There is a moment before a gathering begins when everything is still settling.
People are finding their seats. Someone is checking the microphone. The agenda is printed, the coffee is ready, and the organizers are quietly making sure everyone who needs to be there has arrived.
This is often the point when an organization realizes it wants to begin in a good way, but may not be entirely sure what that means.
Maybe someone has suggested inviting an Elder or Knowledge Keeper. Maybe the agenda includes a territorial acknowledgement, but the person delivering it does not feel connected to the words. Maybe the organization knows it wants the opening to feel meaningful and not like something being read quickly before moving on to the “real” work.
These are good things to be thinking about.
The uncertainty does not mean you are doing something wrong. It usually means you recognize that the beginning matters and you do not want to step into a role that is not yours.
An opening is more than the first few minutes of an agenda. It is how people are welcomed into the purpose of the gathering. It is how the room is grounded, how relationships are recognized, and how people are invited to carry themselves through what comes next.
Sometimes that includes a territorial acknowledgement. Sometimes it includes a prayer, song, teaching, reflection, or words from an Elder, Knowledge Keeper, cultural worker, or member of the host Nation. Sometimes the most appropriate opening is quieter and held by the facilitator.
There is no single script for it.
What makes sense depends on where the gathering is taking place, who is coming together, what they are being asked to hold, and what relationships already exist.
We have written before about the difference between a welcome, a territorial acknowledgement, and opening in a good way. Those distinctions are important because these roles cannot simply be exchanged with one another.
A formal welcome to the territory belongs to the host Nation or someone they have authorized to offer it. A territorial acknowledgement recognizes the lands where the gathering is taking place. Opening in a good way is about how the space itself is entered and held.
Understanding the difference can take some pressure off. You do not need to make an opening into something it is not. You do need to be clear about what you are asking someone to do and why you are asking them.
The opening begins with the invitation
If you are inviting someone to support the opening, the relationship begins before they enter the room.
It begins with how you reach out.
Are you giving them enough time to consider the invitation? Do they know what the gathering is about, who will be there, and what you are hoping they might offer? Have you asked what they would need to feel prepared and supported?
It can be uncomfortable to admit that you do not know exactly what to ask for. But it is better to begin honestly than to give someone a vague request and expect them to figure out the rest.
You might say:
“We are bringing our team together to have a difficult conversation about where we have caused harm. We want to begin in a way that helps people understand the responsibility they are carrying. We are not sure what would be appropriate, and we would value your guidance.”
That gives someone something real to respond to.
It is very different from asking, “Can you come do a welcome?” without explaining what they are being invited into.
The person you approach may tell you that they are not the right person. They may suggest someone else, recommend a different kind of opening, or let you know that more preparation is needed before the gathering takes place.
That is not the invitation failing. That is part of being guided by relationship.
Care is also practical
Sometimes organizations put a great deal of thought into the words that will be spoken but much less thought into what the person offering them will need.
Will they be travelling? Do they need parking, accommodation, food, or an accessibility arrangement? Are they bringing a support person? How long are they being asked to stay? Is there a private place where they can prepare or rest? Who will greet them when they arrive?
Compensation also needs to be discussed before the gathering.
An Elder, Knowledge Keeper, cultural worker, speaker, artist, or community member is bringing time, knowledge, preparation, and responsibility into the room. Their contribution should not be treated as a symbolic favour.
A gift may be part of the relationship, but it does not automatically replace an honorarium or payment. The right approach depends on the person, their protocols, the role they are being asked to carry, and the work involved.
If you are unsure, ask.
You can be honest that you want to compensate them appropriately and would like to understand what that should include. That conversation may cover payment, honoraria, travel, meals, accommodation, gifts, or support for someone accompanying them.
It is much more respectful to have this conversation early than to leave the person wondering whether their time has been considered at all.
What happens after the opening matters too
An opening can be thoughtful and moving, but it cannot carry the whole gathering on its own.
If someone speaks about relationship at the beginning, but the rest of the agenda leaves no room for people to be heard, the opening becomes disconnected from what follows.
If participants are asked to enter the space with care, but difficult feedback is rushed or avoided, people will feel that difference.
If an Elder or Knowledge Keeper offers words that invite reflection, but their time is shortened because the event is running behind, that communicates something too.
The opening is not separate from the work. It helps set the responsibility for how the work will be carried.
That does not mean every gathering needs to be long or ceremonial. It means the care shown at the beginning should be present in the decisions, conversations, and relationships that follow.
And when the gathering is over, the relationship should not disappear.
Was the person thanked? Were they compensated promptly? Did anyone follow up to share what came from the gathering? If commitments were made, will they hear what happened next?
These quieter pieces are often where respect is felt most clearly.
You do not need to have it figured out before reaching out
Sometimes organizations hesitate to ask for support because they believe they should already know exactly what they need.
You do not.
You can come with the gathering you are planning, the questions you are holding, and the places where you feel unsure.
At SIM WENÁCW, we listen first. We learn about the purpose of the gathering, who will be there, where it is taking place, and what you are hoping people will carry from it.
From there, we can help you think through what kind of opening is appropriate, who should be involved, and what preparation and support will be needed. When the work calls for it, we draw on our trusted relationships with cultural workers, speakers, artists, facilitators, Elders, Knowledge Keepers, dancers, and community members whose gifts and experience fit the gathering.
Our role is not to place an Indigenous opening onto a finished agenda. It is to help you begin in a way that feels connected to the people, purpose, place, and responsibilities of the gathering.
If you are planning something and are unsure where to begin, you can explore our openings and gathering support or start a conversation with us.
You can bring us what you are working through. We will listen and help you find a thoughtful place to begin.
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