The City of Melfort says the day is about joining together in the spirit of reconciliation and sending the message that every child matters (Facebook/City of Melfort)

By Rachel May

Truth and Reconciliation Event

Melfort set to host Truth and Reconciliation event

Sep 24, 2021 | 9:58 AM

The City of Melfort will be hosting an event featuring a testimonial from a residential school survivor, round dance and walk for National Truth and Reconciliation Day.

Cultural coordinator and Melfort Museum curator, Gailmarie Anderson, said the community came together to organize this event.

“We formed an informal committee of people from various aspect of the community. Community college, Marguerite Riel Centre, a representative from James Smith, City representatives and someone from Kenaston,” Anderson said. “The city felt compelled to try and involve all of those groups and have everybody plan the program.”

The event will take place at Melfort & Unit Comprehensive Collegiate on Sept. 30 at 11:50 a.m. and will begin with a welcome and prayer from Elder Riley Burns.

Friendship Round Dance, which will be led by cultural advisor, Edward Stonestand who will be joined by drummers from James Smith Cree Nation.

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Attendees will make their way to city hall to witness the City of Melfort raise a flag endorsed by the Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations (FSIN) designed by local resident, Tara Aisaican, to honour the victims of the residential school system.

“It’s basically got two orange stripes on either side and the hand print of her daughter. Her two year old daughter. It recognizes the lost children in the unmarked graves and survivors,” Anderson said.

The events will be modified to allow for social distancing. Although masks are not required they are strongly recommended. Anderson is also encouraging participants to wear the colour orange.

“Usually when you do a round dance you hold hands but what we are going to do is we’ve got orange safety tape they use for the highways, we are cutting strips of those so each person can hold one end of the strip,” Anderson said.

National Truth and Reconciliation Day is also known as Orange Shirt Day which recognizes the story of Phylliss Webstad who shared her story of having her new orange shirt taken away on her first day of school at the mission.

Webstad shared her story about healing in hopes of helping other survivors become confident in sharing their story.

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