In recognition and support of the upcoming Reconciliation Week in Vancouver, SFU held its own Day of Reconciliation at the SFU Theatre on Thursday, September 12.
Reconciliation Week, held by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada from September 16 to 22, represents the on-going efforts to acknowledge and rectify the injustices committed against hundreds of thousands of First Nations children and families for over a hundred years by forcibly taking them to residential schools. The Commission aims to compile information and testimonies from residential school survivors.
The event’s organizer, SFSS At-Large Representative Clay J. Gray, commented, “It is an important educational piece but . . . there’s a larger piece that we are raising awareness of . . . almost every university is taking action.” Around BC, universities including UBC, Emily Carr, University of Fraser Valley and TRU are cancelling classes to allow students to attend TRC events. SFU Senate also passed a motion to allow SFU students to attend Reconciliation events during this week without academic consequences.
“Be mindful of the gifts you bring . . . We need all of them to build the future.”
Karen Joseph
director of Reconciliation Canada
The event itself was opened by Margaret George, Elder at SFU, who gave a short speech and a prayer. She was followed by Klahanie Rorick, administrative assistant in the Office for Aboriginal Peoples, who sang a traditional song, and SFU President Andrew Petter, who spoke to the assembly.
“We are proud to support the work of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission,” said Petter. “We need to honour Aboriginal culture.” Petter was also named captain of SFU’s Walk for Reconciliation team.
The keynote speaker was Karen Joseph, Director of Reconciliation Canada and daughter of Chief Dr. Robert Joseph. Joseph’s speech frequently drew on personal experiences and anecdotes as she gave a brief history of residential schools and their practices. Joseph emphasized the importance of a reconciliatory attitude and the need to “be mindful of the gifts you bring . . . We need all of them to build the future.”
Fielding questions from the audience, Joseph thanked the crowd, praising its interest and diversity as the seeds of reconciliation and healing. She also made a surprise announcement that Dr. Bernice King, daughter of civil rights legend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., will be the keynote speaker at the Truth and Reconciliation Commissions Walk for Reconciliation.
“The sequel to this film is the dialogue that we’ve created by having shared this with you.”
Kyle Irving
We Were Children film producer
Once Joseph left the stage, a video titled Language of Reconciliation was shown before five panelists took to the stage to share their experiences as direct and indirect victims of residential schools. The panelists included Cindy Tom-Lindley, Executive Director of the Indian Residential School Survivors Society, Vera Jones, a member of the Indian Residential School Survivors Society, Michelle Quock, an SFU student and William G. Lindsay, Director of the SFU Office for Aboriginal Peoples.
The final presentation was the documentary, We Were Children, a re-telling of the stories of Glen Anaquod and Lyna Hart, two victims of the residential school system. Although heart wrenching for many of the spectators, the film and the event as a whole were meant to be informative and bring to light the pain and suffering caused by this system. The support shown was greatly appreciated, as noted by Kyle Irving, producer of the documentary.
“To me the sequel to this film is the dialogue that we’ve created by having shared this with you,” said Irving.
