This year’s Intercultural Learning Experience offered students an invitation to engage more deeply with Indigenous histories, cultures, and spiritual traditions.

The program blended academic preparation with an in-person visit to the Kanien’kehá:ka community of Kahnawake, creating space for learning that was both intellectual and relational.

Students began by studying foundational documents such as the Royal Proclamation of 1763 and the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action. Films, podcasts, and a guided museum visit expanded their understanding of colonisation’s enduring impact. These sessions laid the groundwork for a more personal encounter.

At Kahnawake, students were welcomed with profound generosity and openness. Community members shared personal narratives of cultural identity, historical struggles, and ongoing resistance, Always with an honesty that invited careful listening and deep reflection, fostering a space for empathy and understanding.

Over shared meals, walking tours, and Sunday worship at Kahnawake United Church, students found themselves called to a posture of humility and attentiveness. A sense of hospitality and trust shaped every moment of the visit.

Two students shared their reflections on the experience:

“The experience moved me from ideas and facts to personal connection. I am also a colonised person, so I felt a bond with the Mohawk people. I will carry their stories — like the creation tale of the twins — with me.”

“This was the best learning I’ve had in all my years of ministry studies.”

Another student described the spiritual depth of the visit:

“La profondeur du discours d’espérance des Premières Nations m’a profondément touché.”

“The depth of the message of hope from Indigenous Peoples deeply moved me.”

For many, the experience left a lasting mark not just on their understanding, but on their sense of vocation. It was an invitation to reimagine what faithful leadership might require in a context shaped by historical trauma and cultural strength.

Beyond academic insight, it fostered relationships, deeper questions, and a willingness to embrace discomfort. Students and faculty affirmed the need for this kind of learning in theological education—stepping beyond the classroom to confront how history shapes us, and how healing begins with mutual recognition and shared humanity.