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By Heather Cameron
Southern Alberta Newspapers
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
September 30 was the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, otherwise known as Orange Shirt Day, across Canada.
“On September 30th, Canadians are encouraged to wear orange in order to remember the residential school experience, as well as witness and honour the healing journey of the Survivors and their families,” Jessica Goodrider-Loewen, Indigenous Family Liaison Worker with Family and Community Services. “Seven generations of Indigenous people went to residential school. This affected family dynamics in many ways, including parenting, family bonds, loss of culture and language, leading to loss of belonging and loss of identity. During their time in the schools, the majority of the children experienced some form of abuse, creating lasting effects on Indigenous families. By wearing orange, you spark a conversation about reconciliation.”
Goodrider-Loewen says that Family and Community Services helped promote education and awareness about Orange Shirt Day by working with our communities and schools in our area to bring activities and presentations about Truth and Reconciliation.
“This year, we did a presentation for kids in Kindergarten to Grade 2 in Foremost and Bow Island,” said Goodrider-Loewen. “We also hosted a Truth and Reconciliation beading event on September 30th from 10:00 am – 2:00 pm at the Coaldale Hub that everyone was invited to. At this event, participants connected with others while beading a mini orange shirt and medicine wheel pins.”
Petra DeBow, Manager and the Family Services department Supervisor at Family and Community Support Services, says that there were also events to promote Orange Shirt Day within the region including a presentation that took place on September 20 from 1-3 pm at W.R. Myers in Taber where Sheldon Day Chief “Siksikaipitaakii” did a presentation called ‘Learn about the Historical Signing of Treaty 7 and Truth and Reconciliation, and an event on September 23 where D.A. Ferguson and W.R. Myers hosted Olympic Swimmer Apollo Hess to speak to students.
On September 30, DeBow stated, there was a showing of “Little Deer, Ohskennon: ten owi:ra: An undeniable story of truth, resilience, and courage amongst Canada’s shadowed past” at W.R. Myers in Taber beginning at 5:30 p.m. and the event was hosted by the Eagles Spirit Nest Association, the Taber Public Library, and the Horizon School Division. There was fry bread and popcorn available for purchase, Weaver stated, and the proceeds from the event went to the Woodland Cultural Mohawk institute in Ontario.
Michelle Eagle Tail Feather, Indigenous Family Liaison Coordinator with Family and Community Support Services also made social posts about Orange Shirt Day and the post highlighted that ‘by wearing orange, you spark a conversation about reconciliation and there are many ways to start a conversation about Orange Shirt Day within families’ including by reading age appropriate books like Phyllis’s Orange Shirt by Phyllis Webstad, When I Was Eight by Margaret Pokiak-Fenton, or Spirit Bear and Children Make History by Cindy Blackstock and Eddy Robinson.
Eagle Tail Feather’s post also encourages people to ‘discuss the meaning of reconciliation by doing activities that speak to kindness, friendship, and collaboration.’
Family and Community Support Services, Eagle Tail Feather’s post states, also offers free, culturally sensitive programming for Indigenous families that have children ages zero to 18 years of age, parent education programs and parental support, and assistance with system navigation.
For those who have experienced residential school and are struggling with distressing feelings, Eagle Tail Feather says, Family and Community Support Services also has telephone resources: the National Indian Residential School Crisis Line: 1-866-925-4419, the Hope for Wellness Help Line: 1-855-242-3310; and the Mental Health Help Line: 1-877-303-2642. For more information about Family and Community Support Services’ Indigenous Family Liaison Program, Eagle Tail Feather’s post states, contact Michelle Eagle Tail Feathers at 403-332-1783.
“We believe it is important to recognize and work together to bring reconciliation between our communities,” said DeBow.
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