If you are a residential school survivor, you are able to contact the 24-hour National Crisis Line at 1-866-925-4419 for support. Indigenous people can also access the Hope for Wellness Help Line at 1-855-242-3310 or online chat at www.hopeforwellness.ca.

Ogimaawabiitong (Kenora Chiefs Advisory) is so honoured and thankful to be able to take part in Kenora’s celebrations for the National Day of Truth and Reconciliation, alongside hundreds of community members, leaders, organizations, and more.

In partnership with Grand Council Treaty #3 and WNHAC, KCA was able to help support the day’s two September 30th celebrations, beginning with an opening ceremony and prayer at the Cecilia Jeffrey Residential School Memorial Site.

Led by Ronnie P. McDonald and a number of local elders, hundreds of community members and students wearing orange shirts joined in the special morning, followed by a walk around Round Lake to offer tobacco at the Treaty Three Police Service headquarters.

“There’s a lot of history and trauma that comes with this day, and being able to acknowledge that and work through it is very important,” said Kenora MP Eric Melillo.

“And to understand that history and have an opportunity to show allyship and work together towards reconciliation, it’s just such a great day for everybody to have that opportunity. It’s great to see so many people out. Every year, we have more and more people which is a positive thing to see,” he added.

Then under the Whitecap Pavilion, a roaring Drum Social featuring the Lake of the Woods Drummers, Battle Nation Jr’s, and Binesi Drummers was hosted by Rich Green and Jyles Copenace. All three groups offered their own renderings before joining together for honour, giveaway, and travelling songs.

Local elders and community members also shared their own personal stories of life within the Residential School system, and offered advice and prayers for everyone in attendance.

“As a Residential School survivor of 12 years, [celebrations] are outlawed. But as kids, we remember some of these activities that went on in the communities,” explained Wauzhushk Onigum Elder, George Kakeway.

“As survivors, we really appreciate the honour, and the continuation and rebuilding of our culture, spiritually. Gatherings like these, they mean a lot to us as survivors,” he added.

A free barbecue lunch was also served by members of the KCA Youth and Family Camp’s Kitchen Team, while community members enjoyed an Indigenous Craft Market and information booths from various community organizations and service providers.

KCA would like to send a huge Miigwetch to everyone who helped make this day possible, including Grand Council Treaty #3 and WNHAC, our elders, service providers, staff, and everyone who joined in to honour and remember the lost children of the Residential School system.

The celebration was partially funded by the Government of Canada through the Multiculturalism and Anti-Racism Program.

September 30 is now known as Canada’s day of Truth and Reconciliation, but it began as ‘Orange Shirt Day’. The tradition began after survivor of the St. Joseph Mission residential school, Phyllis Webstad, shared her story in 2013 of having her new orange shirt taken away on her first day at the mission in 1973.

Canada passed legislation last year to make September 30 a federal statutory holiday, one of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of 2015’s Calls to Action, after the discovery of the 215 unmarked bodies in Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc First Nation.