CARSTAIRS -- A group of about a dozen people involved with the Walk for Common Ground event stopped in Carstairs on June 11 on their way from Edmonton to Calgary.
The group, who are walking to raise awareness about treaties, stayed the night at the Bancroft United Church in Carstairs before heading out the next morning.
While in Carstairs, the group showed a short film and held a sharing circle with members of the community.
Scott McDougall, a mental health therapist and board member for HSAA from Treaty 6/St. Paul, said the walk went well.
"We have about 25 core walkers," said McDougall. "It's a mixed group of faith group people, Health Sciences Association of Alberta (HSAA) people, and Indigenous people. The point of the walk is to share the film The River of Life with the view of helping other non-Indigenous people understand the history that none of us were taught in school, and hopefully have better relations going forward around the whole treaty relationship that we as settler people also have a part of."
The group started in Edmonton on May 31, stopping in several communities along the way before stopping in Olds on June 10. They left Olds and arrived in Carstairs on June 11. The walk was scheduled to end in Calgary.
"I think part of what this group has shown is a real passion for having these conversations, trying to right our relationship with Indigenous people," he said. "Lots of blisters, lots of sore feet, lots of sore knees. Despite that, people push on."
Bill Elliott, a former mayor of Wetaskiwin, said the group has been treated very well at every stop.
"Every place we've stopped at has served us supper or breakfast or both," said Elliott. "We ate very well again here tonight. The communities have been very welcoming. We have a talking circle following the video. I think we must have had 35 in Olds who joined our circle.
"They got to share their thoughts and opinions of what we're doing."
University student Cassidy Brown is from just outside Carstairs and participated in the walk. She called it a wonderful experience.
"It's been really great," said Brown. "Of course, it's been hard. Walking is hard but also carrying stories from different individuals can be hard. Each night when we go into a different community we do a sharing circle, where people can share what's in their hearts about these issues."
Brown said sitting in on the circle can be very inspiring, but can also be tough.
"The weight of our history and past as settlers we need to carry that with us," she said. "Our organizers have done a great job to make sure we have the resources to take time off and really enjoy the walk, which is about building relationships and raise awareness about treaties because we're all treaty people."
Brown graduated from Hugh Sutherland School and is currently attending Canadian Mennonite University in Winnipeg taking peace and conflict transformation studies.
She heard about the Walk for Action in one of her university classes.
"One of the organizers was in my class speaking and mentioned they were doing this walk from Edmonton to Calgary," she said. "I was like, when else will I get the chance to walk from Edmonton to Calgary."
Brown said she is just uncovering her Metis ancestry after learning about her mother's Metis heritage.
"She didn't really know about it until she was older," she said. "So we're in the process together of learning about that."
Brown said she has always been interested in Indigenous rights and, in particular, settler-Indigenous solidarity.
"I feel I didn't learn enough about treaties in school," she said. "I think that's just a process of education systems. So to be able to walk through Treaty 6 and Treaty 7 along with other settlers, Indigenous and Metis folk has been a great opportunity."
Brown said she thought treaties were just about Indigenous people but she has learned that they pertain to both settlers and Indigenous people.
