Pope Francis Apology - What does it mean for Indigenous Peoples?

Pope Francis Apology - What does it mean for Indigenous Peoples?
🧡 B E C O M I N G A N I N D I G E N O U S A L L Y C O U R S E

In case you have no clue what I’m talking about, on July 25th… Pope Francis issued an apology for the involvement of the catholic church with Canada's creation of Residential schools in 1884 which were funded and operated by the Government of Canada and churches. The schools were created to make Indigenous children assimilate into Canadian culture. Children at these schools were forced to adopt European languages, religions, and routines – Basically forcing them to abandon their Indigenous language, cultural beliefs, and way of life. Experiences at these schools were often traumatic and still impact the lives of many adult Indigenous people today. An apology is a regretful acknowledgment of an offense or failure. The Issued Apology from Pope Francis meant a lot of different things for Indigenous people:

In todays video I’m breaking down These 5 different feelings that are experienced by indigenous people.

#popefrancis #popeincanada #residentialschools

💭 A M I A G O O D I N D I G E N O U S A L L Y ? / /
Take our quiz now and find out!

⌚ T I M E S T A M P / /
0:00 - Intro
0:27 - What does the apology of the pope mean for Indigenous people?
1:32 - What are Residential Schools?
2:21 - What is an Apology?
2:45 - The emotions people might feel
3:10 - This video can help you if you are Indigenous by...
3:19 - This video can help you if you are an Ally by...
3:42 - 5 Biggest reactions for what the Pope Francis Apology mean
3:49 - Extreme Sadness, Pain, and Despair
4:42 - Anger and Resentment
6:22 - Annoyance or Rejection of the Apology
7:55 - Positivity and Satisfaction
8:41 - Humor
9: 33 - Are you a good Indigenous ally?
10:26 - Outro

👊🏽 R E S I L I E N C Y W E E K W A I T L I S T

🔥 J O I N O U R S M U D G E C I R C L E W A I T L I S T

🦅 W H A T I S Y O U R S P I R I T A N I M A L ? / /

For more information on the sacred medicines and medicinal smudging ➡️

🔥 S A C R E D M E D I C I N E S & S M U D G I N G G U I D E / /

🦅 C E L E B R A T E I N D I G E N O U S P E O P L E S D A Y / /

🔥 M E D I C I N E W H E E L P O S T E R / /

🎥 C H E C K O U T T H E S E V I D E O S / /

SWEETGRASS SMUDGING 🌿(Why & How to Smudge with Sweet Grass)

Benefits of Smudging with Sage 🔥(5 Scientific Reasons to SMUDGE with Sage!)

Where to Hang Dream Catcher (10 Places to Hang Your Dreamcatcher)

⭐️ F E A T U R E D P R O D U C T S / /

SMUDGE KIT

SAGE LARGE (8-9”)

MINI SAGE SMALL

SWEETGRASS BRAID

🏹 A B O U T T R I B A L T R A D E / /

🤗 C O N N E C T W I T H U S O N S O C I A L / /

[MalloryRoseCo]

What are your thoughts about the apology of Pope Francis to the residential school victims?

[myingaet]

He never apologized for the sexual abuse. Actions speak louder than words so I am waiting for the action.

[maryannforbes]

Cindy Blackstock created a good list of things the Pope could do going forward to act on the apology. The Pope did not apologize for what the church did but what some people in the church did. We spent so much money asking the Pope to come to Canada and preparing for his visit when this money could have been used to create healing centers, providing clean drinking water, land based programs, etc. The church is incredibly wealthy with land and money- give some of that land back, pay your (back) taxes and let Indigenous Peoples decide how we can heal from the trauma, loss and abuse.

[ediecasias]

As a native, I'm disturbed they put a headdress on the Pope. I was one who went to a catholic boarding school. My hair was cut. They were mean to us. His apology... with so much of what the Catholic church has done I myself stay away. It's been many years, I don't hold any anger or bitterness in my heart. But I did, my heart still breaks when I see pictures or hear stories or read about it. Than you

[lalee]

Although I feel that many residential school survivors needed to hear the apology to receive validation, my reaction is one of disappointment that he received a headdress as I do not feel that he is deserving of this well meaning acknowledgement by Indigenous peoples. The atrocities that Indigenous people have endured was not addressed to the degree that his apology needed to take . As Murray Sinclair stated " his apology did not go far enough because it did not acknowledge the Catholic Church's institutional responsibility for the abuses at those schools. The Pope placed blame on the individual members of the church rather than the role of that the church played and enforced. It was a concerted institutional effort to remove children from their families and culture all in the name of Christian supremacy. As part of the Truth and Reconciliation calls to action, a request for the Pope's apology was requested in 1994, Indigenous people have been waiting for 28 years to hear a less than heart felt apology. His apology should have pointed out the "criminal acts" that those children faced and I do not feel he expressed shame and remorse in the name of the church. As stated by John Saganash, his apology should have been made within one year of the 2015 TRC reports. Francis omitted any mention of the sexual abuse or deaths that occurred, which gives him and the church a pass on liability. Saganash referred to the Pope's words as a "half-apology". Let's see how he is received in Quebec by the Mohawk Mothers. Oh, by the way, I did not watch the apology because it went exactly how I envisioned. I did however enjoy your video today Mallory. Miigwech.

Well like I said in your poll the other day….His apology meant absolutely nothing to me. They’re just words…words cannot erase what the colonizers have done to our ppl not one bit. Say less and do more. We need actions not words. And regardless of how much they do to try and right their wrongs I don’t feel at any point they should be rewarded with something as sacred as a head dress by any means. Seeing Si Pih Ko pour her heart out was heart breaking and just took me back to every single thing they have done to us. Chi-miigwech Mallory…your presence on here is much appreciated and needed. 🙏🏽❤️🙏🏽

[Crazy_Christine]

I do feel like Pope Francis looked and reacted apathetically; like he was unmoved, and stoic like a cold, stone. He looked like So Ph Ko's performance and speech didn't even touch his heart, nor phase him whatsoever. I feel like that in itself just added more injury to insult!!😞
Did the apology from the Pope even mean anything? Was it genuine?🙊 How can ANYONE not react to, or be moved by, the amazingly resilient woman [So Phi Ko] who sang bravely, and who gathered up the courage to proudly stand tall and speak her true thoughts and feelings to the Pope?!?🙉 Even I was in tears halfway through her song, let alone when she spoke in Cree directly to Pope Francis.😓 If the Pope's apology was genuine and from his heart, then he should release all of the documents that have been requested [for quite some time now] from the Vatican, the Catholic church, and the hidden Vaults below that remain inaccessible to all!🙈 These documents are beyond important and necessary - not only for Residential School survivors and settlements/lawsuits, but also because our people NEED these documents disclosed in order to begin their healing process and their journey moving forward in life.😠
The Pope apologizing was absolutely NOT what I imagined it to be, sadly. I was, and am, highly disgusted and disappointed!!😡 I'm quite certain that my grandparents, great-grandparents, my great great-grandparents, etc. are rolling in their graves, unsettled by this pathetically empty attempt to placate our people into peace with, and acceptance of, the [Catholic] church institutions that were once forced upon us by the white colonial settlers!😤 Both the white colonial settlers and the church institutions were the ones who initially ruined this once great land!😢
My heart continues to deeply ache for all of the Residential School survivors in my family and across Canada. May you find the needed inner peace and strength to be able to move forward proudly, as you are one of many who is a COURAGEOUSLY BRAVE SURVIVOR of the most dark historical period in Canada. You are APPRECIATED and LOVED, and by sharing your experiences, it helps to shed light on what Canada and Canadian history is really, truly all about (rather than what was looked over and not taught in history classes at school). It gives others HOPE - hope that there's still a chance they, too can heal the past traumas and move forward in their life journey. ❤🪶🦅

[johngouin]

An apology years later is insignificant. He's apologizing on behalf of other people, that's just politics. Is he fundraising or doing anything? The people giving him a headdress must be paid actors. It's all theatre regardless. They are just playing along for votes and to fill there coffers.

[IzyB]

Thank You for sharing this. Since childhood, I've been drawn to Native Americans, not because I've known any Indigenous People, rather I feel an interconnectedness with them that I cannot readily explain. Though I am not the best 'Ally' that I could possibly be, I have been a long-time advocate for wildlife & our environment. Some of these issues have directly & indirectly affected Indigenous People, regarding land, rivers, etc. Angry & saddened by the atrocities inflicted upon Native Cultures, I can only hope that this ‘Apology’ will provide a catalyst for which additional amends will ensue.

[gloriashoon]

Thank you for doing this. As a Canadian I found it very interesting to see the various reaction buckets and how and why you categorized them the way you did. I am better informed on this subject - so "Thank You".

[sandyk]

The Catholic church was running residential schools since the 1600s in Canada. The pope didn't make a definitive apology, leaving out any responsibility by the church, any acknowledgement of the rampant sexual abuse, or the awareness of abuses and cover-up by the church. I was disappointed by the headdress presentation to a non-indigenous non-warrior who hadn't sacrificed for any tribe, anywhere. I have some Pokenoket, now called Wampanoag, heritage. What I do admire is the woman who called the Pope out in her language, and she did not approve of his church or his performance. A factual translation of what she said is coming out. She is real. What I saw from Rome was just an empty show.

[jacquelinemetallic]

I agree with Gail Taylor ..thank you and welain for sharing your comment sister

[marilynmccord]

I am Caucasian, grew up in Calgary Alberta, and had minimal contact or exposure to Indigenous people other than viewing their partipation and regalia at the Stampede each year; and a childhood school yard friendship with a daughter of wrestler Stu Hart. I have lived the last 20 years in Dease Lake, BC, and Watson Lake YT. Both are small towns located in traditional territories of First Nations. I have been through the shock and dismay of discovering the inherent biases I had, due to being white and growing up in a white world. I am fortunate to have bumbled through my “waking up” process, and I am so grateful for the tolerance, guidance, love and and ultimately, respect that I have been gifted from the Indigenous persons I have had and continue to have in my life. I feel that I am much more of a person because I have been welcomed, cared for, nurtured and taught by the Tlingit, Kaska Cree and Tahltan people for twenty years. I continue to tread gently as a “woke person”, being well aware that I still have imbedded biases that I may not be aware of yet. I am a person who has PTSD, as a result of several traumatic events occurring to me, or within my family. I became aware a few years ago that I am easily triggered into depression and or panic attacks when hearing about, witnessing, or just thinking about the crimes committed to the First Nation people. I live with and love many family members and friends who live with PTSD, and continue to experience disrespect, violence and prejudicial treatment due to their ethnicity. Ironically, I believe, besides my love and care for them, the best thing I have to offer is my complete understanding of what ii is like to live with PTSD. I am mostly able to be non judgemental, tolerant of their behaviour as long as they are not being violent to themselves or me. I am able to see the person that they are despite how they are presenting on any given day, and able to chat, support, or leave them alone if that is what they ask for. I have learned that I am cared for unconditionally by many people, more so than some of those that I am related to. This is a lengthy comment, I apologize. I felt the need to write this, in order to help me identify and describe my reaction to the Pope’s “apology”.
In one word…pathetic. I am not a religious person, so I am already biased. I learned from my parents the biases inherent in most religions, particularly against women, and have been non- religious through my life. I do not believe that any human being on earth qualifies as a conduit for any spiritual being. No mortal being is superior than any other and therefore could not be chosen over another. In my estimation, the Pope’s message
was completely without compassion, penitence, or authenticity. I had a similar reaction to his speech as I had when I disclosed about sexual abuse to my abuser’s partner…a sense that I had bothered them, that what happened really wasn’t that bad, and that it was probably done in my best interest. I feel the most anger because so many FN people are now Catholics. It breaks my heart that the elders that I know and love, continue to believe in a God who guided his disciples to subject them to cultural genocide. These FN people lived through all that abuse, and now continue to go church and ask forgiveness for their sins. I think the only thing the Pope could have done that would have been appropriately apologetic, would be to urge all FN people to discard their Catholic faith and return to their traditional beliefs and practises, particularly their healing practises. I am so angry that 35 million was spent on this….the Ope should have paid for it himself. Who else would require that they needed to have their trip paid for in order for them to make an apology??

[TalD]

Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts. As a non-Indigenous person, I am learning so much from your videos and I hope I become a better ally for the Indigenous community. In the video, you reference a few times that you will share additional links that elaborate on some of the parts you talk about, but I cannot seem to find them in your video description box. Where can I find these links? 💓

[kimatoonskin]

I am part native down here on the US side and after seeing the apology, I feel happy because I’m hoping that for the Canadian side, it will spark a chain of positive events to take place to benefit the indigenous culture and it sheds light and education to those who don’t really know what happened.

[stevenkuntryjones]

After years of making us slaves, taking our homes and land away, killing our children in schools, and so much more, all we get is an apology 💔 HUM somehow I don't think that's good enough for genocide.

[timothygarthwaite]

"We came to serve God and to get rich, as all men wish to do."-Bernal Diaz del Castillo - and...we're...sorry? Hey, why are you still angry? We said we're sorry! For me, it is the indifference, the hollowness, the lack of understanding, the apathy...it's indescribable...isn't it the height of irony that we (as well meaning humans, all) removed a Native headdress from a supermodel for the reason of cultural appropriation just to see it placed on the head of the Pope?

[miriam]

It means he filled the request of the Indigenous people and apologized on their soil in Canada.

[lindaporter]

Why if they are truely sorry of the horror they have inflicted why not invest in rehabilation, improve reservations, learning programs, ? Not like the Catholic church did not benifit or not filthy rich from ill gotten gains world wide, not to mention crimes against humanity.

[triciabishop]

Thank you Mallory I appreciate your videos and have learned so much from them. As a Catholic I was expecting so much more. The Pope did not acknowledge the criminal acts. The Pope has the power to help the reconciliation process, I was hopeful when I heard he was coming but all I feel now is ashamed of the lost opportunity. I was also waiting to hear what the Vatican is going to do in reparation for the crimes committed. I don't understand him receiving the headdress.