The Blanket Exercise

Service Description

The Blanket Exercise, originally created by KAIROS in collaboration with Indigenous communities in Canada, is an interactive learning experience that raises awareness of the nation-to-nation relationship between Indigenous Peoples and non-indigenous peoples in the United States. Based on real-life experiences, the Blanket Exercise is designed to increase knowledge about the laws, policies, and programs used during nation building by having participants literally walk through U.S. history. Participants are provided the opportunity to form a common historical memory and begin conversation about how we can begin to live well together here. In relationship with KAIROS, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) through its Director for American Indian/Alaska Native Ministries (now known as Indigenous Ministries and Tribal Relations) developed the script used by the ELCA to further the organization’s commitment to repudiate the Christian doctrine of discovery. The ELCA through its congregations, synod ministries, and Indigenous Ministries and Tribal Relations area hosts Blanket Exercises for the communities it serves to further its goal of truth-telling so that healing of all nations may begin.