Crowds flood Main Mall for Intergenerational March on first National Day for Truth and Reconciliation

Elder Pauline Johnson, also known as Fishwoman, of the Treaty Eight Cree Nation. Isabella Falsetti

This article mentions residential schools, sexual abuse and physical abuse.

Thousands of students turned out to UBC campus on Thursday, September 30 to listen to survivors of Canada’s residential school system and honour Indigenous children that never made it home.

The event, entitled the Intergenerational March to Commemorate Orange Shirt Day, was held to mark the first National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. The march — organized by UBC’s STEM faculties — began at the Indian Residential School History and Dialogue Centre and ended at the Reconciliation Pole.

The day began with opening remarks by Elder Seis’lom of the Stl’atl’imx First Nation, who gave a land acknowledgement and reflected on the impact of systemic racism on Indigenous peoples today, as well as the failure of many major institutions to properly approach reconciliation.

['auto'] Isabella Falsetti

“What we have here today, my dear friends, my dear relatives — we don’t come here to show you anything. We’re here to share with you what we have learned and picked up along the way in terms of the closing of the last residential school back in 1996,” Elder Seis’lom said.

Many songs and performances accompanied Elder Seis’lom’s words, including a pair of pieces honouring missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls, as well as their male counterparts. Other works honoured local Indigenous spirits, to reconnect those lost to Canada’s centuries-long genocide.

The march concluded with a speech from Elder Pauline Johnson, also known as Fishwoman, of the Treaty Eight Cree Nation. Her heartbreaking account of her and her family’s experiences as day and residential school survivors brought many to tears.

“Residential school was not a happy place, it was not a happy home. It was not anything beautiful to understand in regard to the children that were there who were physically and [sexually] abused,” she said.

['auto'] Isabella Falsetti

“I know you keep hearing the same things over and over again, but until they start rewriting and teaching our children — and everyone throughout the world — the whole history … this is going to continue going on and on and on.”

Elder Johnson sang a “healing song” at the end of her speech and encouraged attendees to close their eyes and silently absorb the spirituality of the music.

“I give thanks to all of you who are wearing orange today. It’s such a great honour to know that you support the Aboriginal, Indigenous people in this way on this day. It’s a very touching day,” Johnson said.

['auto'] Isabella Falsetti

First-year environment and sustainability student Asalah Youssef who attended the march said her heart was “full” seeing all of the allies convening on “the journey of reconciliation together.”

“It’s a path that takes a full heart and full mind to be fully committed to the work,” said Youssef. “There’s so much good energy here today, but also a lot of reflecting and feeling for all the Indigenous peoples across Turtle Island.”

Youssef also emphasized the need for everyone to work to implement the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s 94 Calls to Action.

“I hope to see more authentic action in all of our lives ... and in the institutions that we exist and learn and work at,” she added.

['auto'] Isabella Falsetti

This was the first year of the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation being recognized as a federal holiday. Classes were cancelled and students and faculty were encouraged to spend the day reflecting on Canada’s genocidal relationship with Indigenous peoples.

“It’s a day to really genuinely reflect on history and not just to take it as a day off,” said first-year land and food systems student Ella Scott. “We need to give Indigenous people voices and this day is just kind of the first step to do that.”

Engineering graduate student and former Engineering Undergraduate Society president Emma Dodyk added that the march was just one step to reconciliation, but a step in the right direction.

“I hope that the march ... encourages people to continue their own kind of learning,” she said. “I would encourage faculty of applied science students to take part in that and just continue to think about and reflect upon all of our roles as students on stolen land.”