En cette journée nationale des peuples autochtones

Jani Greffe Bélanger

En cette journée nationale des peuples autochtones

[ENGLISH VERSION] 

En cette Journée nationale des peuples autochtones...

Exeko reconnaît que la majorité de ses activités et actions se déroulent sur des territoire non- cédés et traditionnellement partagés, entre les peuples Kanien’kehà :ka et Anishnaabeg, qui les nomment respectivement Tiohtià:ke et Mooniyaang, maintenant appelés Montréal. Exeko reconnaît et respecte ces nations comme intendantes traditionnelles du territoire, des terres et des eaux où nous avons le privilège de faire nos activités, sans y avoir été officiellement invité.e.s…

Exeko reconnaît aussi que le cœur de ses actions est rendu possible grâce à l’accueil des communautés autochtones, la confiance, les amitiés tissées au fil du temps, mais aussi les savoirs, les connaissances, les pratiques, les traditions dont nous bénéficions au travers nos partenariats au fil du temps renforçant, influençant et modelant pour le mieux nos approches et pratiques.

Rien ne serait possible sans cette rencontre et cette collaboration, rien…

Rien ne serait possible dans notre société sans l’accueil, l’ouverture et la contribution constante des communautés autochtones et ce depuis des siècles, malgré la colonisation subie, malgré l’assimilation qui perdure et le racisme simple et systémique qui persistent. Nous reconnaissons qu’en plus de bénéficier de la colonisation et de nos privilèges, chaque jour nous nous inscrivons dans un écosystème montréalais, québécois et canadien qui continue d'opprimer les peuples autochtones et ce malgré toutes nos bonnes intentions.

Exeko veut célébrer toutes les personnes autochtones qui ont croisé, croisent et croiseront son chemin.

À vous partenaires, merci de votre accueil, de votre confiance, votre douce mais nécessaire manière de nous remettre en question. MERCI!

À tou.te.s les intervenant.e.s avec qui nous collaborons, travaillons, rions, pleurons, crions, merci, de nous apprendre, merci d’être vulnérables, d’être vrai.e.s et féroces. Votre force nous inspire, nous chamboule et nous inquiète un peu au quotidien. Prenez soin de vous. Montréal, prenez soin d’eux. MERCI!

À vous mama bears, you know who you are... You brought us in a place where it was necessary for Exeko to be, where is no place to hide. There is a lot a emotions, there were a lot of emotions and there will be a lot more… We love you so… We can not be grateful enough for all the knowledge and love you shared with us… You taught us with love and kindness… you didn’t have to do that, but you did… THANK YOU!!!

À tou.te.s les participant.e.s autochtones croisé.e.s en ville, merci pour les fous rires, pour les cours d'inuktitut, pour les soirées à philosopher, pour le partage de votre vérité, pour la générosité qu’on rencontre à chaque coin de rue, pour les câlins… Merci de s’inquiéter pour nous quand on s’y attend le moins, quand nous pensions que nous étions là pour vous, vous nous prouviez le contraire. MERCI!

À vous jeunes et moins jeunes que nous avons le grand privilège de croiser dans nos projets en communautés… Merci, de nous accepter dans une parcelle de votre vie, merci de vouloir jouer, penser, réfléchir et créer avec nous. Merci de partager vos talents, vos idées, vos histoires. Merci d’embarquer dans nos folies, merci d’être vous, d’être inspirants, drôles et touchants. Vous nous influencez plus que vous ne le croyez. Vous nous faites grandir. Lorsqu’on croyait avoir tout entendu, tout vu, vous nous surprenez, vous dites les plus belles affirmations, formulez les plus belles philosophies et vous nous rappeler qu’être adulte n’est pas une finalité en tant qu’humain. Vous nous donnez envie d’être encore et toujours de meilleur.e.s humain.e.s. Vous nous faites croire à un futur plus lumineux, plus inclusif. Vous êtes les plus grands magicien.ne.s de cette aventure. MERCI!

Jani Greffe Bélanger 

 

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Thanks to Ana-Maria Stamatescu for the French to English translation

On this National Indigenous Peoples Day

Exeko acknowledges that a majority of its actions and activities take place on the traditional unceded and shared territories of the Kanien’kehà:ka and Anishnaabeg people, who call this land, now known as Montreal, Tiohtià:ke and Mooniyaang respectively. Exeko recognizes and respects these nations as the traditional stewards of the territory, of the lands and waters where we conduct our activities, without having ever been officially invited…

Exeko also recognizes that the core of its actions is made possible by the hospitality of Indigenous communities, their trust, the friendships made over time, but also the knowledge, the practices and the traditions of these communities, which we have benefitted from over the years and which has reinforced, influenced and shaped our approaches and practices for the better.

Nothing would be possible without this meeting and this collaboration, nothing…

Nothing would be possible in our society without the hospitality, openness and constant contribution of Indigenous communities. For centuries, they have played a central role in spite of the colonization they’ve faced, in spite of enduring assimilation attempts and simple and systemic racism. We acknowledge that not only do we benefit from colonization and our own privilege, but that each day, in spite of our best intentions, we contribute to and live in a city, a province, a country that continues to oppress Indigenous people.

Exeko wants to celebrate every Indigenous person who has crossed, crosses or will cross our path.

To our partners, thank you for your hospitality, your trust, your kind but needed way of questioning us. THANK YOU!

To all the community workers with whom we collaborate, work, laugh, cry, thank you for teaching us, thank you for being vulnerable, for being true and fierce. Your strength inspires us, awes us and occasionally worries us. Take care of yourselves. Montreal, take care of them. THANK YOU!

To all the mama bears, you know who you are… You brought us to a place where it was necessary for Exeko to be, where there is no place to hide. There are a lot of emotions, there were a lot of emotions and there will be a lot more… We love you so… We cannot be more grateful for all the knowledge and love you share with us… You taught us love and kindness… you didn’t have to do that, but you did… THANK YOU!!!

To all the Indigenous participants whose paths we’ve crossed in the city, thank you for the laughs, for the Inuktitut classes, for the nights spent philosophizing, for the sharing and for your truth, for the generosity we encounter at every street corner, for the hugs… Thank you for worrying about us when we least expect it, for proving that when we thought we were here for you, it was actually the opposite all along. THANK YOU!

To those young and those not as young that we have the immense privilege of meeting during our community projects…. Thank you for accepting us in a part of your lives, thank you for wanting to play, think, reflect and create with us. Thank you for sharing your talents, your ideas, your stories. Thank you for joining in on our crazy projects, thank you for being you, for being inspiring, funny and touching. You influence us more than you think. You make us grow. When we thought we’d heard it all, seen it all, you surprise us, you say the most beautiful things, you formulate the most beautiful philosophies and remind us that adulthood is not the end in our journey as humans. You make us want to be better humans, now and always. You make us believe in a brighter, more inclusive future. You are the biggest magicians in this adventure. THANK YOU!

Jani Greffe Bélanger, program codirector  

Sous la responsabilité de la coordination générale, sous la supervision du responsable des partenariats et en étroite collaboration avec l’équipe...

 

 

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  • « By engaging with people on a deep level, we see Exeko reinvigorating individual spirit to rebuild society in a new way. Exeko's work is not about small projects, but about achieving full social inclusion at a systemic level. [...] we believe that Exeko will reach a level of systemic impact with Quebec, Canada and the world within 5-10 years. »

    Elisha Muskat, Executive Director, Ashoka Canada

  • « Its goal? To develop reasoning, critical thinking, logic, and increase citizen participation of these marginalized groups. »

    Caroline Monpetit, Le Devoir (free translation)

  • «  I write my thoughts in my head, not on paper, and my thought is not lost. »

    Participant @PACQ

  • « Why use paper when it is as beautiful as this? »

    One of the co-creator for Métissage Urbain

  • « I Have my own identity ! »

    Putulik, Inuit participant, Métissage Urbain

  • « It is terrible for a society to ignore people with such talent! »

    Hélène-Elise Blais, les Muses about ART and ID projects

  • « Art has the advantage to make people talk about abilities rather than limitations, when confronted with an intellectual disability.  »

    Delphine Ragon, Community Programs Manager, Les Compagnons de Montréal

  • « Over the past few years, we have been seeing more and more high quality productions by people with an intellectual disability who truly are artists.  »

    Julie Laloire @AMDI

  • « Exeko implements creative solutions to several problematic, gives a voice to those we don't hear and hope to the underprivileged. »

    Bulletin des YMCA

  • « Its goal? To develop reasoning, critical thinking, logic, and increase citizen participation of these marginalized groups. »

    Caroline Monpetit, Le Devoir (free translation)

  • « ...empowering the children, and giving them confidence »

    APTN National News

  • « It’s a great program for children to learn about their traditions and to increase their interaction with Elders in the community. »

    Erika Eagle, Social Development Assistant with Waswanipi Brighter Future

  • « We are not higher, we are not lower, we are equal. »

    Simeoni, participant idAction Mobile

  • « Receving is good, but giving is better »

    Participant idAction@Kanesatake

  • « They're both people. We're not looking enough after people with problems, and mostly with mental health issues. Then we would have more people able to work. »

    Participant, idAction@Accueil Bonneau

  • « What better way to strengthen intergenerational ties? [...] A meeting between peers, a place for expression, learning and recovery »

    Chantal Potvin, reporter at Innuvelle

  • «  I don't know everything, but while reading it, it always bring me one step closer »

    A participant, idAction Mobile

  • «  By engaging with people on a deep level, we see Exeko reinvigorating individual spirit to rebuild society in a new way. Exeko's work is not about small projects, but about achieving full social inclusion at a systemic level. [...] we believe that Exeko will reach a level of systemic impact with Quebec, Canada and the world within 5-10 years. »

    Elisha Muskat, Executive Director, Ashoka Canada

  • «  ...empowering the children, and giving them confidence »

    APTN National News

  • «  I was completely alone today, thanks for talking to me »

    Elie, participant @idAction Mobile

  • «  They're both people. We're not looking enough after people with problems, and mostly with mental health issues. Then we would have more people able to work. »

    Participant, idAction@Accueil Bonneau

  • «  Today, the power acquired through knowledge is more far-reaching than knowledge itself. »

    André Frossard

  • « By engaging with people on a deep level, we see Exeko reinvigorating individual spirit to rebuild society in a new way. Exeko's work is not about small projects, but about achieving full social inclusion at a systemic level. [...] we believe that Exeko will reach a level of systemic impact with Quebec, Canada and the world within 5-10 years.»
    Elisha Muskat, Executive Director, Ashoka Canada
  • « Exeko implements creative solutions to several problematic, gives a voice to those we don't hear and hope to the underprivileged.»
    Bulletin des YMCA
  • « Over the past few years, we have been seeing more and more high quality productions by people with an intellectual disability who truly are artists. »
    Julie Laloire @AMDI
  • « Art has the advantage to make people talk about abilities rather than limitations, when confronted with an intellectual disability. »
    Delphine Ragon, Community Programs Manager, Les Compagnons de Montréal
  • « It is terrible for a society to ignore people with such talent!»
    Hélène-Elise Blais, les Muses about ART and ID projects
  • « I Have my own identity !»
    Putulik, Inuit participant, Métissage Urbain
  • « Why use paper when it is as beautiful as this?»
    One of the co-creator for Métissage Urbain
  • « I write my thoughts in my head, not on paper, and my thought is not lost.»
    Participant @PACQ
  • « Its goal? To develop reasoning, critical thinking, logic, and increase citizen participation of these marginalized groups.»
    Caroline Monpetit, Le Devoir (free translation)
  • « Its goal? To develop reasoning, critical thinking, logic, and increase citizen participation of these marginalized groups.»
    Caroline Monpetit, Le Devoir (free translation)
  • « Today, the power acquired through knowledge is more far-reaching than knowledge itself.»
    André Frossard
  • « They're both people. We're not looking enough after people with problems, and mostly with mental health issues. Then we would have more people able to work.»
    Participant, idAction@Accueil Bonneau
  • « They're both people. We're not looking enough after people with problems, and mostly with mental health issues. Then we would have more people able to work.»
    Participant, idAction@Accueil Bonneau
  • « We are not higher, we are not lower, we are equal.»
    Simeoni, participant idAction Mobile
  • « I was completely alone today, thanks for talking to me»
    Elie, participant @idAction Mobile
  • « Receving is good, but giving is better»
    Participant idAction@Kanesatake
  • « What better way to strengthen intergenerational ties? [...] A meeting between peers, a place for expression, learning and recovery»
    Chantal Potvin, reporter at Innuvelle
  • «  ...empowering the children, and giving them confidence»
    APTN National News
  • « By engaging with people on a deep level, we see Exeko reinvigorating individual spirit to rebuild society in a new way. Exeko's work is not about small projects, but about achieving full social inclusion at a systemic level. [...] we believe that Exeko will reach a level of systemic impact with Quebec, Canada and the world within 5-10 years.»
    Elisha Muskat, Executive Director, Ashoka Canada
  • « It’s a great program for children to learn about their traditions and to increase their interaction with Elders in the community.»
    Erika Eagle, Social Development Assistant with Waswanipi Brighter Future
  • « ...empowering the children, and giving them confidence»
    APTN National News