EditorB次元官网网址檚 note: The story below may trigger difficult or traumatic thoughts and memories. The Indian Residential School Survivors SocietyB次元官网网址檚 24-hour crisis line is available at 1-866-925-4419.

A persistent, cleansing September rain didnB次元官网网址檛 stop 300-plus people from local First Nations and nearby municipalities from walking to honour the inaugural National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.

Hosted by the StsB次元官网网址檃iles First Nation, the walk was meant to bring awareness of and healing to those who were traumatized or have survived the residential school system and in memory of those who did not.

For nearly four kilometres down Morris Valley Road on StsB次元官网网址檃iles land, hundreds marched, led by hand drums and songs of healing. Nearly all wore orange in honour of Orange Shirt Day and the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. Some brought signs proclaiming B次元官网网址淓very Child MattersB次元官网网址� while others dressed in traditional StsB次元官网网址檃iles regalia.

At the walkB次元官网网址檚 final destination at Sandpiper Golf Course, StsB次元官网网址檃iles Chief Ralph Leon was among several speakers.

B次元官网网址漈oday is a hard day for our people, but as well, slh茅m:exw, itB次元官网网址檚 raining,B次元官网网址� Leon continued. B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 washed away some of those things that need to be washed away from our people.B次元官网网址�

Leon was sent to St. MaryB次元官网网址檚 Residential School in Mission.

B次元官网网址淭he things that were witnessed, and if those walls could speak for us at St. MaryB次元官网网址檚, it would be everything that we need to know,B次元官网网址� he said.

Leon said he was happy to see members of the SqB次元官网网址檈welets First Nation joined the Thursday morning walk.

B次元官网网址淲e need to do this, and itB次元官网网址檚 going to get bigger every year,B次元官网网址� Leon said. B次元官网网址淚 have that good feeling, weB次元官网网址檙e going to walk together like weB次元官网网址檙e supposed to. We are all brothers and sisters, regardless of how you look at it. We come from only one mother B次元官网网址� Mother Earth.B次元官网网址�

Leon pointed out that there is no word for different colours of skin in the HalqB次元官网网址檈meB次元官网网址檡lem language.

B次元官网网址淲ith those other words in those other languages comes judgement, racism,B次元官网网址� he continued. B次元官网网址淲e donB次元官网网址檛 have that in our language. ThatB次元官网网址檚 why we acknowledge brothers and sisters, because thatB次元官网网址檚 what we are and forever will be.B次元官网网址�

adam.louis@ ahobserver.com
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