Medicine for the Soul:Indigenous & Muslim Peace Dialogue in Turbulent Times

Title: Medicine for the Soul: Indigenous and Muslim Dialogue for Peace amidst Turbulent Times

Event Date: April 2, 2025, 12-1:30pm

Location: Halpern 126 (Halpern Centre), SFU Burnaby Campus

Speakers:

1. Curtis Ahenakew, Knowledge Keeper (Cree), Vancouver Aboriginal Friendship Centre Society

2. Tammara Soma, SFU (Host and Facilitator)

Event Intro:

Join us in this Lunch and Learn (free lunch included) as we learn more about Indigenous and Islamic teachings for a peaceful world, and how individuals of all diverse background, and faith traditions can work together to find common ground. Everyone is welcome!

Description:

Amidst apocalyptic levels of violence globally, increasing anxieties around climatic disruptions, and growing discontent with economic and political injustices, there is growing fear around ruptures in the fabric of society. Communities from diverse backgrounds, race, and religions are often pitted against one another, with polarization and division being the theme of the day, pushed through legal means such as prohibition on wearing items of clothing (e.g hijab ban), colonial policies on food (e.g restrictions on seafood harvest) and in the past, Indigenous ceremonies (e.g potlatch ban 1885-1951) under the guise that these practices were “uncivilized.” Instead of building bridges and fostering belonging, masses are calling for walls, expulsion, and othering (Benveniste et al., 2016). In Canada, it is only recently, that the federal government committed to implementing UNDRIP. Article 12 in UNDRIP provides that “Indigenous peoples have the right to manifest, practise, develop and teach their spiritual and religious traditions, customs and ceremonies [and] the right to maintain, protect, and have access in privacy to their religious and cultural sites.” Canada is also the site of one of the deadliest terrorist attack of Muslims, where 6 worshippers in Quebec were killed as they were praying. The history of religious persecution and attacks on freedom of conscience is rife with examples both past and present. Within Islamic and many Indigenous teachings, there are many prophecies describing these times of conflict, but also guidance on how to co-exist and build bridges of peace.

This lunch and learn event will feature Indigenous Knowledge Keeper Curtis Ahenakew (Cree) from the Vancouver Aboriginal Friendship Centre Society and Dr. Tammara Soma (Sundanese-Indonesian). They will cover the following questions:

1) What do Indigenous and Islamic teachings say about these times of turbulence?

2) What do these spiritual traditions have in common?

3) How can we learn to heal the wounds of division and create new medicines for the soul?

Co-organizers:

Centre for Comparative Muslim Studies

Ahmadiyya Muslim Students Association