Next week, Loyalist College remembers the children who never returned home and survivors of residential schools, as well as their families and communities. Loyalist College students and employees will gather, grieve and learn at events held on campus each day from Monday, September 26 – Friday, September 30 to acknowledge the truth of our collective history and to mourn the lives of the lost children.
“Our goal is to provide non-Indigenous members of our community with resources to expand their understanding, and to create a safe space for our Indigenous community members to mourn together,” said Jennifer Maracle, Director of Indigenous Services. “Next week’s events are the beginning of a process – a step to create a broader framework for incorporating Indigenous perspectives and knowledge into all aspects of life at Loyalist College.”
The schedule of events begins with an opening address and tobacco ceremony at the A’nó:wara Learning Circle at 10 a.m. on Monday, September 26. Throughout the week, students, staff and faculty can participate in activities including dancing, painting, drum making, and the Kairos blanket exercise. These activities offer participants opportunities for cultural exchange, education and commemoration. Loyalist encourages all students, faculty and staff to join in these events.
On September 30, National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, Loyalist College community members are invited to wear orange and observe a campus-wide moment of silence to honour the lives of those who were taken from their communities and placed in the Indian Residential School System. To date, more than 2,100 unmarked graves have been found at former residential school sites across Canada.
Click here to access resources and information about the history of residential schools. Click here to learn more about Indigenous Services at Loyalist College.
THE ABOVE PROVIDED BY LOYALIST COLLEGE
