Tim Brown of OPSEU was seeking a democratic mandate to represent the circle on the OFL Executive Board as Exec vp for the aboriginal election caucus.  In convention-speak, Tim was “running for re-election” at Tuesday evening’s Aboriginal election caucus.

I had never had the opportunity to attend one of the OFL’s Aboriginal Circles before.  Well, that’s not exactly true.  I’ve been to many lots of conventions, and I’ve had the opportunity, but I never made it a priority seek it out the Circle.  Odds are you haven’t either.

This time I did, and next convention so should you.

At the outset of the circle, each of the participants was offered the opportunity to “smudge”  with sacred sage smoke by the firekeeper Ken “Two Dogs” Frazier, allowing us to cleanse our minds and our hearts so we could  come together with a good mind, and a good heart, and in a good way with one another.

Tim explained that although the circle followed the same constitutional democratic standards as all caucuses are bound to, it is traditionally the practice to avoid having a formal vote when possible.  When there are choices to be made among different candidates, the circle would talk about those choices until consensus is reached.

Tim described how each member of the circle would be offered the opportunity in turn to say anything they wanted (or nothing at all), when they were passed a feather.  Those who were experiencing a burden or a pain were invited to share it with the group.

Tim explained how the circle allowed each of us to share the burden of the others, making the load lighter for all of us.

Most chose to speak: about themselves; their lives; their jobs; their concerns and worries; their interests and their passions.  A couple did choose to share their burdens and their pains, and I genuinely had the feeling that as part of the circle, I was indeed part of lightening their burden, if only temporarily.

Although it was mentioned more than once that the Circle is not “political”, discussion didn’t shy away from issues that could rightly be called political.

Tim explained why, although they frequently addressed others as Brother and Sister throughout the convention, participants generally refrained from addressing each other that way during the circle.  Just one more tragic legacy of the residential school system is the pain that can still be evoked, when you were abused by someone called Brother or Sister.

Interspersed along the way were Tim’s teachings, traditional stories that reveal simple truths which often remain hidden.

The circle also adjourns a little differently than any other other union meeting you’ve ever been to.  After everyone had the opportunity to say everything they needed to say, Tim proceeded around the circle hugging each member in turn.  Once we had received their hug from Tim, each of us in turn joined in behind him and moved around the circle twice, until we had all both given and received a hug from each other.

Tim explained that the First Nations are a communal people who recognize the need for physical contact.  When we hug, we offer the centre of ourselves to each other, and nothing will ever come between those who have shared together in the circle.

Tim also warned that the hugging was contagious, and that we should be shouldn’t be surprised if we receive a spontaneous hug when we met again throughout the convention.

Over the past day or two I have run into several delegates who I met at the circle.  Some had been many times to the circle, some, like myself, were there for the first time.

We don’t always hug (although I actually did get one or two), but we greeted each other warmly and talked about the circle and many other things.  I’ve sensed a common acknowledgement that we had shared a special experience.

It may not be like any other union meeting you’ve ever been to, but to I saw clearly one of the teachings the Aboriginal circle is offering to the rest of the labour movement:

Often, solidarity in the labour movement means standing together at a rally, or standing together at a picket line, or standing together on a campaign.  At the circle, we were taught the very powerful solidarity of simply sitting together with each other and sharing ourselves.

I’m not sure I heard the word solidarity being used even once during the Circle, but I know I felt it in a very new, and very real way.

And Tim Brown’s “re-election campaign”?  Let’s just say that the Circle was able to reach consensus.

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