Symbolic gesture
The RM of Gimli held an historic flag-raising ceremony last Friday at the municipal office to further truth and reconciliation efforts with Indigenous Manitobans who are part of Treaty 1 territory.
Gimli Mayor Kevin Chudd, who spoke on behalf of council, said the ceremony represented a significant moment in the RM’s history and a commitment to cooperation and shared responsibility to build a better future for everyone.
“This ceremony is not just a symbolic gesture: it’s a call to action. It’s a reminder that we must work together to create a society that is inclusive, equitable and just. We must strive to build strong relationships based on trust, understanding and respect,” said Chudd. “Let us commit ourselves to the process of reconciliation, to learning from the past and to building a future where all people can thrive.”
Gimli is on Treaty 1 territory, which comprises the traditional lands of the Anishinaabeg, including the Cree, Oji-Cree, Dakota and Dene Peoples, as well as the homeland of the Metis Nation.
Treaty One Nation represents seven First Nations: Brokenhead Ojibway Nation, Long Plain First Nation, Peguis First Nation, Roseau River Anishinaabe First Nation, Sagkeeng First Nation, Sandy Bay Ojibway First Nation and Swan Lake First Nation.
Representatives from Peguis and Brokenhead, the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs, the Treaty Relations Commission of Manitoba, as well as Manitoba MLAs, were invited to speak at the ceremony, which included the raising of the Treaty One flag, a flag-smudging ceremony, drum ceremony and flag song performed by the Walking Wolf Singers.
Gimli resident Jocelyn Barlow attended the ceremony and said she felt the event brought everyone closer together.
“The power represented by a flag is one concept that really resonated with me during today’s Treaty One flag-raising ceremony,” she said. “The speakers’ remarks were all so eloquent and thought-provoking. Surely a day like today signals that real, meaningful progress has been made in erasing any lines that may have divided people in Gimli.”
The Treaty One flag was adopted in May 2020 and incorporates the original spirit and intent of the treaties, which were to last “as long as the sun shines, the grass grows and the rivers flow.” The green represents the grass, the blue, the water and the yellow, the sun. The red represents the circle of life and the people who inhabit the land while the seven points around the sun represent the seven First Nations who signed Treaty No. 1 in 1871 at Lower Fort Garry.
The flag-raising was followed by a feast at the Gimli Recreation Centre.
Express Photos by Rayme Thomson
