Residential school survivors, families of survivors and lost ones and non-Indigenous allies formed a sea of orange that packed VictoriaB次元官网网址檚 Centennial Square on Thursday, the first National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.
The Xe xe SmunB次元官网网址� eem-Victoria Orange Shirt Day ceremony has been held in the city on every Sept. 30 since 2015, but honouring the children who never came home carried extra pain this year in the wake of unmarked graves being found at residential school sites across Canada.
The downtown squareB次元官网网址檚 crowd came to honour those lost children, to recognize the families who continue to face hardships because of residential schools and for a day of healing that could start to rebuild a relationship anew.
B次元官网网址淭o all those who have lost a loved one in residential school, my prayer is for you today, my prayer is for everyone hurting in their heart,B次元官网网址� Elder May Sam said in a land blessing to open the ceremony. B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 going to pray for your strength, your health, your happiness.B次元官网网址�
Somber silences fell over the crowd as they listened to the long-suppressed survivor stories. One speaker came home from the institution he was taken to, but some of his siblings did not.
B次元官网网址淚 havenB次元官网网址檛 told the story of what happened to me in the residential school, itB次元官网网址檚 hard,B次元官网网址� he said.
He was glad to tell his story on Thursday for all those who never got to share theirs.
B次元官网网址淒onB次元官网网址檛 be scared to say who you are and where you come from.B次元官网网址�
Brianna Bear, a Coast Salish artist, said gatherings like Thursdays werenB次元官网网址檛 possible in recent memory, but people are now making the conscious effort to recognize the people, languages and culture that residential schools sought to destroy.
B次元官网网址淭o all the elders who are out here today who are survivors of residential schools, to the families who have been affected by intergenerational trauma and to those who are looking to find your roots again, I welcome you to place of smoked herring lands,B次元官网网址� Bear said.
She asked people to listen to the teachings of Indigenous Elders if they donB次元官网网址檛 know where to start on the path to reconciliation.
B次元官网网址淲alk in a good way, even if you donB次元官网网址檛 know what that means yet. ItB次元官网网址檒l come to you as you learn,B次元官网网址� she said.
READ:
Eddy Charlie, who started VictoriaB次元官网网址檚 Orange Shirt Day events with his friend Kristin Spray, said he hopes the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation B次元官网网址渁llows us to open up, have more conversations and bring our truth out into the open.B次元官网网址�
B次元官网网址淚 hope that when we do that, weB次元官网网址檒l be able to accept ourselves for who we were meant to be and not let residential schools dictate where we walk, what we do or what kind of destruction weB次元官网网址檙e going to allow our children to carry,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淚 donB次元官网网址檛 want my legacy to be anger and hatred, I want to leave something really good for my grandchildren.B次元官网网址�
Victoria Mayor Lisa Helps said the ceremony was a way to hear of the pain, loss and anger that the residential school system inflicted.
B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檙e here today, as non-Indigenous people, as a commitment to continue to listen, to continue to walk this path, to continue to believe the stories that weB次元官网网址檙e told and to continue to love, with open hearts, our Indigenous brothers and sisters,B次元官网网址� she said.
Daniele Behn Smith, Indigenous HealthB次元官网网址檚 deputy provincial health officer, said Orange Shirt Day is an opportunity for Indigenous people to start holding each other up and embrace their songs and dances, while for the non-Indigenous people, itB次元官网网址檚 a chance to start having hard conversations.
B次元官网网址淭here are no words that can make this right, only actions,B次元官网网址� she said.
Before leading the crowd in song, Lindsay Lichty said B次元官网网址渢o see this sea of orange is such a powerful image to be reflected, itB次元官网网址檚 a sea of love.B次元官网网址�
READ:
Do you have a story tip? Email: jake.romphf@blackpress.ca.
Follow us on and and like us on
