This Thursday, September 30th, marks the first National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.
In honour of hope and healing, Dauphin's Friendship Centre will be presenting a Truth and Reconciliation Day Ceremony at Parkland Crossing starting at 11 a.m.
Jarri Thompson, an organizer for the event, emphasizes the meaning behind Truth and Reconciliation Day,
"Truth and reconciliation day does have a very important job, and that job for us is to educate Canadians about residential schools and the experiences of the students, not only those who survived but also those who did not."
Jarri carried on to go through what is planned,
"There will be four speakers including myself, two round dances, one to honour the incident lives caught up in the tragic legacy of Indian residential schools and one to celebrate that as indigenous people we are still and still going strong."
Thompson states what attendees should wear,
"We would prefer if people were wearing orange; we've invited the community to wear their regalia, wear the Métis sashes, wear their skirts, bring their drums. We want to involve everybody in this Ceremony."
The Ceremony will be held outdoors, but Thompson notes some health guidelines in place,
"If you are going to be in close contact, we would prefer that you do keep your mask on. During the round dances, there's going to be ribbons to hold onto rather than the hands being held, and at the round dances, you are required to wear your mask."
Following the Ceremony, there will be a free lunch offered where attendees will get a hot dog, chips and a beverage.
140 federally run Residential Schools operated in Canada between 1831 and 1998.
Commemoration of the painful history and continuing impacts of residential schools is crucial for the reconciliation process.
