Name: ______________________

Reconciliation Representation Assignment

The task: Create a powerful representation of meaningful reconciliation.

Background of reconciliation
In the last few years many non-Indigenous people in Canada have started to become more
aware of the history of neglect and abuse of Indigenous peoples in Canada. This began when
First Nations, Six Nations, Métis, and Inuit leaders started to speak out about the injustices their
communities have experienced, especially in residential schools. They also began to protest
against the poor treatment Indigenous peoples continue to suffer. This led the Government of
Canada to take action to heal the wounds of the past and to create more fair and equal
conditions for Indigenous peoples. This process is referred to as reconciliation.

What is reconciliation?
Reconciliation means that individuals or groups work to build a better relationship. This is not
always easy to achieve, especially when the relationship has never been friendly or strong. This
is why it is perhaps more accurate to say that Canada, Canadians, and Indigenous peoples are
on a path or journey to reconciliation.

What is a powerful representation?

A representation can take many forms. It can be an image, symbol, drawing, shape, sculpture,
play, song, or poem, or another creative form you come up with. It is powerful if it evokes
strong emotions or feelings for the viewer.

What is the criteria (what is required) for a powerful representation?

- Capture important features of the concept (reconciliation)
- Create a powerful emotion or feeling for the viewer
- Use creative and interesting symbols or images

Steps:
1. Brainstorm – what images or symbols can you use to represent reconciliation?
2. Plan – how are you going to create your representation?
3. Do – create your powerful representation
4. Justify – write a rationale explaining your choices and how they have created a powerful
representation

Due date: Monday, November 9th (in class)

 Name: ______________________

Examples of a Powerful Representation

Reconciliation

Love
 Name: ______________________

A Selection from “150 Acts of Reconciliation”

1. Learn the land acknowledgement in your region.

2. Find your local reconciliation organization.
3. Attend a cultural event, such as a pow wow (yes, all folks are invited to these!).
4. Read an autobiography written by an Indigenous person.
5. Find out if there was a residential school where you live.
6. Choose one plant or flower in your area and learn how Indigenous people use(d) it.
7. Visit your local museum, particularly its section on Indigenous people. If it does not have
one, ask the staff why not.
8. Learn a greeting in a local Indigenous language.
9. Initiate a conversation with a friend about an Indigenous issue in the news.
10. Eat at an Indigenous restaurant, café, or food truck.
11. Find a book that delves into Indigenous local histories.
12. Learn your family history. Know where your ancestors came from and when they arrived
in Canada.
13. Listen more. Talk less.
14. If you live in an area where there is a Treaty relationship, read the treaty document.
15. Remember that good intentions can be harmful too.
16. Find opportunities to learn about how Indigenous people experience the place where
you live.
17. Read the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. Our
government has committed to implementing it.
18. Make reconciliation a family project and complete items on this list together.
19. Commit to being a lifelong student beyond Canada 150.
20. hare this list on social media.
21. Look for and share the positive stories about Indigenous people, not just the negative
ones.
22. Understand that reconciliation is not about “feeling guilty.” It is about knowledge,
action, and justice.
23. Why stop at 150? After all, Indigenous nations are celebrating millennia on this land.
Build on this list or start and share your own.

The full list of 150 Acts of Reconciliation can be found at:

http://activehistory.ca/2017/08/150-acts-of-reconciliation-for-the-last-150-days-of-canadas-150/
 Name: ______________________

Reconciliation Brainstorming

Knowing
What do I know about
reconciliation?

Seeing
What do I see Doing
when I think of What should I
reconciliation? do about
reconciliation?

What do I feel when I

think of reconciliation?
Feeling
 Name: ______________________

My Plan

What is my representation going to be? Circle one:

- Image
- Symbol
- Drawing
- Shape
- Song
- Poem
- Other: _______________________

What important features or details of reconciliation am I going to include? (If you are stuck,
look at the background and explanation of reconciliation, as well as the selection from “150
Acts to Reconciliation”)
1. _________________________________________________________
2. _________________________________________________________
3. _________________________________________________________

How am I going to create a powerful emotion or feeling for the viewer?

What creative and interesting symbols or images am I going to use?

Rough draft:
 Name: ______________________

Rationale

What important features or details of reconciliation did you include? How were they portrayed
in your representation?

What feeling or emotion were you trying to evoke? What did you do to create this feeling?

Why is it important to understand reconciliation and create a representation of it?

How is reconciliation related to imperialism and historical globalization? Why do we continue to

talk about and take action for reconciliation to this day?
 Name: ______________________

Rubric

Level/ 4 - Excellent 3 - Proficient 2 - Adequate 1 - Limited

Criteria

Empathy Creation of feeling is Creation of feeling Creation of feeling Creation of feeling

perceptively is convincingly is simplistically is vaguely
developed. developed. developed. developed.

Understanding Demonstrates a Demonstrates a Demonstrates a Demonstrates an

of thorough and detailed and well- basic incomplete
comprehensive developed understanding of understanding of
Reconciliation understanding of understanding of reconciliation. reconciliation.
reconciliation. reconciliation.

Connection to Provides an insightful Provides a Provides a basic Provides a limited

Globalization connection to historical thoughtful and conventional connection to
globalization. connection to connection to historical
historical historical globalization.
globalization. globalization.

Visual Literacy Stylistic artistic choices Stylistic artistic Stylistic artistic Stylistic artistic
are creative and choices are precise choices are choices are
compelling. and effective. adequate and ineffective or
basic. inappropriate.

Total Score: _____/16