The full schedule for the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation Event in Prince George next week is now known.
The event will run from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., on Tuesday, September 30th at Lheidli T’enneh Memorial Park.
The free, family-friendly event will feature reflection, ceremony, cultural activities, and a celebration of Indigenous identity and resiliency.
“September 30th is a time to honour the truths of our past, but it is also a day to look ahead — to our healing, to our youth, and to the future we are building together,” said Chief Dolleen
Logan of the Lheidli T’enneh First Nation.
“By coming together in ceremony, reflection, and celebration, we show our children that reconciliation is alive, and that hope, and healing are
possible when we walk this path as a community.”
A special focus will be placed on the voices of Sixties Scoop Survivors, whose stories remain
unfamiliar to many Canadians.
From the 1950s through the 1980s, thousands of Indigenous children were taken from their families and placed in non-Indigenous homes, often losing
connection to language, family, and culture.
Including their voices is vital to understanding this injustice and advancing meaningful reconciliation.
One Sixties Scoop Survivor, Leticia Racine, shared:
“There is a teaching that talks about how every Soul that comes to Earth in Human Form sits with the Creator and agrees to live the life and go through the lessons that are before them. As a 60 Scoop Survivor I’ve come to refer to all my brothers and sisters who were taken from our People and our communities in the 60’s Scoop as Returning Warriors. They too chose this difficult path. It has been my experience that it is our connection with the Ancestors through Culture & Ceremony that brings a true welcoming back to the Circle. The Ancestors guide us to remember who we are, who we’ve always been. It is part of my life purpose to welcome, support & honor the Returning Warriors as they bring back their sacred gifts to the People … to the Circle. All my relations.”
This year’s event also includes a special reading of the 94 Calls to Action led by the Prince George Urban
Indigenous Coalition in partnership with School District 57.
Jim Lambert, the Prince George Urban Indigenous Coalition Coordinator, stated:
“The reading of the Calls to Action is dedicated to the legacy of Senator Murray Sinclair, Chair of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, who passed away earlier this year. Engaging with the community in the reading of the 94 Calls to Action will honour Sinclair’s leadership and will renew the community and individuals’ commitment to the unfinished work of reconciliation.”
People are encouraged to wear orange and to bring a drum.
Schedule Highlights:
• 11:00 a.m. – Reading of the 94 Calls to Action
• 1:00 p.m. – Bannock Puppet Show with Elder Clifford Quaw & Cherie Chai
• 1:00 p.m. – Reconciliation Walk with Elder Barry Seymour
• 2:00–3:00 p.m. – Ceremony: Survivors drummed in, 215 Drum Song, voices of Elders,
Sixties Scoop Survivors, and Youth
• 3:00–4:00 p.m. – Celebration of Culture: Pow Wow dancers, drumming, round dance,
and Camp Baloney Puppet Show (3:30 p.m.)
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