Across the St. Clair Catholic District School Board, we honor survivors of residential schools, family members of survivors, the children who never made it home, and all those who are impacted by residential schools. We are spending Orange Shirt Weeks, Sept 23rd to October 4th, learning firsthand across schools in partnership with Indigenous Elders, Knowledge Keepers, Survivors, and family members of survivors. 2024 marks the 11th year of Orange Shirt Day, Nationwide. We begin this by raising the Every Child Matters Flags created by Cedric Isaac, Bkejwanong Territory, across the system.
We begin in our schools this coming week before Orange Shirt Day by connecting with traditional knowledge systems that were devalued and minimized through colonial systems. With the intergenerational impacts of residential schools, this learning brings healing and knowledge that both values and opens the door to continue to preserve and promote Indigenous languages and cultural knowledge. This first-hand learning will be learning from music and the impact of residential schools with Cedric, Leigh Ann Isaac; Neva Isaac-Sands, Bkjewaong Territory will engage youth in learning from the land this week and next will share her family story of the intergenerational impacts of residential schools; Librarian Lynda Lou Classens, Bkejwanong Territory, will also share stories with the youth. Steve Tooshkenig, Bkejwanong Territory, will also share his family story as an intergenerational residential school survivor. Herb Snake, Eelünaapéewi Lahkéewiit, will also connect with youth across the system.
On Orange Shirt Day, September 30th, Youth and Community will be participating in a Healing Walk and Gathering in downtown Wallaceburg hosted by Walpole Island Employment and Training in partnership with the Municipality of Chatham-Kent Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Justice Department.
This week and next week, we welcome Indigenous Filmmaker, Derek Sands, Bkejwanong Territory to share his newest film, “Gaa ZhaaWiijig: Survivors” (2024), which tells the profound stories of ten Walpole Island First Nation survivors, showcasing their resilience and honouring the spirit and legacy of the community’s residential school survivors as they navigate the path of healing and cultural reclamation.
Beginning on Orange Shirt Day and throughout next week, we also welcome former NHL Hockey Player, Jason Simon from Aamjiwnaang First Nation to share at a number of schools his story of being an intergenerational residential school survivor and inspire youth to reach their goals. He brings a message of resilience and determination in a relatable way that inspires youth to keep their focus and visualize their goals to achieve them!
We learn the history and truth directly from local survivors and family members of survivors of residential schools, the intergenerational impacts, resilience, gifts, and heroes, as we think about the truth we are learning and how we can take action toward reconciliation.
Please see the SCCDSB Indigenous Education Website for more resources to connect with.