by Sharon Pasula
What does reconciliation look like?
…offering a smudge to people.
I was recently invited by the Rev. Elizabeth Metcalfe to St. Mary’s Anglican Church northeast of downtown Edmonton. Every Wednesday, St. Mary’s offers a food bank. As a member of the Diocese of Edmonton’s Indigenous ministries team, I was asked to come and offer a smudge to the Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people who pick up groceries at St. Mary’s.
Many people said: “I haven’t done this for a long time.”
One woman in particular said, “I haven’t done this for so long I forget how to do it.”
It was then the Spirit said to me, “this is reconciliation.” It is reconciliation because what was once taken away is gently being restored.
The Anglican Church was part of a traumatic Indian Residential School system determined to eradicate all sense of Aboriginal identity given by Creator. Smudging is considered a cleansing ceremony that connects one to Creator. For Aboriginal people, the loss of the ceremony of smudging and all spirituality led to hatred and mistrust for Christians and the Church.
So here we are in 2014, reaching out to help revive a ceremony that connects people to Creator. And not just Aboriginal people. Smudging is for everyone. Traditionally, Aboriginal peoples never turn anyone away who wants to connect with Creator.
What does reconciliation look like in your parish?
Email Sharon at oskapewis@edmonton.anglican.org
