Youth in Prince George took a walk today to see a different side of the city’s history.
The Walk to Truth and Reconciliation (WTTR), the first of its kind in Prince George, gathers students to be guided on a walking tour of cultural experiences and visits to downtown agencies.
The group began at the Uda Dune Baiyoh, the House of Ancestors, to learn about the colonization of Turtle Island, they then visited the Prince George Native Friendship Center to hear from a residential school survivor, and onto Central Interior Native Health, where they heard about the impacts of colonization on the health of indigenous people.
The tour ends at the Prince George courthouse where they spoke to individuals involving indigenous people in the justice system.
Shobha Sharma, Executive Director for the Central Interior Native Health Society was one of the speakers in the opening ceremonies.
“The walk is giving young people an opportunity to understand the colonial history here on Turtle Island, and to be able to collectively avoid discrimination and judgment and to broaden their horizons.”
Sharma said they are hoping to continue the WTTR in coming years, and are looking for funding to do so.