A week of celebration of faith and identity across two events in North America has Indigenous Anglican leaders energized, and enthusiastic for the future.
The Most Reverend Chris Harper, National Indigenous Anglican Archbishop of Canada, attended the opening days of the Navajoland Pilgrimage from 31 July to 3 August, before hosting the ‘Sacred Circle’ event in Canada from 5 to 10 August.
The pilgrimage, hosted by Rev. Canon Cornelia Eaton of the Episcopal Church in Navajoland and Archbishop Don Tamihere, included Archbishop Chris on its first leg alongside 30 pilgrims from Aotearoa, the U.S., and Brazil. The full 10-day journey took participants across Navajoland in Arizona, Utah, and New Mexico from 31 July to 10 August.
From far left: Bishop Riscylla Walsh-Shaw, Bishop Barry Beisner, Archbishop Marinez Bassotto, Archbishop Don Tamihere, Archbishop Chris Harper
He feels that the Indigenous movement within the Communion is growing stronger.
Indigenous Canadian Anglicans discussed, among many things, the future of the Indigenous Anglican Church in Canada, particularly as it progresses toward self-governance of the Canadian Indigenous Anglican church.
He laid out the differences in worldview between European-Canadian and Indigenous-Cree traditions and how these have influenced church governance.
“The call [of Sacred Circle] has always been to be a Canadian Indigenous Anglican church—not simply a ministry of the Anglican Church of Canada, but something that we can call and identify as our own and find pathways forward,” Enright, a member of the James Smith Cree nation, said.
Archbishop Chris says the indigenous movement in Canada is “at least five years” behind Tikanga Māori in Aotearoa, and they are observing and learning from the trail being formed here.
“We also count the thorn bushes that you’ve had to go through to get to where you are right now.
“And at the same time, we acknowledge that we know we are in the thorn bushes right now, trying to have our voice heard and acknowledged within a system that has always been suspicious, or, if not, hesitant or resistant to giving any authority, any voice, or any control to Indigenous peoples, especially in regard to ministry,” he says.
Indigenous Canadian Anglicans, he adds, often refer to ‘reconciliation and healing’ when discussing the future direction of the people, and the church. He has also coined a new term – reconciliaction.
“Where we do something, it’s more than just words, it’s what we do and that’s what brings healing to our people.
“I’m hoping that in the time ahead there will be fewer struggles over our own way of doing things. We would have more control over our finances, our programming, our governance, the way we do things, and the quality of how we do them, as well as having the canons, constitutions, and by-laws we need to give us a stronger identity.”
Archbishop Chris has had many conversations with Anglican Indigenous networks, including Archbishop Don Tamihere around supporting each other to embrace their indigeneity as well as their Christianity.
Joining each other on pilgrimages, such as Navajoland, brings those to life.
Canyon De Chelly, AZ
“What I’ve discovered is that there are a lot of common creation stories among Indigenous peoples, but also about our identity as Indigenous peoples, which gives us the strength and confidence to say that we’re not the lost afterthought in faith, but rather that we have always been part of the family.
“They have, here in the Navajo Nation, houses that are domed – Hogans – and we are together under one great dome all around, all of us relatives under the Creator.
“It’s not our differences that divide us, but rather those very differences that bring us together.”