The National Day of Truth and Reconciliation, also known as Orange Shirt Day, will be marked with a special ceremony on Sept. 29 at Na'tsa'maht on Camosun College's Lansdowne campus and on the Social Stairs in the Centre for Health and Wellness on the Interurban campus.
"The National Day of Truth and Reconciliation is an important day to honour the lives of survivors who experienced the Indian residential school system in Canada, and to never forget the numbers of students that didn't get to return home," says Christine La Vallee, Administrative Support for Indigenous Education and Community Connections. "Today, we have the privilege to hear the stories shared by survivors and witness their truth-telling. It is important to honour Canada's survivors and to continue to take action lest the harms be repeated."
The theme of the ceremony this year at Camosun College is Community and Kinship: Ajuinata' (Never Give Up). The tenth anniversary of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission is recognized with a reflection on the continued legacy of the Indian Residential School system. The day will begin with a workshop that explores the theme through diverse yet connected intersections of kinship (territory, plant, human) together with concepts of Truth and Reconciliation (place, colonialism, reconciliation).
"The morning workshops are intended to offer participants the opportunity to not only critically reflect, listen, and dialogue with one another but to work with various mediums and materials as we put our commitments to Truth and Reconciliation into action," says Courtney Neidig, Early Learning and Care instructor. "This action comes in many forms and functions from a plant walk and discussion about the Lands and other-than-humans we share these Unceded Territories with to creating Orange Heart Medicine Pouches."
The afternoon ceremony starts at 1:30pm at Na'tsa'maht, Lansdowne campus, and will also be livestreamed in the Centre for Health and Wellness, Interurban campus, at the social stairs. The ceremony will feature speakers including Carey Newman, Kwagiulth and Coast Salish artist, and University of Victoria professor, along with Keelin McNeil, Tahtlan/Tlingit (Telegraph Creek in Northern B.C.) on her grandmother's side and Nisga'a, from the village of Laxgalts'ap on her grandfather's side, a student in Camosun's Indigenous Studies program, as well as the artist Jesse Campbell speaking about the recent mural on the Dental Building and inviting folks to add a 'bead' to the yet unnamed mural.
Students, employees, community members and media are invited to witness and participate in the ceremony remembering the residential school experience and looking forward to the transformative action we can take together.
Hearts and Hands pins, designed by Carey Newman to honour the children who never returned home from Indian Residential Schools, and to recognize the strength of the survivors, their families, and communities, will be available for purchase. The pin's sale raises funds for the Orange Shirt Society, other initiatives that focus on truth and reconciliation, and supports for students who are engaged in hearts & hands work at Camosun College, North Island College, Royal Roads University, University of Victoria and Vancouver Island University. Learn more about the Hearts and Hands pin story
