TRC ASSEMBLY 2023 | Cheetahs For Change

TRUTH AND RECONCILIATION ASSEMBLY 2023

This years Truth and Reconciliation assembly took place on the 29th of September and was presented to CPAs 12th grade students.

The official day of the National day for Truth and Reconciliation is September 30th, the day that Justice Sinclair challenged Canada to respond and act with the 94 Calls to Action. This day, previously known as Orange Shirt Day, was named after the story of residential school survivor Phillys Webstad where her brand new orange shirt that was given to her by her grandmother was taken away upon arrival at St. Joseph's Mission Residential School in British Columbia. The orange shirt now stands as a symbol for indigenous peoples and how the residential school system stripped them of their culture and identity.

While students were getting organized in their seats, we marked the beginning of the assembly with a song by Jeremy Dutcher, named "Honor Song" in response to one of the 94 Calls to Action. Once everyone was seated, two members, Lindsay MacNeil and Fred Twagirayezu began with a bilingual land acknowledgement

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We are so very honored to have had the pleasure of having elder Marlene bless the assembly with a smudging that took place at the weeping willow tree, and to have had her share her knowledge and wisdom.

Following elder Marlene, we played an educational video created by Mi'kmawey Debert Cultural Centre and Parks Canada. The video is titled "Mikwite'tmek, We Remember" and is focused on the stories of survivors from the Shubenacadie Residential school right here in Nova Scotia.

Two very special poems that were written, one about the result of the residential schools on the culture and identity of indigenous children and the personal effects it had, and the other a reponse to the first. "I Lost My Talk" by Rita Joe, and "I'm Finding My Talk" by Rebecca Thomas. We had two of our members, Damini Awoyiga and Morgan Clancy, read these two amazing poems together in verse to create a beautiful effect of the poems being spoken in conversation between the two readers

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Cheetahs for Change with elder Marlene at the Truth and Reconciliation assembly.

A student-made banner that labels some of the 94 Calls to Action.