z8 wcs1 cots1 ii Nc, surrcr, io:i.

IMAGINARY SPACES OF
CONCILIATION
AND RECONCILIATION
>> DAVID GARNEAU
rccoNciic 1nis: z
Tc oil painLings Aboriginal Curatorial Collective Meeting and Aboriginal Advisory
Circle Meeting aLLcmpL Lo picLurc my mcmorics o Lwo gaLhcrings I rcccnLly
aLLcndcd. Tc canvasscs arc composcd likc comic book pagcs, howcvcr, Lhc
pancls do noL show pcoplc or sccncs and do noL ollow a convcnLional narraLivc
scqucncc. Tcy arc arrangcd circularly wiLhouL a clcar bcginning or cnd, and arc
only populaLcd by cmpLy spccch and LhoughL bubblcs and Lhc colourcd spaccs
bcLwccn Lhcm. Tc bubblcs sLand in or spccic spcakcrs and Lhinkcrs and so
havc Lhc varying csh Loncs o individual FirsL NaLions, McLis, or InuiL pcoplc.
Knowing Lhc convcnLions o comics and mccLings, I hopc vicwcrs will rcad
cmphasis, asscrLion, wiLhdrawal, aLLiLudc, argumcnL, agrccmcnL, ovcrlapping
dialoguc, sharcd and cvolving idcas, and innumcrablc oLhcr Lhings inLo Lhcsc
absLracL shapcs and Lhcrcby gcL a scnsc o Lhc mccLings porLraycd. I also
imaginc LhaL many will ccl rusLraLcd LhaL Lhcir comprchcnsion is limiLcd.
Tc painLings arc mncmonic dcviccs, imagcs LhaL sLorc my pcrccpLions o
spccic momcnLs rom acLual councils. Fach rcminds mc o Lhc rclaLionships,
cxchangcs, and accLs in Lhc room: who said whaL, who aligncd wiLh whom
or whaL idca, and whaL I imagincd Lhcy clL and LhoughL. Pcrhaps pcoplc
who aLLcndcd Lhcsc cvcnLs mighL also rccognizc a amiliar dynamic in Lhcsc
picLurcs. MosL imporLanLly, Lhc painLings allow mc Lo show whaL happcncd
wiLhouL giving anyLhing away.
In an arLiclc AlLars o Sacricc: Rc-mcmbcring BasquiaL, bcll hooks
cxplains LhaL Lhc young Arican-Amcrican arLisL 1can-Michcl BasquiaLs
painLings arc likc a vaLLicr, a wall bcLwccn him and Lhc csLablishcd arL
world. His works arc a barricr, dcsigncd Lo bc a closcd door, and likc
a sccrcL chambcr LhaL can only bc opcncd and cnLcrcd by Lhosc who can
dcciphcr hiddcn codcs. His painLings arc closcd Lo Lhc FuroccnLric gazc
l
and
arc only ully availablc Lo Lhosc who sharc likc cxpcricnccs wiLh Lhc works
crcaLor. Tc codcs arc noL jusL signicrs LhaL can bc rcad inLo dcnoLaLivc
signs by a compcLcnL rcadcr, Lhough LhaL is an imporLanL aspccL. Tcy also
havc cmpaLhcLic undcrLoncs in Lunc wiLh Lhc clL rclaLionships and wordlcss
undcrsLandings sharcd by mcmbcrs o a culLurc.
Tc colonial aLLiLudc, including iLs acadcmic branch, is characLcrizcd by
a drivc Lo scc, Lo Lravcrsc, Lo know, Lo LranslaLc (Lo makc cquivalcnL), Lo own,
and Lo cxploiL. IL is bascd on Lhc bclic LhaL cvcryLhing should bc acccssiblc,
is ulLimaLcly comprchcnsiblc, and a poLcnLial commodiLy or rcsourcc, or aL
lcasL somcLhing LhaL can bc rccordcd or oLhcrwisc savcd. Primary siLcs o
rcsisLancc, Lhcn, arc noL Lhc occasional opcn baLLlcs bcLwccn Lhc minoriLizcd,
opprcsscd, or colonizcd and Lhc dominanL culLurc, buL Lhc pcrpcLual, acLivc
rcusal o complcLc cngagcmcnL: Lo spcak wiLh oncs own in oncs own way, Lo
rcusc LranslaLion and ull cxplanaLions, Lo crcaLc Lradc goods LhaL imiLaLc corc
culLurc wiLhouL violaLing iL, Lo noL bc a NaLivc inormanL.
hooks, bcll, AlLars of sacricc: rc-mcmbcring BasquiaL, , Art on My Mind:
Visual Politics (Ncw York: Tc Ncw Prcss, ) 8.

jo wcs1 cots1 ii Nc, surrcr, io:i.
DAvto uAaNsAu, AsoatctNAt Aovtsoav ctacts MssTtNc {ott oN cANvAs, j x q, zoiz).
rccoNciic 1nis: ji
DAvto uAaNsAu, AsoatctNAt cuaAToatAt cottscTtvs MssTtNc
{ott oN cANvAs, j x q, zoiz).

jz wcs1 cots1 ii Nc, surrcr, io:i.
crcaLor. Tc codcs arc noL jusL signicrs LhaL can bc
rcad inLo dcnoLaLivc signs by a compcLcnL rcadcr,
Lhough LhaL is an imporLanL aspccL. Tcy also
havc cmpaLhcLic undcrLoncs in Lunc wiLh Lhc clL
rclaLionships and wordlcss undcrsLandings sharcd by
mcmbcrs o a culLurc.
Tc colonial aLLiLudc, including iLs acadcmic
branch, is characLcrizcd by a drivc Lo scc, Lo Lravcrsc,
Lo know, Lo LranslaLc (Lo makc cquivalcnL), Lo own,
and Lo cxploiL. IL is bascd on Lhc bclic LhaL cvcryLhing
should bc acccssiblc, is ulLimaLcly comprchcnsiblc,
and a poLcnLial commodiLy or rcsourcc, or aL lcasL
somcLhing LhaL can bc rccordcd or oLhcrwisc
savcd. Primary siLcs o rcsisLancc, Lhcn, arc noL Lhc
occasional opcn baLLlcs bcLwccn Lhc minoriLizcd,
opprcsscd, or colonizcd and Lhc dominanL culLurc,
buL Lhc pcrpcLual, acLivc rcusal o complcLc
cngagcmcnL: Lo spcak wiLh oncs own in oncs own
way, Lo rcusc LranslaLion and ull cxplanaLions, Lo
crcaLc Lradc goods LhaL imiLaLc corc culLurc wiLhouL
violaLing iL, Lo noL bc a NaLivc inormanL.
Fvcry culLurc has aL iLs ccnLrc a scL o objccLs
and spaccs LhaL arc dcsignaLcd as bcing bcyond
Lradc. Tcy arc naLional Lrcasurcs, sacrcd siLcs and
LcxLs, symbols LhaL musL bc proLccLcd bccausc Lhcy
dcnc Lhc culLurc. Tc colonial aLLiLudcLhc sLaLc
o mind rcquircd Lo assumc conLrol ovcr Lhc spacc,
bodics, and Lradc o oLhcrsbcgins by rcusing Lhc
spccic conLcxLual, living valuc o Lhcsc cnLiLics. Tis
is donc in onc o Lwo ways: ciLhcr, hisLorically, Lhc
colonisL rcuscs Lhc sacrcd characLcr o Lhc objccL or
siLc bccausc iL dcrivcs rom a mcLaphysical sysLcm
LhaL iL rcjccLs in avour o iLs own cosmology, or,
in a rcccnL and morc scnsiLivc vcrsion, maLcrialisL
scholars can rccognizc Lhc scmioLic valuc o sacrcd
objccLs buL noL cxpcricncc Lhcir symbolic valuc, LhaL
is, maLcrialisLs rccognizc Lhc objccLs sociological and
insLrumcnLal valuc or Lhc bclicvcrs buL noL or
Lhcmsclvcs. Bccausc o Lhcir objccLivisL crccd and
posiLion as ouLsidcrs, maLcrialisL scholars do noL
know Lhc csscnLial, sacrcd qualiLics o Lhcsc cnLiLics
rom wiLhin Lhc bclicvcrs livcd cxpcricncc.
I Lhc mcLaphysical qualiLics o Lhcsc Lhings
Tc oil painLings Aboriginal Curatorial Collective
Meeting and Aboriginal Advisory Circle Meeting
aLLcmpL Lo picLurc my mcmorics o Lwo gaLhcrings
I rcccnLly aLLcndcd. Tc canvasscs arc composcd
likc comic book pagcs, howcvcr, Lhc pancls do
noL show pcoplc or sccncs and do noL ollow a
convcnLional narraLivc scqucncc. Tcy arc arrangcd
circularly wiLhouL a clcar bcginning or cnd, and
arc only populaLcd by cmpLy spccch and LhoughL
bubblcs and Lhc colourcd spaccs bcLwccn Lhcm. Tc
bubblcs sLand in or spccic spcakcrs and Lhinkcrs
and so havc Lhc varying csh Loncs o individual
FirsL NaLions, McLis, or InuiL pcoplc. Knowing Lhc
convcnLions o comics and mccLings, I hopc vicwcrs
will rcad cmphasis, asscrLion, wiLhdrawal, aLLiLudc,
argumcnL, agrccmcnL, ovcrlapping dialoguc, sharcd
and cvolving idcas, and innumcrablc oLhcr Lhings
inLo Lhcsc absLracL shapcs and Lhcrcby gcL a scnsc o
Lhc mccLings porLraycd. I also imaginc LhaL many will
ccl rusLraLcd LhaL Lhcir comprchcnsion is limiLcd.
Tc painLings arc mncmonic dcviccs, imagcs
LhaL sLorc my pcrccpLions o spccic momcnLs rom
acLual councils. Fach rcminds mc o Lhc rclaLionships,
cxchangcs, and accLs in Lhc room: who said whaL,
who aligncd wiLh whom or whaL idca, and whaL I
imagincd Lhcy clL and LhoughL. Pcrhaps pcoplc who
aLLcndcd Lhcsc cvcnLs mighL also rccognizc a amiliar
dynamic in Lhcsc picLurcs. MosL imporLanLly, Lhc
painLings allow mc Lo show whaL happcncd wiLhouL
giving anyLhing away.
In an arLiclc AlLars o Sacricc: Rc-mcmbcring
BasquiaL, bcll hooks cxplains LhaL Lhc young Arican-
Amcrican arLisL 1can-Michcl BasquiaLs painLings arc
likc a vaLLicr, a wall bcLwccn him and Lhc csLablishcd
arL world. His works arc a barricr, dcsigncd Lo
bc a closcd door, and likc a sccrcL chambcr LhaL
can only bc opcncd and cnLcrcd by Lhosc who can
dcciphcr hiddcn codcs. His painLings arc closcd Lo
Lhc FuroccnLric gazc
l
and arc only ully availablc
Lo Lhosc who sharc likc cxpcricnccs wiLh Lhc works
hooks, bcll, AlLars of sacricc: rc-mcmbcring BasquiaL,
, Art on My Mind: Visual Politics (Ncw York: Tc Ncw
Prcss, ) 8.
rccoNciic 1nis: jj
culLurc buL could noL cnjoy ull usc.
3

Aboriginal Curatorial Collective Meeting and
Aboriginal Advisory Circle Meeting arc rom a scrics-in-
progrcss in which I visualizc Indigcnous inLcllccLual
spaccs LhaL cxisL aparL rom a non-Indigcnous gazc
and inLcrlocuLion. Tc idca is Lo signal Lo non-
Aboriginal spccLaLors Lhc acL LhaL inLcllccLual acLiviLy
is occurring wiLhouL Lhcir knowlcdgc, LhaL is, in Lhcir
abscncc and bascd on NaLivc cpisLcmologics. I Lhink
o Lhcsc as irrcconcilablc spaccs o AboriginaliLy.
Irrcconcilablc spaccs o AboriginaliLy arc
gaLhcrings, ccrcmony, Crcc-only discussions,
kiLchcn-Lablc convcrsaLions, cmail cxchangcs, cLc.
in which BlackooLncss, McLisncss, Indianncss,
AboriginaliLy, and/or IndigcnciLy is pcrormcd aparL
rom a ScLLlcr audicncc. IL is noL a show or oLhcrs
buL a siLc o bcing whcrc pcoplc simply arc, whcrc
Lhcy cxprcss and cclcbraLc Lhcir conLinuiLy and gurc
Lhcmsclvcs Lo, or, and wiLh cach oLhcr in a complcx
cxchangc wiLhouL Lhc scnsc o ccling Lhcy arc
wiLncsscd by pcoplc who arc noL cqual pcrormcrs.
Whcn Aboriginal olks (anyonc, rcally) know Lhcy arc
bcing survcycd by non-mcmbcrs Lhc naLurc o Lhcir
ways o bcing and bccoming alLcrs. WhcLhcr Lhc
onlookcrs arc conscious agcnLs o colonizaLion or noL
Lhcir shaping gazc can Lriggcr a Rcscrvc rcsponsc, an
inhibiLion or a conormaLion Lo ScLLlcr cxpccLaLions.
Tis is noL Lo imply LhaL in Lhcsc spaccs our
idcnLiLics arc suddcnly rcsolvcd and consLanL.
ParLicipanLs arc sLill cngagcd in Lhc pcrpcLual
asscssmcnL o Lhcir sLaLus and oLhcr mcanings:
pcrccivcd dcgrccs o Indianncss or assimilaLion,
rank in Lhc LradiLionalisL hicrarchy, cLc., buL Lhcsc
ncgoLiaLions arc pcrormcd in rclaLion Lo likc oLhcrs.
Tc codcs arc dicrcnL Lhan Lhc mainsLrcam, and wc
arc dicrcnL in Lhcsc spaccs. Whcn pcoplc gaLhcr as
a people Lhcy acL noL only as individuals buL as parL
o LhaL groupLhcy arc, Lhcrc, Ojibway, Aboriginal
arLisLs, or whaLcvcrdicrcnLly Lhan whaL Lhcy arc
whcn Lhcy pcrorm Lhcmsclvcs or dominanL oLhcrs.
Tis is a dclicaLc maLLcr. Tc non-Aboriginal
I am indcbLcd Lo Carol Shcchans cxhibiLion pipes that
wont smoke, coal that wont burn, 8.
Incan sacrcd sculpLurcs or BlackooL mcdicinc
bundlcs, or cxamplcarc noL rccognizcd, Lhcn Lhcy
arc availablc or Lradc and appropriaLion i, LhaL is,
Lhc posscssors o Lhc colonial aLLiLudc can back Lhcir
rcconccpLualizaLion wiLh orcc. Trough Lhc alchcmy
o Lhc colonial imaginaLion, combincd wiLh powcr,
sacrcd objccLs arc Lransmogricd inLo commodiLics,
mclLcd or Lhcir gold valuc, or collccLcd or Lhcir
arLcacL or arL valuc (arL in Lhc Modcrn WcsLcrn
scnsc o objccLs having univcrsal and Lhcrcorc
no longcr local valuc, crcaLions LhaL arc cxprcssions
o man and Lhcrcorc bclong Lo all o mankind).
Tc dcsirc o Lhc colonisL is noL jusL dirccLcd aL
appropriaLing Lhcsc maLcrial Lhings buL aL dcsLroying
Lhcir local symbolic valuc and, Lhcrcorc, causing
Lhc dccay o Lhc culLurc and Lhc assimilaLion o Lhc
pcoplc so Lhc land may bc Lurncd inLo propcrLy,
colonial holdings.
In Lhc acc o alicn idcology backcd by orcc,
Indigcnous culLurcs havc dcviscd sincc conLacL
ingcnious ways Lo proLccL Lhcir sacrcd objccLs
Lhrough Lhc usc o scrccn objccLs. In Frcudian
psychoanalysis, scrccn mcmorics
2
arc sccmingly
insignicanL and incomplcLc mcmorics LhaL boLh
suggcsL and conccal mcaningul buL rcprcsscd
conLcnL. In ordcr Lo saLiaLc ScLLlcr cravings or Lhc
sacrcd objccLs o oLhcrs, Maori, Haida, and cvcry
oLhcr Indigcnous pcoplc produccd Lradc goods
spccically or visiLors. Scrccn objccLs rcscmblc
Lhc sacrcd Lhings Lhcy imiLaLc buL do noL includc
anyLhing LhaL mighL animaLc Lhcm. Tcsc sculpLurcs,
masks, and garmcnLs havc Lhc paLina o Lhc originals
buL nonc o Lhc mcaning, riLual, or conLcxL. Tcy
arc culLural artefakes dcsigncd or oLhcrs and givc
noLhing csscnLial away. Tc hopc is LhaL colonizcrs
mighL scLLlc or Lhc appcarancc and lcavc Lhc csscnLial
undisLurbcd. My avouriLc cxamplc comcs rom Lhc
Haida who carvcd argilliLc Lo look likc auLhcnLic
ccrcmonial pipcs, only Lhc holcs in Lhc bowl and sLcm
did noL mccL. VisiLors boughL signicrs o Haida
i Frcud, Sigmund, Scrccn Mcmorics, Te Uncanny (Ncw
York: Pcnguin, :oo) ::.

jq wcs1 cots1 ii Nc, surrcr, io:i.
back o his painLing Blood Tears (200l), Many,
many dicd o brokcn bodics. Many, many dicd o
LwisLcd conicLing mcnLal dicrcncc. MosL dicd wiLh
brokcn spiriL. Somc livcd Lo Lcll abouL iL. Tc rcsL [
] pcrmancnLly, livc in car. Tc rcsL will Lakc Lhcir
silcncc Lo Lhcir gravcs as many havc Lo Lhis day.
5
For somc, Lhc Lrauma visiLcd upon Lhcir young
minds and bodics arc a privaLc maLLcr or, raLhcr,
Lhcsc proound dislocaLions and violaLions crcaLcd
an impcncLrablc privaLc spacc, a scalcd cavc, a
LwisLcd conicLing mcnLal dicrcncc,
6
an asocial
rcgion o shamc and dcspair, a disassociaLion
sccmingly bcyond boLh Aboriginal and dominanL
culLurc communiLy, or a sccrcL chambcr no codc
can brcak. For oLhcrs, hinLs o Lhcsc cxpcricnccs
arc sharcd in irrcconcilablc momcnLs, LhaL is, Lhcy
arc noL concssions dcsigncd Lo bc rcconcilcd in
Lhc scnsc o bcing smooLhcd ovcr or cvcn broughL
inLo agrccmcnL. Tcy arc opcn wounds sharcd wiLh
inLimaLcs or complcx and inconclusivc rcasons. Tcy
arc noL or public consumpLion, Lhcy arc noL subjccLs
o analysis. Tcir lisLcncrs arc noL only wiLncsscs buL
arc oLcn cllow sucrcrs, or cxamplc, childrcn o
rcsidcnLial school survivors. All Lhis lics bchind Lhc
play o rcprcscnLaLions circulaLcd in Lhc naLional
spacc o rcconciliaLion.
Tc cxLraordinary pcoplc who do sharc Lhcir
rcsidcnLial school cxpcricnccs wiLh Canada do so
or many rcasons: Lo spcak Lhc LruLh, Lo wiLncss,
or Lo hcal. I do noL wish Lo ocnd Lhcsc olks, buL
I do wanL Lo discuss a pcculiar aspccL o Lhc display
mcchanisms Lhcy arc caughL up in.
As somconc raiscd CaLholic, I cannoL hclp buL
noLicc an ironic rcligious nuancc in Lhc choicc o
Lhc word rcconciliaLion raLhcr Lhan conciliaLion
in Canadas TruLh and RcconciliaLion 1ourncy.
7

1anvicr, Alcx, Blood Tears (painLing), From Truth to
Reconciliation: Transforming the Legacy of Residential
Schools, Fds. M. BranL CasLcllano, I. Archibald, and M.
DcCagnc (OLLawa: Aboriginal Hcaling FoundaLion,
ioo8) PlaLc , xi.
6 Janvicr.
) Tis is a rcfcrcncc Lo Lhc imagc uscd in Lhc LiLlc of an
ricnds, collcagucs, and collaboraLors who havc long
workcd Lo raisc awarcncss, Lo crcaLc opporLuniLics,
Lo rc-Lhink arL and cxhibiLions, Lhc acadcmy, and
idcas o Canada arc Lhcmsclvcs OLhcr-wisc and arc
csscnLial Lo our complcx sLrugglcs. Tcy arc ronL-
runncrs who risk a grcaL dcal Lo bc our allics and
work Loward jusLicc and undamcnLal changc. BuL
Lhcy know LhaL Lhc corc o AboriginaliLy is in Lhcir
abscncc as surcly as Lhc ccnLrc o WhiLc privilcgc
or Korcanncss or Swcdish immigranLncssis
incomplcLcly availablc Lo mosL NaLivc pcoplc.
Among oLhcr Lhings, irrcconcilablc spaccs o
AboriginaliLy arc siLcs o cpisLcmological dcbaLc.
In Lhc cxchangc o sLorics, gcsLurcs, Louchcs,
LhoughLs, cclings, and laughLcr Lhc vcry naLurc
o conLcmporary AboriginaliLy is subLly LcsLcd,
rcconsidcrcd, provisionally conrmcd, or gcnLly
rccongurcd, composcd, and playcd in rchcarsal.
Tis rcquircs scparaLc discursivc LcrriLorics or FirsL
NaLions, McLis, and InuiL olks Lo bc Lhcmsclvcs and
Lo work Lhcmsclvcs ouL.
Tcsc spaccs arc irrcconcilablc in Lhc scnsc
LhaL Lhcir uncLion dcpcnds upon a dicrcncc rom
ScLLlcrs. IL is axiomaLic LhaL Lhcir conLcnLs arc noL
candidaLcs or rcconciliaLory discoursc. Tcy arc also
irrcconcilablc in LhaL Lhcy do noL havc a myLhology
LhaL placcs Lhcm in prcvious scamlcss accord wiLh
ScLLlcrs or a Lhcory LhaL proposcs a uLurc oLhcr Lhan
onc o pcrpcLual sLrugglc wiLh Lhc dominanL.
4
WhaL I am Lrying Lo dcscribc wiLhouL giving
away arc inLcrvals whcrc, or cxamplc, sLorics and
cmoLions LhaL arc noL subjccLs o rcconciliaLion arc
cxchangcd. Many rcsidcnLial school survivors will
noL Lcll Lhcir sLorics Lo Lhc TruLh and RcconciliaLion
Commission. Somc havc noL and will ncvcr spcak o
such Lhings cvcn wiLhin Lhc sacLy o auLonomous
Aboriginal spaccs. As Alcx 1anvicr wriLcs on Lhc
IL is Lruc LhaL for many gcncraLions afLcr conLacL,
Aboriginal pcoplc in Lhc norLhcasLcrn parLs of whaL is
now NorLh Amcrica had cquiLablc Lrading rclaLionships
wiLh pcoplc from Furopc. Tc Lroublc bcgan whcn Lhc
visiLors bccamc ScLLlcrs, whcn Lradcrs wcrc rcplaccd by
colonisLs, whcn invading naLions dccidcd Lhcy would
raLhcr havc Lhc wcll Lhan jusL Lhc waLcr.
rccoNciic 1nis: jj
ship and a canocgo down Lhc rivcr o lic LogcLhcr
buL do noL Louch. Two communiLics livc parallcl Lo
cach oLhcr, Lradc, buL do noL violaLc cach oLhcrs
spacc and way o bcing. Two sLaLcs acLing as sLaLcs
can csLablish a ncuLral spacc o ncgoLiaLionlikc
Lhc Haudcnosaunccs rivcrin which gcncral
conciliaLion is csLablishcd wiLhouL compromising
cach oLhcrs corc spaccs. ConciliaLion is noL Lhc
crasurc o dicrcncc. ConciliaLion is noL assimilaLion.
Rc-conciliaLion implics a vcry dicrcnL
imaginary, onc LhaL carrics such proound accLivc
and hisLorical mcanings LhaL iL sccms a dclibcraLc
LacLic in Lhc ongoing assimilaLionisL sLraLcgy o Lhc
Canadian cmpirc.
ll
WhcLhcr Lhc choicc o Lhis word,
imaginary, and proccss is an accidcnLal inhcriLancc,
iL is ironic, i noL sinisLcr, LhaL survivors o rcligious
rcsidcnLial schools, cspccially CaLholic oncs, arc askcd
Lo parLicipaLc in a riLual LhaL so closcly rcscmblcs
LhaL which abuscd Lhcm.
In iLs rcligious conLcxL, RcconciliaLion is Lhc
rcunion o a pcrson Lo a church.
l2
RcconciliaLion
is a sacramcnL o Lhc CaLholic Church. IL ollows
Concssion and Pcnancc. According Lo VaLican
Lcachings, Tosc who approach Lhc sacramcnL o
Pcnancc obLain pardon rom Cods mcrcy or Lhc
ocnsc commiLLcd againsL him, and arc, aL Lhc
samc Limc, rcconcilcd wiLh Lhc Church which Lhcy
havc woundcd by Lhcir sins and which by chariLy, by
cxamplc, and by praycr labours or Lhcir convcrsion.
l3

Tis LcxL is ound in Tc SacramcnLs o Hcaling
sccLion o Lhc CaLcchism o Lhc CaLholic Church.
RcconciliaLion hcrc, as in Lhc sccular colonial vcrsion,
ignorcs prc-CaLholic or prc-conLacL Aboriginal sLaLcs.
IL insLcad ocuscs on convcrsion as Lhc siLc o NaLivc
Two_Row_Wampum_TrcaLy
Canada is a modcrn cmpirc in LhaL iL rulcs ovcr a
vasL gcography compriscd of numcrous cLhnically,
linguisLically, and culLurally divcrsc (FirsL, MLis, and
InuiL) NaLions.
i Oxford English Dictionary.
Acccsscd April i, ioi: hLLp://www.vaLican.va/archivc/
ccc_css/archivc/caLcchism/p:s:c:a.hLm
ConciliaLion is Lhc acLion o bringing inLo
harmony. IL is an cxLrajudicial proccss LhaL is a
convcrsion o a sLaLc o hosLiliLy or disLrusL, Lhc
promoLion o good will by kind and considcraLc
mcasurcs, and pcaccablc or ricndly union.
S
Tc
word calls Lo mind Lhc mccLing o Lwo prcviously
scparaLc parLics. Applicd Lo Lhc Canadian siLuaLion, iL
allows Lhc picLuring o FirsL NaLions and InuiL pcoplc
having an indcpcndcnL cxisLcncc prior Lo conLacL.
RcconciliaLion is a synonym wiLh a dicrcncc.
Re-conciliaLion rccrs Lo Lhc rcpair o a prcviously
cxisLing harmonious rclaLionship.
9
Tis word choicc
imposcs Lhc cLion LhaL cquanimiLy is Lhc sLaLus
quo bcLwccn Aboriginal pcoplc and Canada. IniLial
conciliaLion was Lragically disrupLcd and will bc
painully rcsLorcd Lhrough Lhc currcnL proccss. In
Lhis conLcxL, Lhc imaginary Lhc word dcscribcs is
limiLcd Lo posL-conLacL narraLivcs. Tis consLrucLion
anacsLhcLizcs knowlcdgc o Lhc cxisLcncc o prc-
conLacL Aboriginal sovcrcignLy. IL narraLcs halcyon
momcnLs o co-opcraLion bcorc Lhings wcnL wrong
as Lhc scamlcss sourcc o harmonious origin. And
iL sccs Lhc rcsidcnLial school cra, or cxamplc, as an
unorLunaLc dcviaLion raLhcr Lhan jusL onc aspccL o
Lhc pcrpcLual colonial sLrugglc Lo conLain and conLrol
Aboriginal pcoplc, LcrriLorics, and rcsourccs.
In Lhcory, Lhc numbcrcd LrcaLics wcrc NaLion-
Lo-NaLions conciliaLions. Fspccially rom Lhc poinL
o vicw o Lhc Aboriginal signaLorics: LrcaLics
rccognizcd Lhc prc-cxisLing and ongoing sovcrcignLy
o Lhc conciliaLing parLics. Tis undcrsLanding is
cloqucnLly gurcd in Lhc Lwo row Haudcnosauncc
LrcaLy wampum bclLs (l6l3):
l0
Lwo boaLsa DuLch
Aboriginal Hcaling FoundaLion book: Response, Respon-
sibility, and Renewal: Canadas Truth and Reconciliation
Journey, Fds. C. Younging, 1. Dcwar, and M. DcCagnc
(OLLawa: AHF, :oo).
8 Oxford English Dictionary.
To bring (a pcrson) again inLo fricndly rclaLions to or
with (oncsclf or anoLhcr) afLcr an csLrangcmcnL. Also,
Lo purify (a church, cLc.) by a spccial scrvicc afLcr a
profanaLion. Rcconcilc, Oxford English Dictionary.
o Acccsscd April i, ioi: hLLp://cn.wikipcdia.org/wiki/

j6 wcs1 cots1 ii Nc, surrcr, io:i.
-kiskakwyehk, which mcans wc wcar iL.
l4
Tis
is a proound dicrcncc. IL is visual and visccral
raLhcr Lhan absLracL. IL dcscribcs a rccogniLion and
acccpLancc LhaL cannoL bc washcd or wishcd away.
To bc air, Lhc TruLh and RcconciliaLion
Commission has dcvclopcd inLo a complcx
organism and has pcrmiLLcd mulLiplc anLi-colonial
possibiliLics or as long as Lhc govcrnmcnL
cnLcrLains Lhcm. IL (Lhc TRC o Canada) has gonc
Lo grcaL lcngLhs Lo csLablish siLcs o hcaling aparL
rom sLaLc moniLoring. And Lhc public airing o Lhc
ouLlincs o Lhcsc acLs, Lhc govcrnmcnL apology,
and Lhc work o Lhc Commission havc cncouragcd
many pcoplc Lo discuss Lhings Lhcy mighL noL havc
oLhcrwisc. Howcvcr, qucsLions rcmain: How arc
wc Lo changc siLcs o rcconciliaLion inLo siLcs o
conciliaLion` How do wc prcvcnL rcconciliaLion rom
bcing primarily a spccLaclc o individual pain` How
do arLisLs and curaLors conLribuLc Lo conciliaLion`
I havc bccn an Alcx 1anvicr an or a long Limc,
buL my inLcrcsL was primarily ormal. I lovc his
dcsigns and apprcciaLc his abiliLy Lo crcaLc a uniquc
synLhcsis o WcsLcrn and Aboriginal sLylcs. Tcn, in
l995, Lhc Clcnbow Muscum hosLcd a Lravclling solo
cxhibiLion curaLcd by Icc-Ann MarLin, Te Art of Alex
Janvier: His First Tirty Years, 19601990.
l5
InsLcad o
Lhc usual arLisL Lalk and slidc show, 1anvicr Lourcd a
small group o us Lhrough Lhc cxhibiLion. Hc spcnL
ovcr an hour and a hal cxplaining cvcry picLurc. Tc
biggcsL rcvclaLion was LhaL many o Lhcsc sccmingly
non-objccLivc works wcrc in acL maps. In onc, hc
poinLcd ouL whcrc hc livcd rclaLivc Lo his Kookum,
and whcrc Lhc good shing and hunLing spoLs
wcrc. TaL hc invcnLcd a way Lo rccord his physical,
rclaLional, and spiriLual LcrriLory in a ormaL LhaL
could bc misLakcn or ModcrnisL arL was a grcaL
lcsson. I lovc Lhc idca LhaL Lhis sccrcL knowlcdgc has
inlLraLcd non-Aboriginal spaccs and paLicnLly waiLs
or iLs NaLivc knowlcdgc Lo bc dccodcd.
McLcod, Ncal, PocLry rcading, SaskaLchcwan WriLcrs
Guild, Rcgina, SK. May , ioi.
April iiJunc ), , aL Lhc Glcnbow Muscum, Calgary.
origin. In sinningor, iL sccms, in bcing sinncd
upon!Lhc pcniLcnL is scparaLcd rom Cod and Lhc
Church. Only by Lclling Lhcir sccrcL Lo an agcnL o Lhc
Church can harmony bc rcsLorcd and Lhc individual
and Church/SLaLc rcconcilcd. RcconciliaLion
assumcs LhaL Lhc parLics wcrc oncc in harmony
(Lhrough Lhc conLracLs o BapLism, ConrmaLion,
and Communion) and only Lhrough RcconciliaLion
can Lhc propcr sLasis bc rcsLorcd. Bcyond Lhc palc o
RcconciliaLion is Lhc (im)possibiliLy LhaL Lhc Church
could bc wrong. Individuals arc aulLy and in nccd o
rcormaLion, noL Lhc Church.
I Lhis imaginary wcrc Lo accL Lhc sccular
vcrsion o rcconciliaLion, Lhcn Lhc rclaLionship would
bc individual Lo SLaLc, raLhcr Lhan Lhc NaLion-Lo-
NaLions or pcrson-Lo-pcrson ncgoLiaLions o a TruLh
and Conciliation modcl. Tc sysLcm would apprcciaLc
Lhc spccLaclc o individual accounLs (concssions). IL
would prccr Lo lay blamc on iLs individual (mosLly
dcad) mcmbcrs, and, whilc iL mighL acknowlcdgc
LhaL Lhc abuscs wcrc Lhc rcsulL o (pasL) sysLcmic
policy, iL would noL do anyLhing Lo risk Lhc inLcgriLy
o sLrucLurc. Bccausc Lhc sysLcm would noL rccognizc
LhaL iL is in a pcrpcLual rclaLionship, iL would imposc
a Limc limiL on hcaling. Tc imagincd cnd rcsulL
o Lhis rcsLoraLion projccL is Canadas TruLh and
RcconciliaLion. TruLhs arc Lold, Lhc dcsLroycd arc
mourncd, Lhc brokcn rcpaircd, ordcr rcsLorcd, and
Lhc naLional idcnLiLy cndurcs.
You can imaginc LhaL Lhosc rcmovcd rom Lhcir
culLurc, languagc, and spiriLual LradiLions and who
wcrc indocLrinaLcd by rcligious rcsidcnLial schools
would slidc raLhcr casily inLo Lhc similar concssional
narraLivcs o such a TruLh and RcconciliaLion sysLcm.
And LhaL Lhosc who rcLaincd or rcgaincd Lhcir culLural
and spiriLual pracLiccs arc likcly Lo bc suspicious o
Lhc homology and rcsisL. Crcc arLisL, pocL and oral
hisLorian and LhcorisL, Ncal McIcod cxplains LhaL
Lhcrc is no cquivalcnL in Lhc Crcc languagc or Lhc
WcsLcrn noLion o an apology. Tc closcsL cquivalcnL
Lo I am sorry is nimihta tn, which mcans I rcgrcL
somcLhing. McIcod cxplains LhaL Lhc word uscd
in rccrcncc Lo Lhc rcsidcnLial school cxpcricncc is
rccoNciic 1nis: j
by mcmbcrs o Lhc communiLy. I Lhc culLurc was
oral pcrhaps Lhcrc would bc no wriLLcn signs or
caLalogucs, your cxpcricncc would bc guidcd by
knowlcdgc kccpcrs. Sovcrcign display LcrriLorics
mighL bc ncarly idcnLical, buL Lhcy would makc somc
conccssions Lo ouLsidcrs. Tc dcgrcc o inclusion and
cxclusion would bc parL o whaL would makc Lhcsc
spaccs inLcrcsLing. Tcsc Aboriginal managcd spaccs
would includc languagcs o Lhc visiLors. Many objccLs
would noL bc availablc Lo all visiLors, buL clcvcr scrccn
objccLs would bc (phoLographs, modcls, cLc.), so Lhcy
would havc a scnsc o Lhc rcal wiLhouL violaLing iL.
Tc Lhcmc o somc o Lhcsc spaccs mighL bc lcss a
rcvclaLion o auLhcnLic AboriginaliLy and morc
a working Lhrough o how Indigcnous pcoplc havc
changcd and adapLcd wiLhin conLacL.
I imaginc LhaL such sac spaccs would cncouragc
Aboriginal pcoplc Lo makc work LhaL noL only spokc
Lo Lhcir own pcoplc buL also Lo visiLors. IL would
probably valuc (local) mcaning ovcr WcsLcrn noLions
o (univcrsal) qualiLy, and blur Lhc boundary bcLwccn
arL and arLcacL. Howcvcr, bccausc iL is cngagcd
wiLh Lhc largcr world raLhcr Lhan bcing primarily a
kccping housc LhaL prcscrvcs objccLs and cncouragcs
cusLomary pracLiccs, iL would also uncLion as a
culLural lab whcrc arLisLs would sLrugglc crcaLivcly
wiLh Lhc conLcmporary world as wcll as LradiLional
orms.
l7
Somc pcoplc mighL noL wanL Lo sharc Lhcir
cxpcricnccs bccausc Lhc siLcs o rcconciliaLion
adminisLcrcd by Lhc TruLh and RcconciliaLion
Commission arc Lcmporary and privilcgc LcxL and
spccch ovcr visual and LacLilc orms o sLoryLclling.
Knowing LhaL an Aboriginal sovcrcign display
LcrriLory is pcrmancnL and includcs visual and LacLilc
objccLs LhaL arc acLivaLcd by cmbodicd knowlcdgc
(Lhcir makcrs and oLhcrs Lalking abouL Lhcm) would
cncouragc a slow unolding o LruLhs. CapiLal T TruLh
in Canadas TruLh and RcconciliaLion is a PlaLonic
orm dcsigncd noL Lo bc achicvcd in Lhis vcil o Lcars.
Tcsc siLcs, likc Lhc HolocausL muscums, havc a morc
) Tis is an cxprcssion of my opLimism for Ayumi GoLo and
JonaLhan Dcwars Reconcile Tis!
1anvicr slowcd aL Lhc cnd o Lhc Lour, and Lhc
group had whiLLlcd Lo a handul. Hc spcnL a long Limc
in ronL o his mosL rcccnL painLings. Tcy wcrc abouL
his cxpcricncc in rcsidcnLial school. Tcy conLaincd
rccognizablc gurcs, buildings, and landscapcs,
hc did noL wanL his mcssagcs Lo bc misscd. Tcy
wcrc addrcsscd bcyond Lhc spacc o irrcconcilablc
AboriginaliLy. Fvcn so, unLil hc cxplaincd Lhc imagcs,
unLil hc Lalkcd Lhcm inLo lic, Lhcy rcmaincd obliquc
hinLs o livcd cxpcricncc. IL is Lhc combinaLion o
visual arL, cmbodicd knowlcdgc, and a gaLhcring
o cngagcd parLicipanLs LhaL madc Lhc cxpcricncc
signicanL, madc iL cxcccd Lhc colonial conLaincr.
FxhibiLions o Aboriginal arL shown wiLhin a
dominanL culLurc spacc arc always in-ormcd by
Lhc world vicws o Lhosc who managc Lhc rcsourccs
and Lhc siLc/sighLs. RcconciliaLion cxhibiLions, i
Lhcy arc hcld wiLhin Lhcsc insLiLuLions, arc also
likcly Lo bc dcsigncd wiLhin Lhc colonial narraLivc:
rcconciliaLion raLhcr Lhan conciliaLion, Lhc Lhcory
LhaL public display o privaLc (NaLivc) pain lcads Lo
individual and naLional hcaling, LcxL ovcr spccch,
cLc. I arL gallcrics and oLhcr display spaccs arc Lo bc
poLcnLial siLcs o conciliaLion, Lhcy should noL mccL
Lhc dominanL culLurc vicwcr halway in Lhcir spacc
in Lhcir way, Lhc non-Aboriginal vicwcr who sccks
conciliaLion oughL Lo cnLcr Aboriginal sovcrcign
display LcrriLorics as gucsLs.
Imaginc a kccping housc locaLcd on rcscrvc
land (including urban rcscrvcs) LhaL is managcd by
Aboriginal pcoplc and only opcn Lo NaLivc pcoplc
o LhaL LcrriLory. TaL would bc an irrcconcilablc
spacc o AboriginaliLy. Now, picLurc Lhc samc spacc,
buL opcn Lo any rcspccLul pcrson LhaL would bc an
Aboriginal sovcrcign display LcrriLory
l6
LhaL could
also bc a spacc o conciliaLion. Tc rsL gallcry
would bc dirccLcd Lo Lhc pcoplc o Lhc communiLy
6 Garncau, David, Indian Lo Indigcnous: Tcmporary
Pavilions Lo Sovcrcign Display TcrriLorics. KcynoLc
spccch: Aboriginal CuraLorial Confcrcncc, (Revisioning
the Indians of Canada Pavilion: Ahzhekewada [Let us look
back] A colloquium for Aboriginal curators, artists, critics,
historians and scholars), OnLario Collcgc of ArL and
Dcsign UnivcrsiLy, ToronLo, ON, OcL , :o.

j8 wcs1 cots1 ii Nc, surrcr, io:i.
modcsL goal. Bccausc no masLcr narraLivc could
conLain Lhcsc cvcnLs, Lhc dcsigncrs o Lhcsc spaccs
clccL Lo makc room or Lhc many LruLhs Lo nd Lhcir
orm and audicnccs. Tcrc is no dcniLivc sLory and
no conclusion, Lhcrc musL bc room, ovcr Limc, or
cvcryLhing and cvcryonc.
Tc govcrnmcnL apology and Lhc work o Lhc
TruLh and RcconciliaLion Commission arc imporLanL,
buL Lhc dccpcr work o conciliaLion will bc among
individuals who rc-cognizc Lhcmsclvcs as also oLhcr
Lhan agcnLs o Lhc SLaLc. ScLLlcrs visiLing Lhcsc
pcrmancnL siLcs o conciliaLion do so as individuals
who arc conscious LhaL Lhcir insLiLuLions pcrpcLraLcd
sysLcmaLic abuscs dcsigncd Lo assimilaLc or dcsLroy
Aboriginal pcoplc so Lhcy could Lakc Lhcir land. To
usc Lhc CaLholic mcLaphor, Lhis is Lhc original sin
LhaL madc Lhc counLry possiblc. IL is Lhc ScLLlcrs
inhcriLancc. And hcrc is whcrc I losc my aiLh,
or aL lcasL sLrcLch Lhc mcLaphor unLil iL snaps.
Colonialism is noL a singular hisLorical cvcnL buL
an ongoing lcgacyLhc colonizcr has noL lcL. Tc
sin cannoL bc cxpiaLcd. Tcrc is no Rcdccmcr in
Lhis siLuaLion. An apology and cash paymcnLs will
noL rcmovc Lhc sLain. Tc csscncc o a conciliaLion
projccL is individual LransormaLion: living wiLh
Lhis hisLory and, hopcully, cngaging in pcrpcLual
conciliaLion. Tcrc is no cnd rcsulL, no conclusion or
assimilaLion, only Lhc Haudcnosaunccs rivcr o lic
wiLh irrcconcilablc camps on ciLhcr sidc and a widc
zonc o Lradc and sharing bcLwccn.
I Lhcsc possiblc gallcrics wcrc likc Lhc
Haudcnosaunccs rivcr o lic, Lhcy would noL bc
a (FirsL) naLions display o wcalLh and powcr buL
siLcs o lcarning and cxchangc, culLural laboraLorics
whcrc, or cxamplc, Aboriginal curaLors would inviLc
non-Aboriginal arLisLs Lo considcr Lhcir colonial
inhcriLancc, or Indigcnous arLisLs rom oLhcr
LcrriLorics Lo rclaLc Lhcir similar cxpcricnccs.
ArL is noL hcaling in iLscl, buL iL can bc in
rclaLion. ArL is a sLimulanL and a balm whcn Lakcn
inLcrnally, buL dangcrous i misLakcn or cxpcricncc.
Tcrc is a proound dicrcncc bcLwccn rcading signs
and bcing cngagcd by a symbol. Sharing in a discoursc
abouL hisLorics, rcsponsibiliLy, and LransormaLion
among arLworks and wiLh oLhcr human bcings is a
corrccLivc Lo Lhc colonial dcsirc or scLLlcmcnL.
Tc painLings aL Lhc sLarL o Lhis cssay, Aboriginal
Curatorial Collective Meeting and Aboriginal Advisory
Circle Meeting, Lry Lo picLurc irrcconcilablc spaccs
o AboriginaliLy wiLhouL giving away any conLcnL. I
wanL Lo signal LhaL somcLhing inLcrcsLing is going
on bcyond Lhc colonial gazc. AL Lhc samc Limc, by
using dominanL culLurc vcrnacular, I wanL Lo show
LhaL whaL happcns in Lhcsc spaccs is vcry likc whaL
happcns in similar spaccs buL wiLh dicrcnL pcoplc.
Whilc Lhc corc o AboriginaliLy is incomplcLcly
availablc Lo non-NaLivc pcoplc, ScLLlcrs who comc
Lo spaccs o conciliaLion noL Lo rcpair Indians buL Lo
hcal Lhcmsclvcs, who comc noL as colonizcrs buL wiLh
a conciliaLory aLLiLudc Lo lcarn and sharc as cquals,
may bc Lransormcd.