Environmental NGOs Listening to Indigenous Voices at the Anishinaabe Spiritual Centre, by Amy Darrell

From September 28 to October 2, I had the privilege of participating in the Listening to Indigenous Voices gathering at the Anishinaabe Spiritual Centre near Espanola, Ontario. Set beside a lake and surrounded by forest, the retreat location itself invited reflection, grounding, and attentiveness. It was a place where care was tangible, through shared meals, thoughtful facilitation, and the intentional pace that allowed us to sit with complex and often uncomfortable truths.

The gathering brought together Anishinabek and settler participants in a space that felt genuinely safe to be vulnerable, to listen deeply, and to engage in the ongoing work of learning and unlearning together. The generosity, openness, and kindness of the knowledge sharers were profound, as was their willingness to gently challenge assumptions and invite accountability. Ceremony, the presence of firekeepers, and time on the land anchored the experience in ways that words alone cannot fully capture.

As someone whose relationship with land is central to my life, and who works in land conservation, an area shaped by colonial structures and histories of dispossession, this gathering held particular weight. I came seeking a pathway forward for myself and my organization. What I found was hope: hope rooted not in quick solutions but in the relationships built through time, trust, and shared commitment to reconciliation. The end of the gathering did not mark the end of the experience, learning, and growth, which have been carried forward through ongoing connection with participants, continued dialogue, and exciting collaborations focused on taking real, meaningful steps toward change.