Dr. Siddiqui says Winnipeg’s first national Muslim-Indigenous solidarity conference is just the beginning, expressing hope that it will inspire communities to take action.
The sounds of ceremonial drums opened the conference on the crisp morning of January 25. Hosted by the Islamic Social Service Association (ISSA) the conference was “a decade in the making,” explains ISSA Volunteer Executive Director Dr. Shahina Siddiqui. ISSA worked with Indigenous Elders, Imams, and community leaders to better understand the impacts of colonization, ongoing discrimination, allyship, and reconciliation.
“This is the culmination of all the small sessions that we have. The conversations we’ve had and the sharing, and it was time we were ready to bring everyone together. There are some who have attended other conferences then and also bringing our youth,” says Siddiqui. “We did it for our grandkids. The next generation. Because, you know, trauma goes intergenerational. And we wanted our youth first to have the opportunity to learn and then to act.”
For Dr.Siddiqui, being a good ally means building relationships and friendships. She adds that reconciliation is a responsibility not only to give treaty acknowledgments but also to stand up and fulfill those treaties.
The two-day conference featured several panels. The first panel, Legacy of Colonialism: Historical Analysis and Impacts, explored the foundations of colonization and its ongoing effects. It was led by the Honourable Leah Gazan, Member of Parliament for Winnipeg Centre, and Dr. Ingrid Mattson, the London and Windsor Community Chair in Islamic Studies at Huron University College.
Both speakers highlighted the importance of action and rebuilding. Gazan drew connections between global struggles, including the crisis of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, and Two-Spirit people (MMIWG2S) and the ongoing conflict in Palestine. She called for Canada, particularly its elected officials, to take a stand.
“We can’t look at our oppression in isolation, which is important right now, particularly with the rise of extremism, for people to work together to ensure human rights for all people. You can’t pick and choose when to uphold human rights.”
Dr. Mattson acknowledges that these conversations can feel exhausting but says we all have a responsibility to understand what is happening to those who are oppressed and to listen and stand with them.
“What we find instead is if we put in effort in understanding what is happening to other people who are being oppressed, we put a little bit of effort and what we find is often our exhaustion starts to lift. We start to feel energized because now we’ve found someone who understands, who can sometimes help, and who shares our burden, and we share theirs.”
Emotions were heavy during these discussions. Attendees stepped forward to console and support one another during difficult moments. These moments reflected that commitment to collective healing, says Gazan.
“It’s not just two communities here. I see a very diverse audience, and people are, in general, committed to the collective good and trying to figure out a way to lift each other up and ensure the dignity and humanity of all people.”
Dr. Mattson echoed this sentiment.
“I like to see the mix of people here today. We have some people, especially the organizers, who have very long-standing relationships, who have taken the time to know about each other, to know each other, to a really deep level, not only their community histories but their individual histories and that is so important and a good model for the rest of us.”
Dr. Siddiqui says ISSA is committed to addressing the systemic challenges experienced by communities in Manitoba and across the country, with plans for future events and conferences.
– Ryan Funk, U Multicultural
