50 Indigenous and non-Indigenous youth are in Six Nations this week, part of program promoting reconciliation

Samantha Westlands was visiting Winnipeg in 2023 as a Grade 11 student when she heard about a new program called Youth-to-Youth (Y2Y).

It was being launched by the non-profit HIP (Honouring Indigenous Peoples), with the aim of fostering truth and reconciliation between Indigenous and non-Indigenous people — through a youth gathering. Westlands signed up.

"I thought it might be an interesting experience to find out a bit more about my culture, a bit more about where my grandmother comes from, and so that's why I signed up for the first-ever experience," Westlands told CBC Hamilton.

The program takes applications from across Canada, from which they select 50 participants — 25 who are Indigenous and 25 who are non-Indigenous. The charity covers an all-expenses-paid trip for the 50 young people, who range in age from 15 to 17.

"I really, really had the most amazing time. It was the most eye-opening experience, I met so many people and I really wanted to stay involved," Westlands said.

Westlands, who is Métis, Scottish, Irish, Welsh and Anishinaabe, said she was asked to come back as one of the program's youth leaders the following year in Mission, B.C., and the year after that in Nova Scotia. Last summer, Westlands was hired as assistant to HIP's executive director.

This year, the gathering is being held in Six Nations of the Grand River, not far from Brantford, Ont., from March 22 to 28.

"The whole point of the trip is truth and reconciliation between both sides," Westlands said. "So, throughout the trip they do all kinds of different things."

Throughout the week-long gathering, the students participate in a wide range of activities: learning how to fillet fish, skin rabbits, put up teepees, make fire, making rattles and drums, and cedar weaving.

The students also hear testimonies from residential school survivors, elders who live on the land, and participate in language workshops and dancing.

"Over the week you really see both sides come together and realize that they're not so different," Westlands said. 

"But it's also a really great way to have them feel comfortable with each other."

According to Westlands, Phyllis Webstad — the creator of Orange Shirt Day — has endorsed the HIPY2Y program and has attended each one since its second year.

"She flies out and gives a presentation to the youth on her orange shirt story and we find that that's usually one of the most impactful presentations throughout the entire week," said Westlands.