?imash ?imash e te syíyáya
Welcome to syíyáya
‘family and friends working together’
“It may take a million steps to reach reconciliation between our peoples in the shíshálh swiya, and right now, we may only be on step 500… but we’re on our way.”
?Akista xaxanak Garry Feschuk
About Us
Our Purpose
The syíyáyá Reconciliation Movement is a local initiative welcoming all people living on the shíshálh swíya (homelands) to come together to work together as one for healing of the intergenerational harm done to First People by Canada’s history of cultural genocide and abuse in residential schools. The word ‘syíyáyá’ literally means “family and friends working together” in she shashíshálhem, the language of the shíshálh people.
This visionary movement is a joint initiative of Indigenous and non-Indigenous residents of the Sunshine Coast, offering a local response to the Truth and Reconciliation Calls to Action while also calling for systemic change, provincially and nationally. Specifically, local actions involve collaborative projects that provide a pathway of relationships and dialogue towards reconciliation.
Launched at the shíshálh Longhouse in April 2018 by co-chairs ?akista xaxanak Garry Feschuk, former Chief of shíshálh Nation, and Cam Reid, former mayor of Sechelt, the syíyáyá Reconciliation Movement is inspired by and dedicated to the Survivors of Indian Residential Schools and Day Schools.
Our Process
Led by Indigenous and non-Indigenous community members, the emerging Movement consulted with shishalh Nation members for a full year to get input and secure support for action to support reconciliation. They then developed a partnership with the District of Sechelt to provide the organizational capacity to support the Movement.
The project is led by the sk’ak’ts’itawilh Committee comprised of equal representation of Indigenous and non-Indigenous people. The Committee’s key objectives are to:
- create a grounded and where to focus energies
- develop healing and educational components
- identify and acquire resources to sustain reconciliation
The Committee makes decisions based on a consensus of viewpoints.
Artists
Meet our talented artists: Andy Johnson, Jessica Silvey, Shy Watters & Tony Paul. Their amazing work, including weaving & carving, is featured here:
Our projects
- Launch of the Movement
- Visioning of Reconcilation in the shíshálh Homelands
- Weaving Tears into Dreams of Reconcilation
- Exploring Reconcilation: Events and Activities
- Carving Reconcilation
- Weaving Reconciliation
Interested in getting involved?
Describe volunteer opportunities: With the aim of helping as many people as possible, we always need enthusiastic volunteers. Please contact us for more info.
Testimonials
What People Say
The list of projects that syiyaya has completed was a needed reminder and encouragement in the discouraging times of COVID. Though appallingly few
of the many national goals for reconciliation have yet been realized, it is some comfort to be reminded that dedicated workers are slowly making progress locally toward thecultural acknowledgement and healing of wrongs that were done.
Larry Westlake
Wonderful job with those kids that need us and people from various places all over the world. I will definitely join your group as a volunteer.
John Doe
syiyaya reconciliation 