How will Qalipu First Nation commemorate the National Day of Truth and Reconciliation?
Paul Pike, Cultural Outreach Officer for the Band, shared details on Monday Morning Live:
“Stephenville is going to be having a gathering at 1:30 pm at the Jerome M Pavilion, that’s for the ceremonial start. We’re asking the whole community to come out and join us at 1:30 PM. That’s Friday, September 29th. If you’re wondering where that is, it’s right behind McDonalds in Stephenville.
Also, at 7 pm there’s going to be a virtual presentation by Lottie Johnson from Eskasoni First Nation at the College of the North Atlantic at the lecture hall. Now that’s going to be starting at 7 but we really want people to show up probably 6:30 ish. Because this is very important, to hear from our Elder, to share their story about their experience at residential school. We don’t want to be wandering in, you know, in the middle of it, you know what I mean.
Also, that same presentation will be available in other locations. In Grand Falls-Windsor, they’ll be gathering at 6:30 at the Corduroy Nature Centre building for this very same presentation. And in Gander, they will be meeting at the Crossroads Family Resource Centre at 6:30.
In Corner Brook, there’s going to be multiple things happening as well. At 3 Church Street, we’ve got events starting at 9:00 a.m. There’s going to be a banner signing, community walk, and ceremonial start followed by a song by the Corner Brook Aboriginal Women’s Association. And then that same presentation that I talked about with Lottie Jonson is going to be held at the Arts and Culture Centre in Corner Brook and that will be starting at 7:00 Pm and again we ask people to show up a little earlier.
And it’s also going to be available in DeGrau at the Edna May Benoit Women’s Centre at 6:30 PM.
There are lots of places to be able to take in the events and show our support for the residential school survivors. And of course, if you have an orange shirt to wear in support of them, that would be awesome.
It’s an opportunity for us to come out as our Mi’kmaw community and to share, be there, and be present, with the residential school survivors.”
Paul also reminded youth about the logo contest whose prize is $250, cultural supplies, books, swag, a $500 donation to the winner’s School Breakfast Program and the winner’s logo will be featured on next year’s t-shirts produced by the Band for the National Day of Truth and Reconciliation.
