September 30th is the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, otherwise known as Orange Shirt Day, a statutory holiday to recognize the severe impacts of the residential school system, and honour survivors, families, and communities affected.
Each year, there are countless events across Canada to mark the day. Here in Dauphin, the Dauphin Friendship Centre and Manitoba Métis Federation are hosting an event at Maamawi Park on September 29th, from 11:00 AM to 3:00 PM, involving lunch, kids activities, and door prizes.
Though it's a statutory holiday, the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation carries a much more somber tone, similar to Remembrance Day. Jarri-Ann Thompson, Dauphin Friendship Centre Events Coordinator, says even with the less cheerful tone of the day, it's still an incredibly important day to mark.
"It just reminds people of the history of Indigenous peoples across Canada, and what we want to change going forward, how we want to empower Indigenous people to bring back our culture, to show people who have been systemically suppressed that there's a better future out there, and we have to all work together to get there, and it starts here, it starts by doing events like Truth and Reconciliation," said Thompson.
The Friendship Centre's preparation for the event is already well underway, and has been for a while.
"We have partnered once again with the Northwest Métis Council and we are pretty much ready to go for that, so we're kind of excited to see people out there, as you mentioned it is a somber event, but we are hoping to change the way people interact with Indigenous culture, and so that's what's exciting about the event," said Thompson.
Earlier this week, the Provincial Government put out a news release encouraging Manitobans to participate in Orange Shirt Day events across the province, to honour residential school survivors, and the children that never made it home.
