Reflections, impacts of slavery shared at Manitoba’s first official Emancipation Day event

Winnipeggers gathered on the St. Norbert Arts Centre on Monday to mark the creation of laws that abolished slavery in Canada 188 years in the past, and mirror on the continuing hardships Black folks face. 

Co-host Uche Nwankwo stated the anniversary is a possibility to debate Black historical past and talk about the work that should occur to finish the continuing results of slavery.

“Historical past is vital. It is a means of remembering what had occurred after which discovering a technique to forestall a future prevalence of such ugly historical past,” he stated on Monday.

Along with addressing ongoing anti-Black racism in Canada, Nwankwo stated the native Emancipation Day programming additionally seemed on the related therapy of Indigenous peoples in Canada. The occasion included speeches from neighborhood advocates and politicians, and completed with a sacred fireplace outdoors the humanities centre.

Former CFL and NFL participant and present Winnipeg resident Willard Reaves, who additionally co-hosted the occasion, says marking Emancipation Day is vital.

“We’re nonetheless feeling the impacts as a result of racism continues to be alive and effectively in each america and in Canada. If we simply put it on the again burner, it is going to by no means, ever go away.” he stated.

Reaves stated he hopes marking the anniversary of Emancipation Day will encourage folks to place apart their variations and interact in additional respect for each other. 

“It is for folks to recollect a really darkish, darkish time … it is a stark reminder of simply how merciless human beings can truly be. And this can be a stepping stones to ensure that we by no means repeat historical past once more, particularly as hideous as slavery is.”

Conventional information keeper Michael Pierre sits on the board of administrators for the St. Norbert Artwork Centre. He held a sacred fireplace on the finish of the occasion and stated the humanities centre has been acknowledged as a sacred website by many conventional folks.

Pierre stated marking the anniversary of Emancipation Day was additionally vital to the Indigenous neighborhood.

“Recognizing that as an Indigenous individual and seeing my family within the Black neighborhood … We now have a shared historical past and customary experiences,” he stated. “However once more, all of us as human beings are impacted by all of a lot of these injustices that we do towards one another.”

Pierre stated he was happy to see many younger folks on the occasion, in addition to neighborhood and political leaders who acknowledged the significance of recognizing Emancipation Day. 

“It is a day to acknowledge and say thanks for all of the sacrifices that our ancestors have been by means of. The energy that they needed to hold going,” he stated.

It is the primary yr that Manitoba has formally acknowledged Emancipation Day, which marks the day the Slavery Abolition Act took impact within the British Empire (together with Canada) in 1834. Two years in the past, Ottawa named Aug. 1 as Emancipation Day, however the province did not formally undertake the laws to call it a vacation till October of that yr.

Round 30 folks attended the occasion Monday.

For extra tales concerning the experiences of Black Canadians — from anti-Black racism to success tales throughout the Black neighborhood — take a look at Being Black in Canada, a CBC challenge Black Canadians might be happy with. You’ll be able to learn extra tales right here.