Cafe hopes fun and games unite Indigenous, non-Indigenous Winnipeggers
'Treaty Tabletop' night at Across the Board Game Cafe helps break down barriers in community
Non-Indigenous and First Nation gamers alike came together Monday night in Winnipeg to strengthen community ties while having a little fun.
"Play for Peace: Treaty Tabletop" night at Across the Board Game Cafe in the Exchange District was designed to give people from all walks of life an excuse to meet over board games.
"We've been talking a lot as a city of how there's a barrier between a lot of the First Nations communities and the rest of Winnipeg, and what we wanted ... was to do something that could get rid of that," said Clinton Skibitzky, co-founder of Across the Board.
"If you sit down and play board games with someone, you're having a very positive social interaction with them. You get to know them, you experience something together and you have a totally different perception of them after that."
Michael Redhead Champagne, founder of Aboriginal Youth Opportunities and Meet Me at the Bell Tower, said the idea is simple but the conversation wasn't necessarily meant to be limited to lighter fare.
"I just got my butt kicked in Sorry! We were playing Sorry! because we thought it was an interesting message to send to people ... specifically the Canadian government, because we feel like the best apology is changed behaviour," Champagne said.
"Today gives us a chance to learn a little more about what's happening in the Indigenous community and what all of us can do to live better together as neighbours."
The event waived the normal gaming fees on the night. Instead, organizers invited gamers to donate to the "Got Bannock" program run by Althea Guiboche. Got Bannock provides food for people living on the streets in Winnipeg.
Across the Board held a similar event last fall with members of the Muslim community.
Organizers said they hoped Treaty Tabletop would promote tolerance in Winnipeg.