groups.
Mohawk Territory, July 2013. Photo: Kerry Marsh
Because Aboriginal peoples is the term used in Canadas constitution,
it has great importance within our legal system.
First Nations is not considered a legal term by the Government

of Canada. It replaces Indian in common usage. There are many
First Nations in Canada: Innu, Cree, Saulteaux, Ojibwe, Haida, Dene,
Mohawk, Maliseet, Mikmaq, Blood, Shuswap, etc., each with its own
history, culture, and traditions.
Inuit are the Indigenous people of Canada and other northern

countries whose traditional territory circles around the North Pole.
They were formerly called Eskimo, which the Inuit consider an insult.
In Canada, the Inuit live in Nunavut, Northwest Territories, northern
Qubec, Labrador and, in recent years, southern Canadian cities as well.
Mtis (pronounced May-TEE) are the descendants of French and

Scottish fur traders and other early settlers, and Cree, Ojibwe,
Saulteaux, Assiniboine and other Indigenous women. They have
their own culture and history. As is the case with many Aboriginal
languages, the Mtis language, Michif, is endangered. Mtis society
and culture were established before European settlement became
dominant.

Europeans: For this Exercise, Europeans means two distinct but
related things. The European character(s) represents the European
empires of the time, and all the power and wealth that came with
them: the British and the French above all others, but also the
Spanish, Russian, Dutch, and others. Ultimately, most of the laws well
be hearing about in the exercise came from the British, and then from
the Canadian government. At the same time, the European character
also represents the explorers and the settlersthe ordinary people
who often came here to escape poverty or violence, or were even
brought here against their will.
HEARING INDIGENOUS VOICES (10 MINUTES)

Invite four people in the group to read aloud each of the following four
quotations to get you started. (These four quotes are available as scrolls.)
Hearing Indigenous Voices 1: Where common memory is lacking,

where people do not share in the same past, there can be no real
community. Where community is to be formed, common memory
must be created.
Georges Erasmus, Dene Nation, co-chair of the Royal Commission on
Aboriginal Peoples
Hearing Indigenous Voices 2: At contact with Europeans, each of the

hundreds of Indigenous Peoples of Indigenous America possessed all
the elements of nationhood that were well-established by European
settlers: territory, governing structures, legal systems and a historical
continuity with our territories. Nothing since the arrival of Columbus Blanket Exercise at the launch of the Nation to Nation
has occurred to merit any reduction in the international legal status KAIROS/ Otesha Bike Tour, Akwesasne Mohawk Terri-
of Indigenous Peoples. The recognition of Indigenous Nations and our tory, July 2013. Photo: Kerry Marsh
rights pose no threat to non-Indigenous Peoples.
Sharon Venne, Cree
Hearing Indigenous Voices 3: Our cultures, our religions, our

governments and our ways of life are all in danger. We are not simply
individuals with individuals rights; on the contrary, we exist as distinct
peoples, distinct communities, real functioning nations. We hold our
lands in common; we hold our cultures and religions as nations and
as communities and groups.
Chief Jake Swamp, Wolf Clan of the Mohawk Nation, Haudenosaunee.
(Pronounced approximately as hoe-deh-no-SHOW-nee)
Hearing Indigenous Voices 4: First Nations are nations. First Nations

(treaty people) signed over 300 treaties with the Europeans during
the 1700s and 1800s. The treaties agreed to share the lands and
resources with the immigrants. Under existing legislation, treaty
people are sovereign nations. The Indians surrendered over 9.9
million square kilometres of their land to the immigrants. Today, the
sons of the immigrants have the largest treaty rights in Canada. The
Indians have become the poorest peoples in Canada.
Chief Pascall Bighetty, Pukatawagan First Nation

Sum up with these points:
The Europeans who discovered what we now know as North America
encountered independent, distinct, self-governing and self-sufficient
societies. These societies were nations; they had a wide variety of
languages and cultures, social traditions, and complex systems of
government. The very fact that treaties were made with these nations
confirms they were sovereign peoples.
The Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples (RCAP) said a new

relationship with Indigenous peoples is desperately needed and
should be based on the reality of Indigenous nationhood. This new
relationship should also be based on respect, sharing and the mutual
recognition of rights and responsibilities. But RCAP also said this
new relationship would be difficult because, among other things, it
would require decolonizing the relationship between aboriginal and
non-aboriginal people in Canada, a road that the experience in other
societies demonstrates is not an easy one to follow.
INTRODUCING THE BLANKET EXERCISE

Tell people they are about to participate in an interactive exercise
designed to deepen their understanding of the denial of Indigenous
peoples nationhood in Canada. The exercise should help us
understand how First Nations, Inuit and later Mtis peoples lost access
to their land and what impact this loss had on their communities
both in the past and today. This exercise will also show us how
Indigenous peoples have always resisted assimilation. Tell the group
that for some people this exercise may generate difficult feelings.
Assure participants that the last step includes a discussion so people
can share their feelings in a respectful way.
Use the three maps from the Report of the Royal Commission on
Aboriginal Peoples (included in this booklet and available in a free
PowerPoint from KAIROS) to explain that the exercise is designed to
help people understand how Indigenous peoples went from using
and occupying all of the land we now call Canada, to a situation
where reserves, or lands reserved for Indians, amount to only 1/10
of 1% of Canadas land mass (below the 60th parallel). Note that some
Indigenous peoples refer to North America as Turtle Island.
Now invite everyone to remove their shoes and to stand on the

blankets. Ask your volunteer Europeans(s) to stand with you. Remind
Top to bottom: everyone that they will be walking in the shoes of Canadas original
1) Participants at the end of the Blanket Exercise peoples or, in the case of one or two people, will represent the
hosted by KAIROS Belleville, ON in Spring 2012. Photo: European newcomers and authorities. Ask everyone to close their
KAIROS
eyes, take three deep breaths and imagine themselves in their role.
2) Educators testing the new theatrical workshop of the
Blanket Exercise, Spring 2013. Photo: Kerry Marsh
3) Participants in a Blanket Exercise hosted by KAIROS

Belleville, ON in Spring 2012. Photo: KAIROS

The Narrator now begins reading the script below:
Narrator: These blankets represent the northern part of Turtle Island,

or North America, before the arrival of Europeans. You
represent the Indigenous peoples, the original inhabitants.
Long before the arrival of Europeans, Turtle Island was home

to millions of people who lived in thousands of distinct
societies that formed hundreds of nations.
These were fishing, hunting, and farming societies, with their

own languages, cultures, and traditions. These nations had
their own laws and ways of governing themselves.
As nations, you worked with one another. You resolved

conflicts over lands and resources through treaty-making.
You traded and shared gifts through networks of trails and
water routes that covered thousands of kilometres. Through
your skills with canoe and kayak, you traded in goods and in
many foods that we rely on today but were unknown to the
rest of the world at the time: squash and corn; tomatoes and
potatoes are just a few.
You were diverse, yet as Indigenous peoples you also shared

things in common. Your relationship to the land defined who
you were as peoples. All of your needs food, clothing,
shelter, culture, spiritual fulfillment were met by the land and
the waters, represented here by the blankets. In turn, you took
very seriously your collective responsibility to serve and
protect the land.
[Here the Narrator will likely need to say something like: However, it is unlikely
that Indigenous peoples stood in one place looking in one direction, listening to
someone talk. Please be a part of your lands move around on the blankets, use
your trade and travel routes, and greet one another as you listen.]
[Introduce the volunteer (or volunteers) who represent(s) the European.]
Narrator: Thenat the end of the 15th century, events occurred in

Europe that would deeply impact your societies. In 1493 the
King and Queen of Spain asked Pope Alexander the 6th to
issue a papal bull, or solemn declaration from the Vatican.
Known as the Doctrine of Discovery, it established Christian
control over, quote, pagan non-Christians. It also granted
Spain the right to conquer any lands its explorers discovered.

Non-Christian nations could no longer own the lands, and
you, the Indigenous people, were to be placed under the
guardianship of those Christian nations that discovered your
lands. You were to be taught the right way to believe and live
by force if necessary.
European [in a loud, pompous voice, striding around the blankets]: In the words
of Pope Alexander the 6th: We by the authority of Almighty
God give, grant, and assign to you and your heirs and
successors, kings of Castile and Leon, forever, all islands and
main lands found and to be found, discovered and to be
discovered, towards the west and south, from the Arctic
pole to the Antarctic pole And we make, appoint, and
depute you and your said heirs and successors lords of them
with full and free power, authority, and jurisdiction of every kind.
Narrator: And so began the process of the European discovery and

colonization of Turtle Island. It started in the east and moved
across the continent.
[The European(s) step(s) on the blankets and begin(s) to mill around in a

very obvious way.]
Narrator: When Europeans first arrived on Turtle Island they were greatly
outnumbered by you, the Indigenous people, and they
depended on you for their survival. They needed you to help
them make sense of the complex societies all around them.
Your early relationships with the settlers were based on

cooperation. You relied on each other. You married each other.
The settlers and their governors recognized you as distinct
peoples with self-governing societies. This led to nation-to-
nation relationships which were expressed in treaties, including
both trade arrangements and military alliances.
[The European(s) continues moving around and begins shaking hands.

They start handing out all the prepared the index cards as though they
were trading items. ]
Narrator: These treaties were international agreements between the

European crowns and your nations. They formally recognized
each nations sovereignty and independence. They affirmed
that you - the Indigenous peoples - are the original inhabitants,
that your territories belong to you, and that you are self-
governing.
European [In a loud voice]: The Royal Proclamation of 1763 hereby confirms
that Indigenous nations have title to their lands. It states that
both sides have to agree to any treaties and that treaties are
the only way that Indigenous peoples can release control
of their lands. The year 2013 marks the 250th anniversary of the
Royal Proclamation.
Narrator: Later on, the Canadian federal government replaced the Crown
as the treaty-making body, and the Royal Proclamation of 1763
was written into Canadas Constitution Act, 1982.
To Indigenous peoples, treaties were sacred agreements that

were marked with spiritual ceremonies. They are not
statements of surrender, or real estate deals. Instead, they are
statements of peace, friendship, and alliance based on
traditional Indigenous spirituality around sharing, respect and
honesty. Treaties were and are a way of ensuring peaceful co-
existence among diverse peoples.
[Now the European(s) begin(s) to slowly and kick or fold over the blankets,
making the blanket area gradually smaller and smaller. The Narrator
should remind people they must stay on the blankets.]
Narrator: But the Europeans had altogether different views of land, and
of treaties. For them, land was a commodity, an object that
could be bought and sold. Treaties were a way of getting you,
the Indigenous peoples, to surrender or extinguish your title
to the land.
Over time, your relationship with the settlers grew worse. With
the end of the War of 1812, the newcomers in the East no
longer needed you as military allies. In the West, the fur trade
dried up and colonists turned more and more to agriculture, so
they no longer needed you as trading partners either.
Soon the Europeans began to outnumber you. One reason for

this was diseases the Europeans brought with them: diseases
such as small pox, measles and tuberculosis, for which you had
no immunity. Some experts believe fully half the Indigenous
people alive at the time died from these diseases. Some
communities lost up to 90 percent of their members.
European: British military leaders Lord Jeffrey Amherst and William Trent
have passages in their journals from the end of the 18th
century that reveal a clear intent to spread smallpox to
Indigenous peoples through infected blankets.
[The European walks to a person and gives them a folded blanket.]
European: Quote, Infect the Indians with sheets upon which smallpox
patients have been lying, or by any other means which may
exterminate this accursed race., end quote. Written by Lord
Jeffery Amherst, 16 July 1763.
Narrator: All people with white index cards - please step off the blankets.
You represent the millions of Indigenous peoples who died of
the various diseases to which you had no immunity. We will
take a minute of silence to remember those who died.
(Continuing) More Europeans also meant an ever increasing
demand for land for settlement. New ideas from Europe talked
about the inferiority of non-white races and women. Colonists
began to view you as obstacles to expansion and settlement,
and as a problem to be solved. You were no longer partners.
The colonial governments started to take your land, and they
wrote new laws to make this easier. Some was taken in war.
A lot more was taken without any right or justification,
meaning that the government basically stole it. Some was
taken by force, which led to some of you being killed.
[The European should take advantage of the reduced number of people on
the blankets by taking entire blankets away, and continuing to kick aside
or fold over blankets with people on them.]
Without access to the land it was often impossible to practice
your traditional lifestyles. Many of you lost your cultures and
languages. Some of you lost all hope, and a reason to live.
Eventually, the federal government also imposed the Indian
Act system of government on your communities, ignoring your
traditional governments and excluding women.
[The Narrator should again remind the participants they must not step
off the blankets. The objective is to stay on the blankets, even as they get
smaller. The Narrator should also remind participants that Indigenous
peoples always found ways to resist colonization; ask participants to keep
this in mind as they remain in their roles.]
[The European walks to one person in the east. ]
Narrator: You represent the Beothuk, the original inhabitants of what
is now Newfoundland. Your people starved, died in violent
encounters with settlers trying to take your lands, were hunted,
or were taken captive for reward. Your people are now extinct.
Please step off the blankets.
[The European folds the blanket the person was standing on and removes
it. The European(s) walks to the south and chooses two people who are
standing close together.]
Narrator: You represent the First Nations that were divided when the
border between the United States and British Canada was
created. This border cut through communities, and cut you off
from each other. Please move to separate blankets.
[The European(s) guide(s) each person to a separate blanket, and then

walk(s) to the west where they choose one person.]
Narrator: In the Prairies, a rush of settlers and the transfer of a large area
of land from the Hudsons Bay Company to the Government
of Canada led to resistance from you, the Mtis. During some
of the clashes that followed you were joined by the Cree. In
the end you were defeated by the governments soldiers. You
represent those leaders of the resistance who died in battle,
were put in jail, or were executed. Please step off the blankets.
[The European(s) walk(s) to the north and choose(s) one island of people.]
Narrator: In the High Arctic, Inuit communities were removed from their
traditional territories and relocated to isolated, barren lands
with which they were unfamiliar. Often the results were
devastating.
European: You represent the Inuit, and the Innu at Davis Inlet, and
countless other Indigenous communities who suffered and
sometimes died through forced relocation. Please move one of
the blankets away from the others, fold it small and sit down on it.
Narrator: Those with blue cards, please step off the blankets. You
represent those who died of malnutrition after being forced off
your traditional territories and away from your hunting grounds.
[The European(s) and the Narrator now present participants either on

or off the blankets with numbered scrolls. All the scrolls need to be
handed out. As the Narrator calls out the numbers, each participant unrolls
the scroll and reads it aloud. With smaller groups, each participant can
read more than one scroll. If a mic is available, participants should be
encouraged to use it.
At this point, the Narrator should also invite people still on the blankets
to sit down on the blankets if they prefer to, or to bring a chair and place it
on the blanket. However, they should still continue to resist and to interact
with the European character.]
Scroll 1: Terra Nullius (TER-ah NOO-lee-us). The notion of Terra Nullius, which
in Latin means empty land, gave a colonial nation the right
to take any territory encountered by explorers. These were the
hunting and trapping lands of Indigenous peoples.
Scroll 2: Terra Nullius continued. If the land was declared empty by the settler
government it was considered subject to the Doctrine of
Discovery and could be claimed by the European explorers.
Over time, this concept was conveniently expanded to include
lands not occupied by, quote, civilized peoples, end quote, or
lands not being put to civilized use.
Scroll 3: Todays Reality. The Doctrine of Discovery is based on a colonial

mentality. It is also the legal basis for Canadas existence. Today,
it continues to oppress Indigenous peoples through laws that
do not recognize our right to govern ourselves. This has a
negative impact on our identities, languages and cultures.
It also forces us - not the settlers- to prove title to the land.
Scroll 4: The British North America (BNA) Act. The BNA Act, also known as the
Constitution Act of 1867, put Indians and Lands reserved for
Indians under the control of the federal government.
Scroll 5: The BNA Act continued. The BNA Act, helped provide policy teeth for
Sir John A. MacDonalds announcement that Canadas goal was,
quote, to do away with the tribal system and assimilate the
Indian people in all respects with the inhabitants of the
Dominion, end quote. The act spelled out how Indigenous
people were put, quote, under the protection of the Crown,
end quote. It emphasized the governments central priorities of,
quote, assimilation, enfranchisement, and civilization, end quote.
Scroll 6: Todays Reality. Assimilation is still a goal for the government and even
for wider Canadian society. Many Canadians dont realize this,
but when you say that we, the original peoples, should just
join Canadian society and be like everyone else, youre
describing assimilation.
Scroll 7: The Indian Act. All laws governing Indians were first put together in
the Indian Act in 1876. It is still in force today and was last
updated in 2011. The Indian Act created reserves that are a tiny
fraction of our original territories, and denied First Nations
people the basic rights that most Canadians take for granted.
For example, under the Indian Act First Nations people were
not allowed to vote until 1960.
European [Stands on a chair if possible and reads in a loud, commanding
voice]: Now hear this! According to the Indian Act of 1876 and
the British North America Act of 1867, you and all of your
territories are now under the direct control of the Canadian
federal government. You will be placed on reserves. Please fold
your blankets until they are just large enough to stand on.
Scroll 8: The Indian Act continued. Through the Indian Act, the Department of
Indian Affairs took complete control over our economic, social
and political affairs. Our cultures were the last barrier to
colonization and they were targetted by this act. Hunting and
fishing were restricted. Ceremonies like the potlatch, sundance
and pow-wow were and are vital aspects of life for many First
Nations. These were outlawed. This was the case until the 1950s.
The federal government took control of deciding who was and

was not an Indian. This is still the reality today. Indigenous
women who married non-Indigenous men or men without
Indian status lost their own Indian status. We went from being
independent First Nations with our own governments to
impoverished bands. As individuals, we became, quote, wards
of the state, end quote. The Inuit were included under the
Indian Act in 1939. The Mtis are not covered by the Indian Act.
European [Walks slowly around the remaining blankets and people while
reading loudly]: You may not leave your reserve without a permit. You may
not vote. You may not gather to discuss your rights. You may
not practice your traditional spirituality or your traditional
forms of government. To do any of these things is to face arrest,
a trial, and time in prison. This will be the case until the 1950s.
Narrator: The Indian Act also severely restricted Indigenous land rights.
For example, under the Indian Act, it was illegal to raise money
to fight for land rights in the courts until 1951.
Scroll 9: Todays Reality. The Indian Act continues to give the federal
government the power to control many parts of our lives. For
example, under the Indian Act the federal government can do
away with the traditional government of a First Nation and
impose Indian Act band council elections. And at any time the
government can simply place our councils under the direct
control of financial managers that they choose- and then
charge us for it.
Scroll 10: Enfranchisement (en-fran-CHIZE-ment). Under this federal policy,
all First Nations and Inuit people who became doctors, lawyers,
or who entered other professions would be granted
enfranchisement. This meant we were forced to give up
our legal Indian status. In other words, the government would
reclassify Indigenous people who were entering professions
as Canadians. Since forced enfranchisement included lawyers,
it effectively prevented land rights cases from reaching the
courts during the first half of the 1900s. It also meant that
enfranchised people could no longer receive treaty benefits.
This policy ended in the 1950s, after decades of resistance.
Scroll 11: Assimilation (ass-im-i-LAY-shun). Over a hundred years ago it was
widely assumed that the so-called Indian problem would
soon solve itself as Indigenous people died from diseases and
the survivors were absorbed into the larger society. As Indian
Affairs deputy superintendent Duncan Campbell Scott stated,
the governments goal was, quote to continue until there is
not a single Indian in Canada that has not been absorbed into
the body politic and that there is no Indian problem and no
Indian Department, end quote.
Scroll 12: Todays Reality. One way the Canadian government pressures us to
leave our lands and assimilate is by failing to provide enough
funds for basic services:
Over half the drinking water systems on reserve pose
a significant risk to human health. (OAG 2011)
There are 85,000 new housing units needed on reserve
and 60% of existing houses are in need of repair. (AFN 2012)
Many communities have inadequate access to health care.
This contributes to situations such as rates of TB among the
Inuit that are 284 times higher than for Canadian-born
non-Indigenous people. (NAHO 2012)
Scroll 13: Residential Schools. From 1820 to the 1970s, the federal government
removed us - First Nations, Inuit and Mtis children - from
our homes and communities and placed us in church-run
boarding schools. Our parents could be fined, jailed, or more if
they refused to send us to Indian Residential School. These
schools were often far from our families and communities.
In most cases, we were not allowed to speak our own
languages and were punished if we did. Most of us stayed at
the school for 8-10 months a year, while some stayed all year.
While some of us report having positive experiences at the
schools, most of us suffered from the poor conditions and
from emotional, physical and sexual abuse. We lost family
connections and the opportunity to learn our culture and
traditions from our elders. Because we were raised in an
institution, most of us lost our parenting skills. Some students
died at residential school. Many of us never returned to our
home communities, or were shunned if we did. The last
federally-run residential school closed in 1996.
Narrator: All people with yellow cards, raise your hands. You must move
to a separate, empty blanket. You represent those who were
taken out of your communities and placed in residential
schools far from home.
[The European should move a blanket well apart from the others and take
people to it.]
The person with the yellow index card that is marked with an
X must step off the blanket. You represent those who died as
a result of their experience at residential schools. (Pause)
All others with yellow cards, you may return to your home
communities, though you may always struggle to feel at home
with your own people.
[The Narrator asks those on the blankets to turn their back on the
returning children, to symbolize the rejection and exclusion that some
experienced.]
Scroll 14: Todays reality. One goal of residential schools was to wipe out
Indigenous languages. Federally funded schools on reserve
currently get on average $2,000-$3,000 less per student, per
year, than schools off reserve. This makes it extremely difficult
to address the issue of language loss caused by residential
schools. (Caledon Institute 2008) Indigenous education is one of
many areas that are under-funded. Yet many Canadians still
claim we all get free post-secondary education. This simply
isnt true.
Scroll 15: The 1969 White Paper. The White Paper was the Trudeau
governments attempt to solve the Indian problem by doing
away with the Indian Act and assimilating Indigenous peoples
into Euro-Canadian society. We saw this as a termination of
our rights and organized to defeat it. Out of this came the
National Indian Brotherhood now the Assembly of First Nations
(or AFN) as well as other Indigenous rights organizations.
[The Narrator asks participants to unfold one small corner of their blankets
to commemorate these successful acts of resistance against the federal
governments termination legislation. The European should warn people
not to unfold too much and can intervene.]
Scroll 16: Women. In many Indigenous traditions, women are the carriers of
culture and tradition. By targeting women, you target the
heart of the nation. Indigenous women have been targeted
through federal legislation and policies that try to wear
down our communities and in so doing, make it easier to take
our lands. Residential schools have left a legacy of violence that
contributes directly to abuse, especially abuse directed at
women and children. And in wider society, everyday racism
causes wounds that are both visible and invisible. A few
examples include:
Indigenous women are at least three times as likely to
experience violence as non-Indigenous women in Canada.
(Statistics Canada 2009)
Almost 600 Indigenous women have gone missing or have
been murdered since the 1970s, and these are only the
cases that have been documented. The real number is
certainly much higher.
Scroll 17: Broken promises. Over the years, more than two-thirds of the
land set aside for treaties has been lost or stolen. It has been
taken through fraud, mismanagement, and threats. It has been
taken for development like roads or rail lines, or seized for
military purposes. Rarely has the government replaced
this land, or given us anything in return for its use.
At the same time, large companies set up shop in our territories,
reap huge profits from natural resources and often pollute the
land and waters. Too often they do this without respecting
Indigenous or treaty rights, and without benefits flowing to
our communities.
Scroll 18: Todays Reality. A major cause of poverty in our communities is that
almost none of the profits from resource extraction on our
lands flow to our communities. A child living on reserve is
eight times more likely to be in the care of social services than
a child living off reserve. (OAG 2008) Often First Nations
children enter care due to poverty; we as their parents are
unable to provide them with the necessities of life. (Standing
Committee on the Status of Women 2011)
Map resource pages 25-28: please remove as needed and copy.

Truth, Reconciliation & Equity:
They Matter to Us!
Too often, First Nations, Inuit and Mtis peoples in Canada We are called to bear witness to how this history
face serious injustices, such as poor access to basics like impacts Indigenous peoples.
clean water, housing and fair funding for education.
Too often, our resource economy has not respected the Join KAIROS as we move forward together in respectful
right of Indigenous communities to self determination. relationship. Reconciliation depends on an equitable
futuretogether, we will make that future possible.
All of us share in the responsibility of understanding
how our collective history has created these
current inequities.
What can we do?

Together with your friends, church, school or community, learn more about the historic injustices and current
inequities facing Indigenous peoples in Canada. Our website, www.kairoscanada.org, is a great place to start!
Meet with your Member of Parliament. Encourage our government to put the United Nations Declaration on the
Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) into action in full collaboration with Indigenous peoples.
Host a KAIROS workshop. We have several interactive day-long workshops on Indigenous rights. Well tailor the
content to meet the needs of your group!
Participate in local and national Truth and Reconciliation Commission events. Visit www.trc.ca to find an event
in your hometown.
Support justice for missing and murdered Indigenous women by promoting a Sisters in Spirit vigil in your
community. Support the call for a national inquiry into the high levels of violence against Indigenous women.
www.kairoscanada.org/tre
Narrator: Indigenous peoples continue to view treaties as sacred
agreements between sovereign nations that must be honoured
to ensure the equitable sharing of resources and a peaceful,
just co-existence. But that view of treaties is generally not
accepted by non-Indigenous society, which often views treaties
as a form of surrender. This view has a major impact on
modern-day treaty negotiations.
Participant - Scroll 19: Extinguishing Rights. Canadas current extinguishment

policy forces us to surrender our title and rights to the vast
majority of our lands. In return, we get a settlement that limits
our rights and gives us access to only a tiny fraction of our
traditional territories. Canada has been criticized by national
and international human rights experts for this policy, which
basically requires us to agree to never assert our rights.
Hearing Indigenous Voices Scroll 5: To us the answer is not about incremental

change, it is not about just concrete action, it is also repairing
the relationship. And the way to repair the relationship
between us and Canada is to have this country acknowledge
that its richness and its wealth come from their one-
sided interpretation of the treaties. There has to be henceforth
a double understanding of what those treaties represent.
(Ovide Mercredi, Crown-First Nations Gathering 2012)
Scroll 20: Todays Reality. Treaties affirm our right to govern our territories.
They are part of our right to self-determination. When the
Government of Canada and Canadians do not respect
Indigenous peoples right to self-determination, one result is
a feeling of hopelessness, especially among our youth. Suicide
rates amongst Indigenous youth are on average six times
higher than they are amongst other youth in Canada, and
eleven times higher for Inuit youth. (Health Canada)
Narrator: In recent years there have been some potentially positive

developments in the relationship between Indigenous and
non-Indigenous people in Canada. On June 11, 2008, Prime
Minister Stephen Harper, on behalf of the Government of
Canada, issued an official apology for the Indian Residential
Schools system.
European: An excerpt from the Prime Ministers Apology to Survivors of

Indian Residential Schools: Quote, Two primary objectives
of the Residential Schools system were to remove and isolate
children from the influence of their homes, families, traditions
and cultures, and to assimilate them into the dominant
culture. These objectives were based on the assumption
Aboriginal cultures and spiritual beliefs were inferior and
unequal. Indeed, some sought, as it was infamously said, to kill
the Indian in the child. Today, we recognize that this policy
of assimilation was wrong, has caused great harm, and has no
place in our country. End of quote.
Narrator: This apology was followed by the convening of the Truth and
Reconciliation Commission (TRC). The TRCs five year
mandate includes hearing the stories of residential school
survivors and others, and documenting the truth of the
residential school system. The TRCs recommendations towards
a new relationship must be put into practice-and this will be
the true test of the sincerity of this historic apology.
European: In November, 2010, Canada endorsed the United Nations

Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. Under
development for more than 20 years, the Declaration is one
of the most intensely debated human rights instruments
in U.N. history. Indigenous peoples themselves have been a
key part of its development.
Scroll 21: The United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.
The Declaration was a response by the United Nations to the
lack of international standards on the rights of Indigenous
peoples. Although Canada had played an important role in
developing the Declaration, it was one of only 4 countries to
vote against it at the United Nations in 2007. When the
Declaration was adopted by the U.N., then- Minister of Indian
Affairs Chuck Strahl said it was his job to protect the rights of
non-Indigenous people. The Government also implied that
as an international human rights instrument for Indigenous
peoples, the Declaration would threaten the rights of non-
Indigenous peoples.
Scroll 22: Following years of action by Indigenous people and

organizations and partners like church groups, the
Government of Canada finally endorsed the Declaration on
November 12, 2010. But it did so reluctantly, and described the
Declaration as a document that is subject to existing Canadian
law including, of course, the Indian Act.

Narrator: Canadas endorsement of the Declaration could perhaps
become an important new moment in the relationship
between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples in Canada,
if we continue to pressure the government to put it into action.
[The Narrator asks all the remaining participants to unfold another corner
of their blankets ONCE (again, if too much blanket is being unfolded, the
European(s) can intervene].
Hearing Indigenous Voices Scroll 6 The Declaration is fundamentally about

building meaningful relationships with Indigenous peoples
across the globe, and with nation-states and with Indigenous
rights supporters. It is about our relationships with each other,
our lands, natural resources, our laws, our rights, our languages,
our spirituality, our ways of life.Phil Fontaine, Former National
Chief of the Assembly of First Nations
Narrator: Despite the Government of Canadas centuries of efforts to

assimilate Indigenous peoples, you continue to resist and
to pass down your languages, ceremonies, land-based
practices and ways of governing. But the violence of
colonization has left a tremendous burden of pain and, as the
Prime Minister stated in the residential schools apology, the
burden is properly ours as a Government, and as a country.
We dont need more broken promises. We need a new

relationship and we need real change. In order for these
good words and positive developments to be meaningful first
steps towards genuine reconciliation and justice, they must be
followed by real action from the Government of Canada and all
Canadians.
[At this point, there should be only a few people remaining on blankets
that have been folded over many times.]
[Invite those people who have stepped off the blankets to join those still
on the blankets in a period of silent reflection. Ask them to look around the
room and to compare what they see now to what they saw at the beginning
of the exercise. Ask them to hold this image in their minds.
Then invite people to take their seats in a circle, leaving the blankets in
place.]

REFLECTING
Invite those people who have stepped off the blankets to join those
still on the blankets in a period of silent reflection. Ask them to look
around the room and to compare what they see now to what they
saw at the beginning of the exercise. Ask them to hold this image in
their minds.
Then invite people to take their seats in a circle, leaving the blankets
in place.
Ask people to reflect on the role they played during the exercise.
On that basis, ask them to share their insights and emotions. What
did they experience? What did they feel? Emphasize that a focus on
feelings, or speaking from the heart, is important. Analysis can
come later.
Upon completing the first circle, ask participants to close their eyes
and focus on stepping out of the role they played in the Blanket
Exercise. Invite them to take three deep, slow breaths in and out,
while letting go of their role. This step helps to separate people from
their roles, and from anger they may feel towards the European
characters.
If possible, do a second round in which participants can focus on

their head response, ask questions, or offer action ideas.
Participants in a Blanket Exercise at the Papaschase- Remind people that the goal of the exercise is not to create guilt.
South Edmonton-Millwoods Reconciliation Gathering, Its to help us take responsibility and positive action; to make us
Alberta, Summer 2012. Photo: Theresa Wynn more aware of our history, of modern day actions that continue
that history, and of how we need to work together to change our
attitudes and actions. Consider reading this quote:
respecting emotions
Be aware that participating in such an Im not saying any of this is your fault or even that your
exercise can have a strong impact on grandparents did any of it. Im saying it happened, and it happened
participants, especially First Nations, on your peoples watch. Youre the one who benefited from it. It
Inuit or Mtis people. It is important doesnt matter that youre way downstream from the actual events.
to allow time for participants to share Youre still drinking the water. --Dan, a Lakota elder in Kent
their feelings. If time permits, consider Nerburns The Wolf at Twilight
using a talking circle instead of a general
discussion. In a talking circle, participants If you dont have time for a second circle, invite questions as you
do not debate or challenge each others go through the action ideas on pages 3437, and start the action
words. Instead, they practice listening. discussion with these questions:
If possible, invite an Indigenous elder or
How have non-Indigenous people benefited from the historical
spiritual leader to facilitate the circle.
and current denial of Indigenous nationhood in Canada? In other
words, how is the standard of living that most non-Indigenous
people in Canada enjoy connected to the ongoing discrimination
and inequity experienced by Indigenous peoples?
If possible, the two case studies found on page 34 should be brought

into the discussion.

The facilitator can note that we ended the Blanket Exercise by saying
that good words of reconciliation and justice require concrete action
if they are to be meaningful. Whether local or national, such action
can give us much-needed hope in the face of the pain and injustice
caused by colonization.
In the Suggested Follow-Up to the Blanket Exercise on page 35 you

will find a list of resources that can be used in guiding the discussion
towards what participants can do to further what they have learned.
After participating in the Blanket Exercise, it is important

to move on to a dimension of hope. This can be done by
acknowledging and honouring examples of Indigenous
resistance and resilience over the centuries. This exercise
will take 15-30 minutes, depending on group size:
1) Prepare in advance 4-6 hopeful images involving

Indigenous peoples, or feel free to use the images included
in the free powerpoint that includes the maps used earlier
in the exercise. These can be pictures of First Nations, Inuit
or Mtis children on the land, in a classroom, participating in
cultural events and more. They can be pictures of Indigenous
elders, leaders, teachers, artists, athletes, professionals, etc.
If you are being hosted by an Indigenous community or are
working with Indigenous resource people ask them for advice Blanket Exercise at Roland Michener Public High
on the photos in advance and use local photos if possible. School, Ottawa. Photo: Carol Montgomery
2) Lay the photos on the floor within the circle. Ask

the European, or another volunteer, to hand out corn or
sunflower seeds (or another seed native to North America if
corn is not available), to each participant. Hand out as many
seeds to each person as there are photos. Explain each photo
briefly. Then, ask each participant to come forward one at
a time (if they are willing) to place a seed or seeds on the
picture or pictures that they find hopeful. Participants can
place all their seeds on one photo, or on more than one. They
do not need to place a seed on all photos, just those that
speak to them.
3) Ask the participants to explain in a few words why they

chose their photos, and how they are hopeful.
4) If there is still time in your session together, ask

participants to reflect on how Indigenous peoples and
cultures have helped shape Canada. What are some of the
contributions Indigenous cultures and people have offered
Canada and Canadians?

Case Studies
Jordans Principle: this principle was adopted by the House of Commons

as a private members bill in 2007, it has never been put
Jordan River Anderson of the Norway House Cree Nation into action.
died in hospital at age five despite having been able
to move to home care at age two. The reason he was The following article is from the United Nations
never able to go home was that the different levels of Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, which
government could not agree on who should pay for was endorsed by Canada in 2010. Jordans Principle is
Jordans home care. a good example of why this article was written. Article
24(2) says, Indigenous individuals have an equal right
Jordans Principle sets out that no child should be to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard
caught in the middle of a dispute over funding. Rather, of physical and mental health. States shall take the
the government of first contact is responsible for initial necessary steps with a view to achieving progressively
payments that are in the best interest of the child. the full realization of this right.
Disputes over reimbursement can be worked out
separately between governments so they dont prevent For more information on Jordans Principle:
a child from accessing health care services. Although http://www.fncfcs.com/jordans-principle
Shannens Dream: Shannens goal of becoming a lawyer meant she had

to leave home to attend high school in a community
The school in Attawapiskat First Nation in northern hundreds of miles away. Tragically, while away at school,
Ontario is condemned because the land its built on she died in a car accident. She was 15. Before her death
is contaminated by 50,000 liters of diesel fuel. For ten she was nominated for the International Childrens Peace
years the students have used run-down portables that Prize. She also spearheaded a campaign that continues
are freezing in winter, are fire traps, and are infested to gain momentum and has been re-named Shannens
Dream in her honour.
with mice. According to a 2007 internal Indian and
North Affairs Canada document, existing portables On February 27, 2012, the Parliament of Canada voted
are in need of extensive repair and there is student unanimously in the House of Commons for a private
overcrowding in classrooms. members motion that All First Nation Children Have
an Equal Right to High-Quality, Culturally-Relevant
Since 2001, at least three federal Ministers of Indian Education. This motion should be a huge success for all
Affairs have promised the students of Attawapiskat those seeking equity for Indigenous peoples in Canada.
a new school. Those students are still waiting. By It was the result of thousands of Indigenous and non-
2008, the grade eight students had had enough of Indigenous children and youth who support Shannens
the broken promises and the deplorable condition of Dream, which calls for safe and comfy schools and
their classrooms. Led by 13 year old student Shannen culturally-based and equitable education for First
Koostachin, they travelled to Ottawa to ask for a new Nations students. But now that motion needs to be put
school, but then-Minister of Indian Affairs Chuck Strahl into action. To learn more about Shannens Dream and
said it was not possible. There is no timeline in place to what you can do as a group or as individuals, please visit
provide the community with a new school. http://www.fncfcs.com/shannensdream/

Suggested Follow-up
to the Blanket
Exercise
Many faith communities, unions, schools and post-secondary groups
have excellent resources. Contact their offices or Indigenous caucuses
or structures for ideas.
For non-Indigenous/ newcomer/ settler people: Your voice is needed.

Racism and stereotyping that target Indigenous peoples and
communities are a day-to-day reality in Canada. All you have to do is
read the comments on any major news story on Indigenous matters
to see this reality in action, and in turn this reality makes it far less
likely that our elected leadership will ever take the action needed to
address grave inequities. Whether on social media or in conversations,
commit to patiently and persistently challenging these stereotypes
and misinformation.
Also, forming relationships to guide your work is crucial, and is an

important action itself. Requesting a visit with your local Friendship
Centre, community or post-secondary resource centre, student group,
band office or others is a good place to start.
Action ideas in addition to Jordans

Principle and Shannens Dream:
Promoting the Blanket Exercise:
In addition to supporting the actions suggested in the stories above,
can you ask your school board, local teachers and students groups to
hold the Blanket Exercise? Could it be added to the curriculum? What
about unions, town councils, newcomers groups, and more? KAIROS
can work with you to get the word out.
Truth, Reconciliation and Equity: They Matter to Us:

KAIROS has been invited to support the Truth and Reconciliation
Commission in its public work. Inspired by this collaboration, and
under the banner Truth, Reconciliation and Equity: They Matter to Us!,
KAIROS asks you to get involved:
Blanket Exercise at Roland Michener Public High
1) Make use of our workshop and resource materials;
School, Ottawa. Photos: Carol Montgomery
2) Meet with your MP to press for the full implementation of the
U.N. Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.
3) Participate in vigils, education and advocacy on ending violence

against Indigenous women. Support the call for a national inquiry
into the high levels of violence against Indigenous women.

4) Attend Truth and Reconciliation Commission hearings and events
(The TRCs hearings end in 2014).
5) When the TRCs final report comes out, it will have many important
recommendations thatif put into actionwould help change our
relationships for the better. Please read the report when it comes
out (June 2014) and pick at least one recommendation on which to
take action.
All of this and more can be found on our campaign webpage:

http://www.kairoscanada.org/tre
The First Nations Child and Family Caring Society of Canada

is working to give First Nations children the same chance as other
Canadians to grow up safely at home, get a good education, be
healthy, and be proud of their cultures. The Caring Societys three
main campaigns focus on areas where First Nations children
experience discrimination: education, health, and child welfare.
The Shannens Dream campaign is for safe and comfy schools
and culturally based education for First Nations children: www.
shannensdream.ca. The Jordans Principle campaign is working to
ensure that First Nations children are not denied health services
because the provincial and federal governments cannot agree on
who should pay for those services: www.jordansprinciple.ca. The I Am
a Witness campaign calls on Canadians to follow an historic human
rights case that has been brought against the federal government
based on evidence that it is underfunding child welfare services on
reserve: www.fnwitness.ca.
Each of these campaign pages lists a number of actions for people

of all ages - actions which only take a few minutes, and are free. See
http://www.fncaringsociety.com/
Suggested reading: A copy of the joint FNCFCS-KAIROS submission to

the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child, Honouring the Children,
is available from KAIROS. Contact orders@kairoscanada.org
The 100 Years of Loss edu-kit has been developed by The Legacy
of Hope Foundation. It is designed to support educators and
administrators in raising awareness and teaching about the history
and legacy of residential schools. It is for Canadian youth aged 11
Blanket Exercise at Roland Michener Public High
to 18 and includes six multi-layered lesson plans, a wall-mounted
School, Ottawa. Photos: Carol Montgomery
timeline, and survivor videos, as well as teacher resources and
extension activities. You can order your free edu-kit by going to the
Foundations website: http://www.legacyofhope.ca/projects/100-years-
of-loss-edu-kit

What Can I Do to Help the Families of Missing and Murdered
Aboriginal Women and Girls? is a community resource guide by
the Native Womens Association of Canada. In it you will find toolkits,
fact sheets, suggested resources as well as information on how to
respectfully and safely introduce this issue into the classroom. It can
be downloaded for free from the NWAC website: www.nwac.ca
Please lend your support to annual vigils held for missing and
murdered women (Oct 4, Feb 14 and Mothers Day). Support the call
for a national inquiry.
The Mtis Education Kit/Trousses deducation metises is an exciting

resource for students, teachers, educators, and community members
to use inside and out of the classroom. Created by the Mtis Nation
of Ontario, it can be used to teach Mtis history, culture and heritage.
Each kit contains a variety of items including a sash, flashcards, fiddle
music and a timeline of Mtis history in Ontario. Kits can be ordered
online: http://www.metisnation.org/programs/education--training/
metis-education-kittrousses-d%E2%80%99education-metisse.
Project of Heart is an award-winning initiative that commemorates

Indian residential schools. Small wooden tiles are decorated, each
in memory of a child who lost their life at a residential school. The
Project includes testimony from a survivor and focuses on the
learning that takes place at the level of the spirit and heart and not
just the mind.
Diverse groups of people are invited to be a part of this initiative

including schools, youth groups, worship groups and activist
groups. All the information to receive a kit can be found at:
http://www.projectofheart.ca/
Videos: There are many great video resources on Indigenous

rights and communities. Check out the National Film Board:
http://www.nfb.ca/channels/aboriginal_peoples_channel/
High school teachers and students should check out Hi-Ho

Mistahey! a 2013 film on the struggle for a new school in
Attawapiskat ON and Shannens Dream. Please review the film
in advance.
Top to bottom:
The CBC series The 8th Fire is also an excellent introduction
for adults and teens and is well suited to study groups and 1) Blanket Exercise with Grade 6 in Mississauga, 2010.
Photo: KAIROS
classes: http://www.cbc.ca/doczone/8thfire/index.html
2) Blanket Exercise with Grade 6 in Mississauga, 2010.
Photo: KAIROS
3) Blanket Exercise at Roland Michener Public High

School, Ottawa. Photo: Carol Montgomery

The Blanket Exercise
for Grades 48
Beginning
See pages 1013, ending with the definition of European.
Opening discussion questions (Optional-these can be added to the

discussion of words and concepts on pages 1013):
What does the term Indigenous mean? Aboriginal? First Nation?

Inuit? Mtis?
Sum up the conversation by saying something such as:

Sometimes we hear about European explorers discovering what we now
call North America. But it was really more like this: Europeans arrived and
found many nations living heredifferent nations, each with its own
language, culture and form of government. In some cases women were
the ones who held the most powerful roles in the communities.
We call these Indigenous nations because they were the original

people living on this land. Europeans realized that if they wanted to
live on this land they needed to make agreements with these nations.
In Canada, these agreements are often called treaties.
We are going to learn about how those first agreements between nations,
agreements of peace and friendship, did not last. Or maybe it is clearer to
say that Europeans did not keep up their side of the agreements.
We want to have a good relationship in Canada between the

descendants of the original people (the great, great, great...
grandchildren of those who first lived here) and the people who have
come as newcomers, whether that was a long time ago or recently.
To do that we need to remember that the Indigenous peoples who

lived here first were nations. They (or we) still live here- and they (or
we) are still nations. We need to share and respect each other and
remember that each of us has a role to play in Canada. This is not
always easy to do, especially when there have been so many problems
with the relationship along the way.
Learning through Experiencing:

The Blanket Exercise
Tell participants they are about to participate in an exercise together.
Top: Children at an Indigenous childrens rights rally,
Its designed to deepen our understanding of what happened when
Ottawa. Photo: Cindy Blackstock
Europeans first came to Canada. Ask participants to notice what
Middle and bottom: Students participating in the happens to the First Nations, Inuit and Mtis peoples while theyre
Shannens Dream project. Photos: Liam Sharp/ First on the blankets. Invite participants to pay attention to how theyre
Nations Child and Family Caring Society feeling throughout the exercise, and what it means in all parts of their
life. Ask participants to listen for what Indigenous peoples did to hang
on to their languages and their cultures and how they resisted being
forced to be like everyone else.

maps
Use the three maps from the Report of the Royal Commission on
Aboriginal Peoples that are included in this booklet Turtle Island,
Treaties and Aboriginal Lands Today to explain that we will learn
how we went from a time when Indigenous peoples used all the land
we call Canada (what some Indigenous peoples refer to as Turtle
Island) to a time when land reserved for Indigenous peoples is only a
very tiny part of the land of Canada.
Note: reserves below the 60th parallel are only 1/10 of 1% of Canadas
land mass.
FEELINGS
Share that for some this exercise may bring up difficult feelings.
These feelings are okay to have- its okay to feel upset, angry,
confused, and more. Assure participants that the last step will be
a talking circle or another opportunity for people to share their
feelings in a respectful way. (See box below.)
WE BEGIN
Lay the blankets on the floor up against each other to create a
blanketed area large enough to accommodate all the participants.
Fold one blanket and set it aside. Invite everyone to remove their
shoes and to stand on the blankets. Ask them to close their eyes, take
three large breaths and imagine their role. Then ask them to move
around on the blankets as if the blankets were land they are were
living on. Ask your volunteer(s) / European(s) to stand with you.
A talking circle should be facilitated by an Indigenous elder

or ceremonial leader when possible. If this is not possible,
explain that in a circle, one person starts and each person
speaks in turn, going around the circle. It can help to use
a stone; each person holds the stone while talking, then
passes it on. Tell participants they do not need to talk if they
prefer not to, and to pass the stone on without speaking if
they wish. Participants should not debate or comment on
what others say; a circle involves speaking ones own story,
thoughts and feelings. For the first circle (which may be
the only circle you have time for), encourage participants
to speak from the heart, focusing on feelings rather than Top: Blanket Exercise with Grade 6 in Mississauga,
moving right into analysis or problem-solving. How did they 2010. Photo: KAIROS
feel during the exercise? If possible, open a second circle
focused more on thoughts and other reactions. A student participating in the Shannens Dream project.
Photo: Liam Sharp/ First Nations Child and Family
Caring Society

Script
Narrator: These blankets represent the northern part of Turtle Island,
or what we now know as North America, before the arrival of
Europeans. You represent the Indigenous peoples, the people
who have been here for at least 10,000 years. Long before
the arrival of Europeans, Turtle Island was your home, and
home to millions of people like you. You lived in hundreds
of nations. You fished and hunted and farmed. Each community
had its own language, culture, traditions, laws and
governments. These communities worked together and
cooperated with one another. Before the newcomers arrived,
you, the original peoples, ended fights by making treaties.
Optional: Consider having students briefly form different groups and act
out the tasks they would be performing on a daily basis.
Narrator: The land is very important to you. All of your needs food,
clothing, shelter, culture, your spirituality are taken care of
by the land, which is represented here by the blankets. In
return, you take very seriously your responsibility to take care
of the land.
Optional question: In what ways do you think that Indigenous peoples

needs were met by the land?
[Introduce the volunteer(s) representing the European settlers.]
Narrator: Things were happening in Europe at the end of the 15th century
that would mean a huge change for you. In 1493, the King and
Queen of Spain asked Pope Alexander to make a statement that
would help Spains explorers when they arrived in new lands. The
statement was called the Doctrine of Discovery and this is what
it said:
European [reads in a loud, bossy voice]: According to the Doctrine of Discovery

nations that are not Christian cannot own land. The Indigenous
peoples living on this land will be put under the power of the
Christian nations that discover their lands.
Narrator: And so began the so-called European discovery of Turtle

Island.
[The European(s) step(s) on the blankets and begins shaking hands,

bowing, and moving around.]
Narrator: When the Europeans first arrived on Turtle Island there were
many more Indigenous people than Europeans. The
newcomers depended on you for their survival, and you helped
them to understand how you did things how you taught your
children, how you took care of people who were sick, how you
lived off the land, and how your governments worked.
In the beginning there was lots of cooperation and support
between you and the settlers. The settlers and their leaders
recognized you, the First Peoples, as having your own
governments, laws and territories. They recognized you as
independent nations. They made agreements or treaties with
you. These treaties explained how you were going to share the
land and the water, the animals, and the plants.
These treaties were very important because they were agreements
between you and the kings and queens of countries in Europe.
They made these agreements with you because you were here
first, the land belonged to you, and you had your own
governments. The treaties officially recognized your power and
independence as nations.
The Europeans understood they could not force their laws or
way of life on the people who were here long before they ever
arrived. They understood that you had rights.
European [speaking in a loud voice]: In the Royal Proclamation of 1763, King
George the Third said the Indigenous nations own their lands.
The King said that the only legal way newcomers could gain
control of those lands was by making treaties between the two
nations. The year 2013 marks the 250th anniversary of the Royal
Proclamation.
Narrator: Later on, the Government of Canada was formed, and the Royal
Proclamation became part of Canadian law. For you, the
Indigenous peoples, the treaties were very special and sacred
agreements. They were statements of peace, friendship, and
sharing, and they were based on respect and honesty.
Treaties explained how the land and waters would be shared,
and tried to make sure there would be peace between you, the
original peoples, and the newcomers. Sharing was very
important to you. The hunters shared their food with everyone.
And the families helped one another raise the children.
In the treaties, you tried to help the Europeans understand

what you meant by sharing.
[At this point, the European(s) begin(s) to slowly fold the blankets, making
the blanket space smaller and smaller. The participants are reminded
they must NOT step off the blankets. The goal is to stay on the blankets,
even as they get smaller. The Narrator should also remind everyone that
Indigenous people have always resisted when someone tried to take the
land away. So how can you resist what the European character is doing?]
Narrator: But the Europeans didnt see it that way anymore. They now
had a different view of the treaties. For them, land was
something that could be bought and sold, and treaties were a
way of getting you, the Indigenous peoples to give up your land.
After a while, you didnt get along very well with the Europeans.
When the War of 1812 ended, the Europeans no longer needed
you to help them with the fighting. As the fur trade dried
up, the European newcomers turned more and more to farming
and started looking for more land.
Before too long, there were more Europeans than Indigenous
peoples. One reason for this was the diseases the Europeans
brought with them: diseases such as smallpox, measles and
tuberculosis. You, the Indigenous peoples, suffered badly from
these diseases because you had never had them in your
communities before. Millions of you died. In fact, there are
some people who believe that half the Indigenous people alive
at the time died from these diseases. In some communities,
nine out of ten people died.
[One European walks to a person, hands them the folded blanket and reads:]
European: Blankets infected with the deadly smallpox virus were given
or traded to the Indigenous people by military leaders such
as Lord Jeffrey Amherst. You represent the many Indigenous
people who died from small pox after having come into contact
with such blankets. Please step off the blanket.
[The Narrator asks those participants with white index cards to step off the
blanket as they represent those who died of the various diseases.]
Please be silent for a moment to remember those who died
from the diseases.
[The European then walks to one person in the east and reads:]
European: You represent the Beothuk, the original people of what is now
called Newfoundland. When the Europeans arrived you lost
important food sources. Your people died from diseases you
had never seen before. Many of your people died in violent
fights with trappers and settlers. Some of your people were
hunted down and killed. Your people are now extinct. Please
step off the blankets.
[The European(s) and the Narrator walk to the south and choose two
people who are standing close together.]
Narrator: You represent the First Nations that were divided when the
border between the United States and British Canada was
created. This border divides communities and cuts you off from
each other. Please move to separate blankets.
[The European(s) guide(s) each person to a separate blanket, and then

walk(s) with the Narrator to the west where they choose one person.]
Narrator: Construction of the railway opened up the Prairies to settlers.

Land was needed for farming and the Government of Canada
bought a huge piece of land from the Hudsons Bay Company.
This was very hard for some of you who were already living
there, such as the Mtis and the Cree. You, the Mtis, fought
for your land and were sometimes joined by the Cree. You won
some of these battles, but in the end you were defeated by the
governments soldiers. You represent those Mtis or Cree
leaders who died in battle, were put in jail, or were executed.
Please step off your blanket.
[The European(s) and the Narrator walk to the north.]
Narrator: In the High Arctic, Inuit communities were moved to isolated,

unfamiliar, and barren lands, often with very bad results.
European: You represent people like the Inuit and the Innu at Davis Inlet,
along with many other Indigenous communities who suffered
and sometimes died because you were forced to move to an
unfamiliar place. Please move one of the blankets away from
the others, fold it small and sit down on it.
[The European(s) take(s) a blanket, folds it small and directs the group to
this blanket.]
Narrator: Those with blue cards, step off the blankets. You represent
those who died of hunger after being forced off your original
land and away from your hunting grounds.
[Optional Question: Why would moving to a different place be so difficult

for people who live off the land?]
Narrator: As more Europeans arrived, they needed more land. Many of the
Europeans thought they were better than other kinds of people,
including you. Soon, they didnt think of you as friends and
partners, but as a problem to be solved. The Europeans started
ignoring or changing their laws to make it easier for them to
take your land. Some land was taken in war. Some land was
taken after you died.
As Indigenous peoples, you lost more than just your land.

Because the land is so important to you, when it was taken
away some of you also lost your way of living, your culture and,
in some cases, your reason to live.
[The European(s) and the Narrator now give participants either on or

off the blankets - numbered scrolls. The Narrator asks each participant to
unroll the scroll and read it aloud. With smaller groups, each participant
can read more than one scroll.]
Scroll 1: Terra Nullius (TER-ah NOO-lee-us). The idea of Terra Nullius, which in
Latin means empty land, gave the newcomers the right to take
over any so-called empty land found by explorers.
Narrator: These were usually the lands used by Indigenous peoples for
hunting and trapping. In other words, if the newcomers
thought the land was empty they would take it. But, because
the land wasnt empty and they knew it, they changed the
idea to include lands not being used by quote, civilized
peoples, end quote, or lands not being put to civilized use.
It was the Europeans who decided what it meant to be
civilized, and they decided that because you and your people
were not using the land in a civilized way, they could take it
and there was nothing you could do to stop them.
Scroll 2: The BNA (British North America) Act. The BNA Act, also known as the
Constitution Act, 1867, put Indians and Lands reserved for
Indians under the control of the federal government.
Narrator: When this happened, it meant you lost your rights, and
control over your lands. This law gave control of your lands to
the Government of Canada, which at that time was only made
up of people from Europe. You, the Indigenous people, were
not involved in the creation of this law that would have such a
big impact on your lives.
More and more the plan was to try and make you like the
Europeans.
Scroll 3: Indian Act. In 1876 all the laws dealing with Indigenous peoples were
gathered together and put into the Indian Act.
European : [In a loud voice]: Now hear this! According to the Indian Act of 1876
and the British North America Act of 1867, you and all of your
territories are now under the direct control of the Canadian
federal government. You will now be placed on reserves. Please
fold your blankets until they are just large enough to stand on.
Narrator: The Indian Act completely changed your lives as Indigenous
peoples. As long as your cultures were strong, it was difficult
for the government to take your land. So, the government
used the Indian Act to attack who you were as peoples. Hunting
and fishing was now limited. Your spiritual ceremonies, like
the potlatch, pow-wow and sundance, were now against the
law. This didnt change until the 1950s.
You went from being strong, independent First Nations, with
your own governments, to isolated and poor bands that
depended on the government for almost everything. You were
treated like you knew nothing and like you couldnt run your
own lives.
You became the responsibility of the federal government.
Through the Indian Act, the federal government continues to
this day to deny you your basic rights. These rights are things
that most Canadians take for granted, such as healthy schools,
proper housing and clean running water. But it got even worse.
European: [walking slowly around the blankets] Also: you may not leave your
reserve without a permit. You may not vote. You may not get
together to talk about your rights. You may not practice your
spirituality or your traditional forms of government. If you do
any of these things, you may be put in jail.
Hearing Indigenous Voices Scroll 1. I know what the government did in the
past; they said where we had to live. I know that were not
treated equally now, because I can feel it. Were all Canadians
and we should all be treated equally.Cassie, from a Mikmaq
community in Nova Scotia
Narrator: The Indian Act also tried to stop Indigenous peoples from
fighting to keep their land. For example, under the Indian Act,
it was against the law to raise money to fight for land rights in
the courts until the 1950s. The Inuit were included under the
Indian Act in 1939, but the Mtis never were.
Scroll 4: Enfranchisement (en-fran-CHISE-ment). Under this federal government
policy, all First Nations people who became doctors, teachers,
or lawyers lost their legal Indian status. This was called being
granted enfranchisement.
Narrator: In other words, the government would treat Indigenous people
who took these jobs as Canadians. This means the government
no longer legally recognized you as Indigenous people. Also,
if you wanted to fight for your land rights, you had to do this
by going to court. But your own people werent allowed to be
lawyers! So this made it very hard for you to use the Canadian
law to fight for your rights.
Scroll 5: Assimilation (ah-sim-ill-EH-shun). The government thought the

Indian problem would solve itself as more and more
Indigenous people died from diseases and others became
part of the larger Canadian society. As one government
employee said, the governments goal was to continue until
there is not a single Indian in Canada that has not been
absorbed into the body politic and that there is no Indian
problem and no Indian Department. [Indian Affairs deputy
superintendent Duncan Campbell Scott]
Narrator: The idea was that Indigenous people had to become more like
the Europeans. You had to give up your rights and become like
other Canadians. You had to farm like them, go to the same
schools, and pray in the same churches, even though you
werent and arent Europeans.
Optional question: Becoming just like everyone else can sound like a good
thing. Why might it not be a good thing in this case?
Scroll 6: Residential Schools. From 1820 until the 1970s, the federal government
took First Nations, Inuit and Mtis children from your homes
and communities and put them in boarding schools that were
run by churches. Your parents didnt have a choice about this,
and neither did you. Sometimes the police arrived to take you
away. These schools were often very far from your homes and
you had to stay at them all or most of the year. Mostly you were
not allowed to speak your own language and you were
punished if you did. Often children werent given enough food.
The last Indian residential school closed in 1996.
Narrator: All people with yellow cards, raise your hands. You must now
move to a separate, empty blanket. You represent those who
were taken out of your communities and placed in residential
schools far from your homes.
[The European should take the kids to the blanket.]

Narrator: While some students say they had positive experiences at the
schools, most of you say that you suffered from very bad
conditions and from different kinds of abuse. Many of you
lost family connections and didnt learn your language, culture
and traditions. Because you grew up in the schools and rarely
went home, many of you never learned how to be good
parents. Some students died at the schools. Many of you never
returned home, or were treated badly if you did.
[The Narrator asks the person with the yellow index card marked with an
X to step off the blanket. That person represents those students who
died as a result of their experience at residential schools. The Narrator
asks another person with a yellow index card to return to their home
community. The community members should all turn their backs on the
returning person to represent the isolation people often faced when
returning to a community they had been taken from.]
Narrator: Please be silent for another moment to honour those who died
or were shunned because of residential schools.
Hearing Indigenous Voices Scroll 2. You have to remember that the Canadian
government has done a lot to Aboriginal people that was
meant to make us become like Europeans. For example, in
residential schools, my grandmother told me you couldnt
speak our language or youd get beaten; you couldnt see your
parents things like that. We didnt have voting rights for a
long time. We also lost a lot of our culture.Heather, from a
Cree community in Saskatchewan
Narrator or a teacher or older student(s): In 2008, our government said sorry
for the residential schools system; earlier, the churches who
helped run the schools also apologised. Prime Minister Stephen
Harper stood up in Parliament in Ottawa, surrounded by TV
cameras and by all the Members of Parliament and by First
Nations, Inuit and Mtis leaders. Then he said:
To the approximately 80,000 living former students, and all
family members and communities, the Government of Canada
now recognizes that it was wrong to forcibly remove children
from their homes and we apologize for having done this. We
now recognize that it was wrong to separate children from rich
and vibrant cultures and traditions... and we apologize for
having done this. ... Not only did you suffer these abuses as
children, but as you became parents, you were powerless to
protect your own children from suffering the same experience,
and for this we are sorry.
People watching from the visitors gallery began beating drums in
response to what the Prime Minister said. All over Canada
people were watching on TV. But saying sorry means you have to
change what youre doing. Many people are still waiting to see
if Canada will change how it treats Indigenous children.
The residential schools are not just a story from the past. Lots
of people who went to the schools are still alive and they are
finally getting a chance to tell their story to Canadians through
the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. Another reason that
this story isnt just about the past is that you are still treated
differently. Your schools dont get as much money. Indigenous
children are still much more likely to be taken from their homes
and placed in foster care.
Hearing Indigenous Voices Scroll 7: Kids standing up for their rights. Shannen
Koostachin was from the Attawapiskat Cree Nation in Northern

[Pronounced Ontario. She said, I would like to talk to you about what it is like to

Koo-STATCH-in and be a child who grows up never seeing a real school. I want

AH-ta-WAP-is-kat.] to tell you what it is like to never have the chance to feel excited
about being educated....Its hard to feel pride when your
classrooms are cold, and the mice run over our lunches. Its
hard to feel like you could have a chance to grow up to be
somebody important when you dont have proper resources
like libraries and science labs.
You know that kids in other communities have proper schools.
So you begin to feel as if you are a child who doesnt count for
anything... Thats why some of our students begin to give up in
grade 4 and grade 5. They just stop going to school.
Imagine that. Imagine a child who feels they have no future

even at that young age. We want our younger brothers and
sisters to go to school thinking that school is a time for hopes
and dreams of the future. Every kid deserves this.
Scroll 8: Shannens Dream. Shannen Koostachin of Attawapiskat First Nation

had a dream: safe and comfy schools for First Nations children
and youth, and classes that respect First Nations cultures.
She worked tirelessly to try to convince the federal government
to give First Nations children a proper education and fair
funding. Shannen had to leave her community to go to high
school and, tragically, in 2010 she died in a car accident while
away from home. She was 15 years old. Now it is our turn to
carry her dream forward and keep her work alive.
Narrator: Young people have been the leaders in this action, which is
now called Shannens Dream. They have been standing up to
the government and inviting non-Indigenous Canadian youth
to work with them. Please unfold one corner of your blankets to
represent this strong act of resistance, and give a round of
applause.
[The European(s) can step in and stop the participants from unfolding more
than a small corner of their blankets.]
Scroll 9: Broken promises. Over the years, more than 70 per cent of the
land set aside for us in the treaties has been lost or been taken
away by the government. Often we got nothing in return,
which means that the government basically stole our land.
European: Meanwhile, the treaties are ignored by too many non-

Indigenous people. Big companies are allowed to make lots
and lots of money from Indigenous lands and natural resources,
but you the Indigenous peoples get little but the pollution from
any of the companies that dont respect the Earth. Future
generations are left to clean up the mess.
Narrator: Although you are living on very rich land, you continue to live
in poverty. As Douglas, a Lubicon Cree student said, there is a
light on the side of the pump house that goes red. That tells us
that theres no water and thats when we cant go to school on
some days. In fact, First Nations schools receive $2000-$3000
less per student than provincially run schools. And yet, for you
the Indigenous peoples, treaties continue to be important,
special agreements that explain how the land can be shared
equally and peacefully. Unfortunately, this view of treaties is
not shared by the government and many non-Indigenous
people. A lot of Canadians think treaties mean that Indigenous
people gave up their lands and rights.
Hearing Indigenous Voices Scroll 3.One of my favourite things about my

culture is how were taught that everything on the Earth is to
be respected. Its an important part of the culture and covers
everything. That includes respecting yourself. Respecting
yourself is one of the most important things my culture has
taught me. Also, the land, water, plants, air and animals are all
very important to our culture and need to be respected.
Without any of it, what would we be?Kateri, from a Mohawk
community in Quebec
European: In 2010, something that could be very exciting happened.
Finally, all the worlds countries agreed to support the UN
Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. This is a
declaration containing an agreement among the worlds
governments on how Indigenous peoples should be treated.
It took over 20 years until the Declaration was adopted or

formally accepted by the United Nations General Assembly,
on 13 September 2007. It took so long because it was difficult
for some governments to agree on some parts of it; basically,
the governments were afraid of what it said.
By 2010, only four governments in the entire world were

against it, and Canada was one of them. This changed in 2010,
when the government endorsed it (agreed to it). But they still
havent put it into action. Now we need to make sure they do.
Please unfold one SMALL corner of your blankets to honour the
people who wrote the Declaration.
Narrator: Despite the Government of Canadas centuries of efforts to

make you like everyone else, as Indigenous peoples you have
continued to resist and to pass down your languages,
ceremonies, and much more. But the violence of colonization
has left a lot of pain. And all across Canada, the relationship
between Indigenous people and newcomers is often broken.
Scroll 10: Do we mean it when we say were sorry? These words were written
by Kayla, a non-Indigenous girl, to Prime Minister Stephen
Harper: As a young Canadian child, it makes my heart break to
think that the First Nations dont have the same rights and
opportunities that I have. Simply because I am a non-aboriginal
child means that I get to receive a proper education in a nice,
safe, warm school? And they inherit a school with gallons of
diesel fuel in the ground, on a toxic waste land, with no heating
inside and only a fence to separate the two?
Canada is supposed to be a free country, therefore includes free

healthcare, free education and equal rights, so why are they the
exception? I would also like to know, why this is being allowed,
why are they being put aside? And an effortless apology wont
make the gruesome problem disappear. The First Nations have
waited nine years to have the same rights as we do, nine years
is long enough so please dont let a tenth go by.
Narrator: We dont need more broken promises. We need a new
relationship and we need real change. Good words and
good ideas arent enoughwe need to take action together.
We have lots of children, youth and adults to inspire us, from
lots of different backgrounds and communities. Lets join our
efforts to theirs.
Ask the people who left the blankets to come back on. Ask people to look
around. At this point, there should be a few people standing on very small
areas of blankets. Ask them to remember what it looked like when they
started the exercise and what it looks like now. Ask them to hold these
images in their minds. Then invite everyone to take a seat, and continue
with a talking circle or debrief (see page 39).
A note to organisers and teachers: Thank you for putting on the Blanket Exercise. Please
do not hesitate to contact us with questions on any stage of the process, or with advice
on how we can make the Blanket Exercise even better! Wed love to hear about any
Blanket Exercises you put on, and we invite you to use our online evaluation form. See our
contact information on the inside front cover and additional resources on the back cover
and on our website Blanket Exercise page at http://www.kairoscanada.org/dignity-rights/
indigenous-rights/blanket-exercise/

KAIROS: Canadian Ecumenical The members of KAIROS are: the Anglican Church of Canada, the Canadian
Justice Initiatives Catholic Organization for Development and Peace, the Canadian Conference
310 Dupont Street, Suite 200 of Catholic Bishops, the Canadian Religious Conference, the Christian Reformed
Toronto ON M5R 1V9 Church in North America (Canada Corporation), the Evangelical Lutheran
416-463-5312 | 1-877-403-8933 Church in Canada, Mennonite Central Committee Canada, the Presbyterian
info@kairoscanada.org Church in Canada, the Primates World Relief and Development Fund, the
www.kairoscanada.org Religious Society of Friends (Quakers), and the United Church of Canada.
Educators testing the new theatrical workshop of the Blanket Exercise, Spring 2013. Photo: Kerry Marsh

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The Blanket Exercise Third Edition

A teaching tool by KAIROS to raise awareness and understanding of the nation to

Grade 6 students at a Blanket Exercise in Mississauga, ON. Photo: KAIROS

2 Blanket Exercise | KAIROS, 2013

The exercise is designed to deepen understanding of the denial

Blanket Exercise | KAIROS, 2013 3

To make it clear that Indigenous peoples continue to exist as living

To help participants explore and begin to acknowledge the

For students and teachers: To contribute to ensuring that the living

For church members and other members of the public: To put

Students at the Education Day Blanket Exercises,

4 Blanket Exercise | KAIROS, 2013

Blanket Exercise consider working with resources like

Blanket Exercise | KAIROS, 2013 5

Choosing the script: Depending on the age of the participants,

6 Blanket Exercise | KAIROS, 2013

Blanket Exercise | KAIROS, 2013 7

Whenever possible, we very strongly encourage you to hold a time for

Participants in a Blanket Exercise hosted by KAIROS Flow:

1 hour in the classroom:

8 Blanket Exercise | KAIROS, 2013

For church groups:

Banner from the Canadian Union of Postal Workers,

A student participating in the Shannens Dream project. Photo: Liam Sharp/

Blanket Exercise | KAIROS, 2013 9

Explain that the Blanket Exercise is an opportunity to learn our shared

Then say something like:

Treaties are agreements between sovereign nations. They are

10 Blanket Exercise | KAIROS, 2013

A sovereign nation has the right to self-determination and has

Assimilation (pronounced ass-im-i-LAY-shun) is the process of

OTHER WORDS YOU WILL HEAR AND THEIR

Blanket Exercise | KAIROS, 2013 11

Indigenous is a global word, not just a Canadian one. It recognizes

Indigenous speaks to global solidarity amongst these peoples, and it

When we speak of peoples, as opposed to people, it is a recognition of

Aboriginal peoples refers to the original peoples of North America

First Nations is not considered a legal term by the Government

Inuit are the Indigenous people of Canada and other northern

Mtis (pronounced May-TEE) are the descendants of French and

12 Blanket Exercise | KAIROS, 2013

HEARING INDIGENOUS VOICES (10 MINUTES)

Hearing Indigenous Voices 1: Where common memory is lacking,

Hearing Indigenous Voices 2: At contact with Europeans, each of the

Hearing Indigenous Voices 3: Our cultures, our religions, our

Hearing Indigenous Voices 4: First Nations are nations. First Nations

Blanket Exercise | KAIROS, 2013 13

The Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples (RCAP) said a new

INTRODUCING THE BLANKET EXERCISE

Now invite everyone to remove their shoes and to stand on the

3) Participants in a Blanket Exercise hosted by KAIROS

14 Blanket Exercise | KAIROS, 2013

Narrator: These blankets represent the northern part of Turtle Island,

Long before the arrival of Europeans, Turtle Island was home

These were fishing, hunting, and farming societies, with their

As nations, you worked with one another. You resolved

You were diverse, yet as Indigenous peoples you also shared

[Introduce the volunteer (or volunteers) who represent(s) the European.]

Narrator: Thenat the end of the 15th century, events occurred in

Narrator: And so began the process of the European discovery and

[The European(s) step(s) on the blankets and begin(s) to mill around in a

Your early relationships with the settlers were based on

[The European(s) continues moving around and begins shaking hands.