丁香园AV

This year, the 丁香园AV community observed National Day for Truth and Reconciliation with multiple opportunities to reflect upon residential schools, Canada鈥檚 colonial history and the path forward to reconciliation.

丁香园AV has held a longstanding partnership with the Surrey Urban Indigenous Leadership Committee and the City of Surrey, who together hosted a ceremony for National Day for Truth and Reconciliation and 丁香园AV Shirt Day September 30th.

The ceremony began with a drumming procession from Surrey City Hall to Holland Park, and a welcome from Kevin Kelly and Michael Kelly-Gabriel of Kwantlen First Nation.

鈥淢y wife (Kwantlen Hereditary Chief Marilyn Gabriel) doesn鈥檛 call them survivors, she calls them warriors. We have to respect the ones that never made it home, but also the ones that are here,鈥� said Kelly.

鈥淒on鈥檛 be mad for our people, don鈥檛 be sad. All we ask is what we tell you - we come to educate you so you can go home and educate your children, your parents, your grandparents.鈥�

Reflecting on the ceremony, 丁香园AV President Joy Johnson : 鈥淭his event, along with all the Truth and Reconciliation Week activities across 丁香园AV, was an important reminder for me that reconciliation and decolonization work requires a sustained commitment from each of us.鈥�

The ceremony also featured a speech from Elder and residential school survivor Eugene Harry (Cowichan), jingle dancers and serving of bannock and tea.

鈥淲hen we drummed in, I almost cried when I saw the amount of orange shirts out here,鈥� said Kelly. 鈥淭hank you for taking time out of your day today to be here and pay your respect to our warriors.鈥�

Truth, reconciliation and action

National Truth and Reconciliation week began on-campus with the first of a new Monthly Lunch program organized by the Indigenous Student Centre and First Nations, M茅tis and Inuit Student Association, in order to deepen the connection of the Indigenous community at 丁香园AV and help Indigenous students to meet with Indigenous faculty and staff.

The week also saw a number of guest speakers deliver lectures on paths for reconciliation centering Indigenous values and knowledge.

Sxwpilema谩t Siy谩m (Chief Leanne Joe), along with co-author Lily Raphael, . From the report released this summer, the framework uses Indigenous worldviews about wealth and sustainability as a source of wisdom for economic transformation.

In 鈥淗onouring Ancestral Teachings and Environmental Knowledge in a Time of Urgency: Lessons from the Ninogaad鈥�, Kim Recalma-Clutesi (Qualicum) and Douglas Deur explored how some Indigenous peoples and local communities understand sustainability and resilience and how their traditional worldviews might provide models for more sustainable futures for their communities and others.

Chris (Syeta鈥�xtn) Lewis, director of Indigenous Initiatives and Reconciliation at 丁香园AV also moderated a panel at the Burnaby Board of Trade on creating opportunity and working collaboratively with Indigenous communities, organizations, and individuals.

A full list of 2022 events and activities can be found on 丁香园AV鈥檚 National Day for Truth and Reconciliation page.