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Reconciliation Walk: The Why
While we remember, we educate. Indigenous voices are calling upon non-Indigenous people to do the work that is asked of us, by educating ourselves and our peers. Thus, the Reconciliation Walk provides non-Indigenous Canadians with an opportunity to learn about the timeline of Canada’s residential school legacy through an interactive and meaningful, self-guided experience.
It is also an opportunity to support Orange Shirt Day by encouraging participants to wear their orange shirts while they reflect upon Canada’s past and present relationship with Indigenous peoples.
Further, the Reconciliation Walk hopes to instill an urgency for change and action in moving forward together in justice, and repairing a relationship that is long due all of us.
What are we reconciling?
Between the late 1800s and 1996, more than 150,000 First Nations, Metis and Inuit children attended Indian residential and day schools
across Canada.
The work that True North Aid engages in is a direct result of this tragic legacy. Our organization stands in solidarity with Indigenous people across Canada, commemorating September 30th as a day to reflect and learn. We do this by supporting Orange Shirt Day/
National Day for Truth and Reconciliation by hosting an annual walk that brings awareness to the truth about Canada’s residential school history, and the intergenerational harm and inequitable systems that continue to be imposed on Indigenous people today.
Who are we remembering?
This sombre day of remembrance is intentionally held in September, the time of year when Indigenous children were taken from their homes and forced to go to residential schools. On September 30th, True North Aid remembers the thousands of Indigenous children who did not make it home, and we hold close to those who survived. We also acknowledge the harmful systems that were implemented to destroy Indigenous culture and assimilate Indigenous people to colonial practices.