(File photo/northeastNOW)

By Rachel May

National Day for Truth and Reconciliation

Preparations begin for National Day for Truth and Reconciliation in Melfort

Sep 14, 2023 | 12:00 PM

As the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation (NDTR) approaches, Reconciliation Melfort is getting ready to share more about the importance of the day.

In addition to NTRD, The City of Melfort has declared the month of September the month of Truth and Reconciliation and has raised the Every Child Matters flag.

Lori Constant told northeastNOW that these steps by the city have set the tone in moving towards reconciliation.

“September is a month for us to reflect and learn, to think about ways that we can walk our path to reconciliation.”

The events start on Sept. 29, which is a Friday, to allow students to take part. A round dance will be held at Melfort and Unit Comprehensive Collegiate (MUCC).

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There will be a walk that starts at 11:30 from MUCC to the Memorial Garden on Main Street. Constant said there will also be a speaker in attendance to talk about what reconciliation means and the importance of Orange Shirt Day.

“It’s a great opportunity for us to come together as a community and think about where we go from here and how we talk together.”

On Sept. 30, a movie called “Bones of Crows” will be shown at the Kerry Vickar Centre hosted by the Marguerite Riel Centre. The movie tells the story of a Cree code talker and her experiences in Canada’s residential school system.

Meanwhile, Rotary Park, Memorial Garden and Maude Burke City Park will host story walks, featuring books that explore the topic of residential schools and Orange Shirt Day.

Constant hopes the community can take the opportunity to read, reflect and talk about reconciliation with family, friends and other community members.

She added that one of the steps in reconciliation is to ask “What more can we do to help aid in the journey?”

“Is our community accessible to every member? Are we listening? Are we giving people the opportunity to share their stories and use their voices?”

One of the easiest steps that people can take to get involved according to Constant is to seek out stories from Indigenous people and be willing to learn from them.

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Rachel.May@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @RachelMayFM