Thursday, June 14, 2001 � Victoria, British Columbia

Today I participated in the 4th Annual National Aboriginal Day celebration, HONOURING FIRST NATIONS VETERANS, at the Maritime Pacific naval base.

I have been privileged to attend these celebrations since their inception in June of 1998. The festivities change with the attendees growing in number; more veterans attend; the aboriginal groups invited to perform become more varied in their presentations; the local First Nations invited to attend has increased from 2 nations to 8 nations, with Chiefs from the Nations invited to address the gathering, directly or through their designated representatives.

Personally, this is always a time of healing for me. I bring my memories of my father with me to the ceremonies and I am further cleansed and healed with tears flowing naturally as I think of the times he lived in. Dad did not live to see Aboriginal men honoured, nor did he receive honour as a veteran�always I pray for vicarious healing for him too.

I am a visitor here, and I listen to Leslie McGarry as she reminds us of the traditional lands we have crossed and informs us of the Nations on whose traditional lands we gather. She tells us we have been given this gift of witnessing and carrying the responsibility of orally passing on what we have seen and heard.

Now, too, we have the written word. I present herein some of what I have witnessed, for I believe it to be an indication of the beginning of healing, man to man, community to community.

I witnessed the movement of the relationship between Chief Andy Thomas of the Esquimalt Nation and Rear Admiral Buck of this naval command.

With great respect, I believe that at the 1st celebration in 1998, the chiefs of the Esquimalt and Songhees Nations were invited in a somewhat token way, as an attempt (within the boundaries of limited knowledge) to include them in festivities which were being held on their traditional lands. I know this was done with the best of intentions, but once again with limited knowledge.

Now, after 4 years, with a great deal of patience, with genuine desire to build bridges between cultures, with mutual respect gained first hand, with the fulfillment of promises and commitments, I witnessed Chief Andy Thomas speak more personally and deliver a great gift of respect to Rear Admiral Buck.

In my eyes, within my heart, this was huge!

In 1998, Chief Andy Thomas spoke directly from his being, for all his people, with a great teaching - he shared the manner in which he as Chief and all the members of his nation are treated, the lack of knowledge and respect extended, the lack of opportunities and inclusion for his people, the lack of resolve to settle land issues � all on their traditional lands.

In 2001, Chief Andy Thomas gave a gift to Rear Admiral Buck as he leaves to take a new command. Chief Andy Thomas spoke of the progress which has taken place (with more to be accomplished) in the relationship between the Esquimalt First Peoples and the Admiral and his staff.

This was huge!

I have taken many gifts home with me from this 4th Annual Celebration of our veterans � too numerous to list here � but the gift which stands out in my mind is the significance of the extension of respect between Chief Andy Thomas and Rear Admiral Buck.

There is much healing still to come, with many "wrongs to be righted", but I humbly believe that healing takes place one individual at a time, between one 2-legged and another, then groups of people can move forward and heal, and then communities can and will heal too.

I witnessed a change. I witnessed a healing. I witnessed 2 men who have altered each others� lives and their own � and ours too, for time immemorial. I am truly grateful.

All My Relations,
B.R. Martin Kennedy