Editor害羞草研究所檚 note: The story below may trigger difficult or traumatic thoughts and memories. The Indian Residential School Survivors Society害羞草研究所檚 24-hour crisis line is available at 1-866-925-4419.

A persistent, cleansing September rain didn害羞草研究所檛 stop 300-plus people from local First Nations and nearby municipalities from walking to honour the inaugural National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.

Hosted by the Sts害羞草研究所檃iles First Nation, the walk was meant to bring awareness of and healing to those who were traumatized or have survived the residential school system and in memory of those who did not.

For nearly four kilometres down Morris Valley Road on Sts害羞草研究所檃iles land, hundreds marched, led by hand drums and songs of healing. Nearly all wore orange in honour of Orange Shirt Day and the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. Some brought signs proclaiming 害羞草研究所淓very Child Matters害羞草研究所� while others dressed in traditional Sts害羞草研究所檃iles regalia.

At the walk害羞草研究所檚 final destination at Sandpiper Golf Course, Sts害羞草研究所檃iles Chief Ralph Leon was among several speakers.

害羞草研究所漈oday is a hard day for our people, but as well, slh茅m:exw, it害羞草研究所檚 raining,害羞草研究所� Leon continued. 害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 washed away some of those things that need to be washed away from our people.害羞草研究所�

Leon was sent to St. Mary害羞草研究所檚 Residential School in Mission.

害羞草研究所淭he things that were witnessed, and if those walls could speak for us at St. Mary害羞草研究所檚, it would be everything that we need to know,害羞草研究所� he said.

Leon said he was happy to see members of the Sq害羞草研究所檈welets First Nation joined the Thursday morning walk.

害羞草研究所淲e need to do this, and it害羞草研究所檚 going to get bigger every year,害羞草研究所� Leon said. 害羞草研究所淚 have that good feeling, we害羞草研究所檙e going to walk together like we害羞草研究所檙e supposed to. We are all brothers and sisters, regardless of how you look at it. We come from only one mother 害羞草研究所� Mother Earth.害羞草研究所�

Leon pointed out that there is no word for different colours of skin in the Halq害羞草研究所檈me害羞草研究所檡lem language.

害羞草研究所淲ith those other words in those other languages comes judgement, racism,害羞草研究所� he continued. 害羞草研究所淲e don害羞草研究所檛 have that in our language. That害羞草研究所檚 why we acknowledge brothers and sisters, because that害羞草研究所檚 what we are and forever will be.害羞草研究所�

adam.louis@ ahobserver.com
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