Muslims and Indigenous people seek common ground at national conference
Topics include colonialism, reconciliation and media misconceptions
History has shown that Indigenous people have undergone various forms of injustice, including residential school abuses, colonialism, and the Sixties Scoop.
In recent years, there have been efforts made by the Canadian government to recognize and repair the damage, including the truth and reconciliation process.
Meanwhile, Muslim people coming to Canada have experienced racism and Islamophobia.
Despite efforts to encourage diversity, equity and inclusion, there are still reports of Muslims feeling threatened because of their religion.
So is there any common ground between these two disparate communities?
A conference, billed as the first of its kind, was held in Winnipeg earlier this year to explore these topics,
With the participation of Imams, Indigenous elders, academics and students, it looked at how the experiences of Muslims in Canada resonate with those of Indigenous ancestry.
Among those in attendance was University of Regina’s Akib Hossein, a fourth-year computer science student and a board member of RPIRG (Regina Public Interest Research Group), a student-funded resource centre committed to social and environmental justice.
“Being an immigrant from a Third World country, I did not have any idea about the struggles and the stories of the Indigenous people,” Hossein said.
“The personal narrative helped me highlight common experiences of discrimination to foster a sense of solidarity.”
Another topic Hossein thought was well-handled was the influence of Western media and efforts to fight stereotypes.
“It was amazing to see how individuals from both the cultures came together in reconciliation and understanding with that lived trauma, suffering, and history of … misrepresentation in the Western media.”
Hossein says it was also good to see the way the conference prioritized women empowerment and brought in female leaders from both the cultures.
“Being a son raised by a strong woman, I always love women empowerment, and the role of women in leadership,” he said.
Among the speakers was Leah Gazan, the Member of Parliament for Winnipeg Centre, whose talk was entitled “Legacy of Colonialism: Historical Analysis and Impacts”.
Also speaking was Ingrid Mattson, a Canadian activist and scholar who was also the first woman president of ISNA (Islamic Society of North America).
One of the themes that emerged was that the shared histories and values shared between Indigenous folks and Muslims could be a stepping stone towards reconciliation.
What could facilitate that is the spiritual commitment of these two communities to advocacy of human rights, justice and peace.
Hossein said he is looking forward to applying what he learned in Winnipeg. “RPIRG can now engage in hosting more storytelling sessions where committee members can share experiences of their journey with social justice with partnership with Indigenous elders and leaders from the Muslim community,” he said.
“They can support research and publications to amplify the Indigenous and Muslim perspectives.”
