“First Contact — A Journey to Healing” caught my eye as I scrolled through the TV guide. APTN was featuring this documentary which piqued my interest.
I was glad that I decided to record it on my PVR. I was captivated from the moment I started watching it. My opinion about the Indigenous people of this country was formed with limited knowledge of the culture’s true history. Although I am extremely grateful for the good life Canada has given me, I couldn’t help but feel that a grave injustice has been done to the indigenous people. I became deeply aware of this when taking a Creative Writing course at McGill. One of my fellow classmates was a lady who had been to a residential school. Our main assignment was to write a short story or the first chapter of a novel.
I listened intently to her childhood experience, how she was forced to leave her community in Northern Canada at a tender age and was flown to a big city. Her terrifying experience and the awful treatment that she received in the residential schools saddened me. It was hard for me to fathom the damage done to her. When I asked if she would continue writing her novel, her response was: “It is too painful for me to continue this story”.
First Contact takes six Canadians on a 28-day journey intended to challenge these attitudes and shed light on the true Indigenous experience. I was privileged to join this team vicariously on their journey. The exploration of the true Indigenous experience in Canada certainly enriched my knowledge forever.
After watching this documentary, I wondered what I could do to make a slight difference in the plight of the Indigenous people of Canada. Part of me felt that my hands were tied, but another part felt that there must be something I can do. As Mother Theresa said, “Small things done with great love will change the world”. I decided that I can start by writing about it.