Honouring the children

Residents gathered at Komasket Park for the National Day of Truth and Reconciliation.

The gathering began with a prayer and included knowledge sharing from elders and residential school survivors. It also featured a drum circle and an opportunity to learn traditional dance moves.

Ceremonies like these happen all across the country to raise awareness of the intergenerational impacts of residential schools and honour the children who never came home.

Residential schools were open across Canada until 1996. Children would be taken to these schools where they often faced abuse and exposure to sickness.

The first National Truth and Reconciliation Day was in 2021 and the first Orange Shirt day was in 2013.

The Orange shirts worn at these ceremonies represent the stripping away of culture and freedoms experienced by Indigenous children for generations. It is also used to push the concept of “every child matters.”

The Komasket Park ceremony was run by the Okanagan Indian Band. The group offers services like healthcare, social services, and early childhood education.