Ry Moran’s new podcast dives into topics on truth, history, and Indigenous knowledge
UVic’s Associate University Librarian – Reconciliation Ry Moran, host of the new podcast series Taapwaywin, in his home studio in Summer 2022. (Credit: Chad Hipolito)
This article mentions the residential school system.
Just days before people all over so-called Canada observed the second ever Truth and Reconciliation Day, a new podcast from the University of Victoria Libraries hit the airwaves.
Named after the Michif word for truth, Taapwaywin: Talking about what we know and what we believe is an eight-part series hosted by Ry Moran, UVic’s associate university librarian – reconciliation. The podcast explores the concept of truth and its intersections with history, human rights, and Indigenous knowledge.
“There remains a profound lack of understanding of the lived experiences of Indigenous peoples,” says Moran in the inaugural episode with his original music playing in the background. “Many remain unaware of the violence and genocide that created our country and the ongoing present-day effects of colonialism.”
The first episode dives into why Moran felt the need to create this podcast and why the concept of truth is its focus. He relies on his experience as a director of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC), describing what it was like to be present when the commission announced its devastating findings seven years ago.
The episode includes snippets of dialogue with several guests, including Qwul’sih’yah’maht Robina Thomas, UVic’s vice-president Indigenous, and Métis Elder and Michif language expert Norman Fleury, who helped devise the name for the podcast.
“We really just wanted to make these conversations, these ideas, this work, accessible to more people,” said Karina Greenwood, the podcast’s producer and writer alongside Moran. They held 34 interviews for this series; a network of truth-tellers and knowledge keepers from across the country to be visited with, listened to, and believed.
In conversation with Elders, residential school survivors, academics, and others, Taapwaywin aims to be not only a source of Indigenous knowledge but also a way for Canadians to educate themselves and engage with the TRC’s Calls to Action.
“This podcast was born out of a recognition of this fundamental truth that we need to have truth before we can have reconciliation in this country,” Greenwood said, adding that although the podcast’s launch lined up with events and ceremonies for Truth and Reconciliation Day, these are conversations and topics that people should be engaging with year round.
Taapwaywin is expected to be a multi-year project, with episodes from this first season released bi-weekly on all major podcast platforms. It was created with help from CFUV and was funded by UVic’s Strategic Framework Impact Fund.
