Truth and Reconciliation Week in September is a powerful opportunity for remembering the impact of the residential school system and coming together in the spirit of hope, Truth and Reconciliation. Across the District, during this week and throughout the year, there are many activities and learning opportunities.
Rob Smyth is the District Principal of Indigenous Education:
Theres tremendous work happening in schools to acknowledge the wrongs in our shared history in Canada.
Smyth said one example in many schools in the District is the hosting of dinners for Indigenous families, recognizing that this can be a challenging time of year that may surface trauma.
“So, at a time where it may be very difficult for families, our schools are building opportunities to welcome them, to embrace the families, and to make them feel safe in the space.
At 做窪惇蹋夥厙 Central Secondary, which also hosted a family dinner, students in the Districts Professional Cook program prepared special snacks for their peers who are Indigenous.
Gena Sanderson from the Mamalilikulla Nation is a matriarch and Knowledge Keeper on the Indigenous Education team. She and Smyth joined students in presenting at the September 做窪惇蹋夥厙 Meeting.
At the meeting, Sanderson shared her own story of the residential school systems lasting impact on her family.
“Im the first Survivor who has not gone to residential school. As a little girl, I had no idea why my dad never came to school. He never came to a Christmas concert, he never came to a parent-teacher interview he always had a reason for not coming, and I just kind of accepted it. It wasnt until I was in my 30s or 40s that I started making the connection that he went to day school and it wasnt a pleasant time for him.
Students who are part of the Districts Film and Broadcast program interviewed Sanderson to capture her story for a video they are creating about Truth and Reconciliation. Some of the participating students joined Sanderson and Smyth at the Board Meeting to talk about the project.
做窪惇蹋夥厙 South Secondary student Nia Liu explained why she wanted to be a part of creating the video:
“Ive been in China for most of my life and Id never heard anything about Truth and Reconciliation. When I arrived, I had the opportunity to learn about the history of everything that has happened on these lands. I felt that there must be something I could do to help contribute to the efforts of Truth and Reconciliation.
For Smyth, projects that originate with non-Indigenous youth such as the one initiated by Film and Broadcast students represent an important shift.
“Its really powerful because in many years before, people are looking to the Indigenous Education team and saying, what are we going to do? Its shifting, thats changing, and the non-Indigenous students and staff are stepping up to do the work. Thats helping to strengthen the relationship between Indigenous and non-Indigenous people and thats what Reconciliation is about.
Scroll down to see more examples of learning in action across the 做窪惇蹋夥厙 School District.
Posted September 2024