Conveners
KAIROS Blanket Exercise Workshop
- Alex Pederson ((Convener))
- Waaban Nang Collective ((KAIROS Facilitator))
Description
The Blanket Exercise is an experiential teaching tool that explores Indigenous perspectives and experiences. Developed collaboratively by Indigenous and non-Indigenous people, it incorporates themes from reports such as the Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples and the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. Participants physically step onto blankets representing the land and assume different roles, engaging emotionally and intellectually. The exercise fosters awareness, understanding, and empathy regarding the shared history of Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples in Canada. Versions of the exercise exist both in-person and virtually, with the virtual experience often being highly effective. Trigger warnings are provided due to the sensitive nature of the topics covered.
