Giant Indigenous map inspires learning
Last Saturday, Altona’s Millennium Exhibition Centre (MEC) was transformed into a living classroom, where community members of all ages took a walk—both literal and figurative—through Canada’s Indigenous history.
Organized by the Steps Towards Reconciliation Group, the event featured the Indigenous Peoples Atlas giant floor map, a powerful educational tool that prompted reflection, conversation, and connection.
The two-hour workshop drew an unexpected turnout, with over 60 attendees eager to engage with the massive 36-by-26-foot map, which was on loan from Border Land School Division.
Unlike traditional maps, which depict Canada’s political boundaries, this one is marked with Indigenous language groups and treaty territories, providing a strikingly different perspective of the land.
Mick Friesen, an English teacher at W.C. Miller Collegiate and member of the Steps Towards Reconciliation Group, explained their vision and the significance of the gathering.
“We’re a grassroots group of individuals that come together in Altona to share stories about Indigenous neighbours and learn more about the history of Canada—history that requires more discussion about truth and reconciliation.”
Friesen and his colleague, Kerri Keffer, a teacher from Ross L. Gray School in Sprague, facilitated the workshop, guiding participants through the interactive learning experience.
“They got to walk all over Canada in their socks,” Friesen said. “They took a journey across the geography of North America, trying to orient themselves in a way that most of us haven’t before.”
Keffer emphasized the importance of providing tools for learning and reflection.
“This map is a very powerful tool,” she said. “People start recognizing that there are no political boundaries, and it shifts the way they think about Canada’s history. Then they start asking questions, they start sharing stories and making personal connections to the land.”
As an educator and a proud Red River Métis citizen, Keffer sees events like this as opportunities for meaningful exchange.
“We’re all students in life,” she said. “We all have stories to tell. It’s about creating a space where people feel comfortable sharing them.”
For Keffer, her personal journey of understanding her Métis identity has been deeply intertwined with events like these.
“I am walking in two worlds right now, and my two worlds are coming together in a good way,” she shared. “Being Métis means I’m part of a nation. I can’t ignore my First Nations ancestors, and I don’t want to. I feel really connected to that piece, and I want to honour it. I’ve been taking opportunities to teach this to students and community members, and in return, I am learning just as much from them.”
Among the attendees was Cheryl Nelson, a woman from Treaty 1 territory whose connection to treaties runs deep.
“My dad, Oliver Nelson, was a chief at one time. He was one of the founders of the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs,” she said. “Reconciliation was something he wanted to see. For me, being here today was a learning experience, but also a deeply emotional one.”
Nelson reflected on how powerful it was to witness so many people open up and share their experiences.
“Everybody sharing their stories touched me profoundly,” she said. “It showed me that people are willing to recognize what is wrong and are finding the steps to healing. Seeing this map was incredible. It was so touching and profound to me.”
She acknowledged that much of the misunderstanding and division in society comes from a lack of knowledge about Indigenous history.
“So much of the judgment comes from people not knowing,” she said. “I was angry a lot when I was younger, and I didn’t understand where that came from until I learned about my own history and what my parents and grandparents went through.”
But Nelson sees hope in the next generation, in their curiosity and willingness to ask questions.
“This map encourages that,” she said. “It invites people to engage, to listen, and to learn.”
Friesen, reflecting on the event’s success, said it surpassed expectations in both attendance and emotional impact.
“We had three times as many people as we thought we might,” he said. “That’s incredible. What really stood out to me was the stories. Hearing people’s personal, heartfelt stories—that’s how we get to the truth.”
Both Keffer and Friesen emphasized that learning about reconciliation is an ongoing journey, one that requires patience, humility, and an open heart.
“We just want to feel cared for. We want to feel heard. And we want to learn,” Keffer said. “And it’s about reciprocity—giving something and getting something back. Sometimes, that’s just sitting and sharing stories over coffee. That’s where healing begins.”
