Taking part in Orange Shirt Day: Calgary events marking truth and reconciliation

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There is no shortage of ways for Calgarians to honour the second National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, which honours the children that didn’t make it home from Indian residential schools, the experience of survivors and the lasting effects.

A public ceremony and moment of silence at Fort Calgary on Friday will focus on remembering the children forced to attend and who died at residential schools, said Dr. Terry Poucette with the city’s Indigenous Relations Office. Poucette said Indigenous speakers and elders will share their insights at the event, which he called a great way to learn more about how Calgary can move further toward reconciliation.

“Every day should be about reconciliation, but I think it’s important to remember the history of this country at least for this one day a year,” said Poucette, who is from Stoney Nakoda First Nation.

The event is open to all and will be livestreamed on the city’s website starting at 10 a.m.

“I encourage people to not only attend or watch our event but to go to any of the many events happening in and around the city,” said Poucette.

Siksika Health Services and the Calgary Hitmen have partnered to host the Every Child Matters Traditional Powwow at the Scotiabank Saddledome on Friday evening. The event will open with a greeting from the founder of Orange Shirt Day, Phyllis Webstad, and feature dances and an honour song for residential school survivors in attendance.

Diana Frost, founder of Colouring It Forward Reconciliation Society, put together a collection of artwork by Stoney Nakoda, Tsuut’ina, Blackfoot, Anishinaabe and Cree artists for an exhibit at Southcentre Mall, which is on display until Friday.

“We think that art is a great way for people to learn more about Indigenous culture and about the issues. We use art as a way to share those difficult topics,” said Frost.

The exhibit includes a number of calls to action, encouraging people to participate in reconciliation.

“One of the things I recommend is that people search Indigenous businesses and purposefully support them,” said Frost.

Colouring It Forward has another art exhibit at Arts Common and a third, travelling showcase at Mount Royal University.

MRU is holding an Indigenous philosophy and teaching transfer ceremony Friday morning, with the school’s president and vice-chancellor Tim Rahilly to highlight the journey to Indigenization at MRU.

The University of Calgary will also host a number of events throughout the day.

• Their Every Child Matters Night Light tribute starts Tuesday and runs from dawn to dusk until Friday. It’s visible on the Education Tower and Schulich School of Engineering, symbolically shining a light on the trauma done to children at residential schools.
• On Friday morning, the university will lower its flag to mark the importance of the day. Shortly afterward, Elder Reg Crowshoe will lead a sharing circle and purification ceremony inside a teepee.
• An Orange Shirt Day panel will discuss the final report on Truth and Reconciliation at noon.
• A free viewing of the movie Night Raiders will play at the Calgary Central Library, starting at 6 p.m., for those who register online.

Other National Day for Truth and Reconciliation events:

• Grace Presbyterian Church is hosting Stardale Women’s Group on Friday from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. for a free ceremony, performance and screening of the film The Road, to learn more about the effects of residential schools and the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls. The church painted over the splashes of red paint left on its front door on Canada Day 2021 during a ceremony Sunday.
• Stoney Nakoda First Nation members and allies will walk nearly three kilometres between the McDougall Memorial United Church off Highway 1A and the Morley United Church near the former site of the Morley Indian Residential School.
• The Urban Society for Aboriginal Youth and Colouring It Forward Reconciliation Society are holding a fourth annual Pokaiks Commemorative Walk and IndigiTRAILS: Remembering Our Children event on Friday in Prince’s Island Park starting at 9:30 a.m. until 2 p.m. The event will have drumming, dancing and remarks from members of the Indigenous community. There will be artisan and community booths, all near the big stage.
• Colouring It Forward Reconciliation Society will co-present a production of New Blood — A Story of Reconciliation, at Arts Commons at 7 p.m. Tickets are being sold through Arts Commons.

The 24-hour National Indian Residential School Crisis Line is 1-866-925-4419.

sbabych@postmedia.com
Twitter: @BabychStephanie