Beautiful Encounters Between EMJM and the Matimekush-Lac John Community

Students at Externat Mont-Jésus-Marie (EMJM) recently held a big surprise for Chief Réal McKenzie and members of the Matimekush-Lac John* community. Responding to the Chief’s invitation, Ms. Stéphanie Godin, Director of the EMJM, visited Schefferville on the weekend of September 21.

She found an original way to demonstrate the seriousness of the approach and the obvious interest of the young students in the Innu community, with the presentation of a video. The video shows the students singing the spiritual song “Tshishe manitu”, which is very meaningful to Chief McKenzie. Community members and guests of honour during her visit were particularly touched by this EMJM initiative.

In addition to paying tribute to singer-songwriter Florent Vollant, this song is one of many actions undertaken by the EMJM since the initial meeting with the chief of this Innu community on the National Day of Truth and Reconciliation in 2023.

Walking together towards reconciliation

Since then, the approach has gone far beyond a visit or a show, “It is an encounter” that has prompted young people to ask questions and show a desire to learn more about the culture of the Innu people. During her visit to Schefferville, Ms. Godin proposed concrete projects to help them “walk together towards reconciliation.”

Recent activities to mark the National Day of Reconciliation on September 30, included a reading of Phyllis Webstad’s book “Avec nos cœurs orange” (With Our Orange Hearts) in grades 1–3; an awareness-raising booth for grades 4–6, and a number of projects with teachers and their students in their English classes.

On October 1, Chief Réal McKenzie returned to the EMJM to thank the students for their song. After showing the video of the song to all the students at the start of the meeting, the youngsters sang it again. The students from grades 4 to 6 then asked a few questions, curious to discover the characteristics of this Innu community’s culture.

Filled with emotion, these moments of encounter are also filled with hope.

*Matimekush (phonetic: Ma-ti-mé-kosh) means “little trout” in Innu-aimun. This Innu Nation community is located 3.5 km from the center of Schefferville, on the North Shore.

Photo credit: Externat Mont-Jésus-Marie