It’s been nearly eight months since Altona’s Steps Toward Reconciliation committee launched The Orange Bench project, and they could not be happier with the response.
So much more than just a place to sit, this eye-catching piece of furniture has appeared at outdoor and indoor facilities around Altona, bringing with it the stories and the wisdom from local Indigenous communities.
“When we launched this project, we had no idea how it would be received,” said Dorothy Braun, a member of the grassroots group behind the project. “But it’s really taken on a life of its own.”
The bench’s journey began last July with a three-week stay at Gallery in the Park. More outdoor placements followed at local institutions and businesses, always with an attached package detailing the history and personal stories about the treaties, residential schools, and the Sixties Scoop.
Roseau River First Nation Elder Peter Atkinson was the first storyteller for The Orange Bench. He said the project represents the need for the true story behind the treaties to be told.
“Whenever you don’t see somebody else’s perspective, it’s easy to be afraid and make judgements. So, we’re hopeful people will be able to take these stories in, hear them, listen, and just come to a different perspective to what happened to these people through history.”
When cold weather set in, the bench found indoor placements at local schools and facilities, drawing a variety of guests to share their stories and experiences, and engage in conversations.
“Many of our hosts went the extra mile. The bench was part of the programming for Orange Shirt Day at Parkside School and was also included at a REDress exhibit,” Braun said.
Other speakers over the past year have included Dawnis Kennedy from the Indigenous Cultural Education Centre in Winnipeg and Niigaan Sinclair from the Faculty of Native Studies at the University of Manitoba.
It was requested to go to MCI, where members of the committee were asked to make a presentation. Then it moved on to W.C. Miller Collegiate and Rosenfeld School.
When it found its place at Gardens on Tenth, members joined the tenants for a conversation.
“By the end of May, The Orange Bench will have carried its history and its stories to 12 indoor locations,” said Braun.
“A lot of it is anecdotal, but we are hearing more personal stories and enquiries about the bench. It brought awareness that there was a gap in education about this. A local Indigenous family told us how good it was that there was something in the community to represent their story. We get a lot of inquiries from the places it’s gone to, as well as from outside the community. It’s a busy bench.”
Ultimately, the project went above and beyond their expectations.
“We wanted to take the information out into the community and make it available to people who may not show up for our events,” Braun said. “I think we have connected with a lot of people, and we saw such openness everywhere it went. It has been welcomed. The goal was to educate and sew the seeds of understanding and provide opportunities for connection, and that was certainly accomplished.”
Heading into spring, the bench will be at the Altona Mennonite Church until April 14. From there it will continue its two-week visits at the Altona Memorial Health Centre, the Altona and Area Family Resource Centre, and Access Credit Union.
Throughout its journey, Braun said The Orange Bench has aligned perfectly with the mission of Steps Toward Reconciliation.
“In sharing with you, we seek authentic voices, and wherever possible we invite our Indigenous neighbours from Roseau River First Nation to be those voices. Over the past year, we have also called upon speakers from the Treaty Relations Commission of Manitoba, and other Indigenous friends, guests, and knowledge keepers to guide us in our listening and learning.”
As part of this mission, the committee is currently planning an information day on May 4. The full-day event will take place at the Millennium Exhibition Centre. It will be a free session, open to everyone.
“With grant support through Southern Health, the event will focus on restoring our relationship to the land through Indigenous wisdom and planting practices,” Braun said. “We have three guest speakers who are known to be gifted gardeners and carry the wisdom of Indigenous planting and the medicinal and spiritual value of plants coming to share their knowledge and advice. And we will plant a garden at the Altona Community Garden to showcase what these teachers have taught us. We’ll bring somebody back to talk to us as it grows and the project progresses.”
You can follow the ongoing journey of The Orange Bench and other projects and events hosted by Steps Toward Reconciliation on their Facebook and Instagram pages.
