Monday, September 26, 2022 - 8:00am to Sunday, October 2, 2022 - 8:00am
Castlegar and Nelson Campuses
Event Category:
Indigenous
Walking together in observance on the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. Through knowledge, dialogue, understanding and action, Selkirk College continues to build on its commitment to Indigenization in our region and beyond.
National Day for Truth and Reconciliation
On September 30, 2022, a National Day for Truth and Reconciliation will be observed to honour the survivors of residential schools, their families and communities, and to recognize the impacts of the residential school system. Public commemoration of the history of residential schools and recognition of the ongoing trauma to Indigenous Peoples is a vital component of the reconciliation process.
Selkirk College will be closed so that staff and students can mark this day, which is intended for observance, learning and action.
In the days leading up to September 30, students and staff in the Selkirk College community are being asked to gain more knowledge, consider why this day is important and find ways to move forward together toward a better future.
Four days of learning.
One day of reflection.
All days of better understanding.
Day of Learning: Orange Shirt Day
Orange Shirt Day is an opportunity for the community to come together in the spirit of reconciliation and hope for generations of children to come.
Indigenous Student Navigator Rodney Noskiye designed Selkirk College’s orange shirt this year. His featured artwork, titled “Endless Space,” captures the loneliness Indigenous children would have felt when they were torn away from their families and forced to attend residential schools.
"Endless Space" by Rodney Noskiye
As I walked down to the Columbia River to find a spot to draw the logo, I did not have an image come to me at this moment. Once I sat down to collect myself, the medicine wheel was the first to come to me. I started drawing the two feathers and then my mind went blank. I sat and tried to get another image to come, but only saw a child.
At that moment, I knew what I was going to draw in the middle. A child standing, staring into endless space. The two feathers at the bottom represent emotion and spiritual connection. The two missing are physical and mental.
After I completed the logo, it made me realize that we—as a society—still have a ways to go to heal from past traumas. Let us work together to heal from what was meant to destroy us as a people. Let us move forward.
—Rodney Noskiye
Reflections and Understanding
Join Selkirk College President Maggie Matear and Indigenous Student Navigator Rodney Noskiye on Monday, September 26, at 10 am in the Gathering Place on the Castlegar Campus for a discussion about Orange Shirt Day. They will talk about the signifcance of the day and the inspiratin for the design. All are welcome to attend. Read more about Rodney Noskiye and his role as Indigenous student navigator here.
Every Child Matters
Orange Shirt Day was inspired by Phyllis Jack Webstad, a Stswecem'c Xgat'tem First Nation elder in Williams Lake, BC. She wore a bright orange shirt to her first day of residential school in 1973 when she was six years old.
The shirt was taken from her and since then, the colour orange has reminded her that her feelings didn't matter. Orange Shirt Day was started in Williams Lake in 2013 to commemorate all residential school survivors.
Learn more about Phyllis’ story and Orange Shirt Day.
Day of Learning: The Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action
When the last residential school was closed almost 25 years ago, survivors advocated for recognition and reparations, demanding accountability for the intergenerational impacts of harms caused. In 2005, Assembly of First Nations National Chief Phil Fontaine announced a class action lawsuit against the Government of Canada over the legacy of residential schools. The successful lawsuit led to the implementation of the Indian Residential Schools Settlement Agreement, which began on September 19, 2007.
As part of the agreement, on June 11, 2008, the Office of the Prime Minister of Canada issued an apology to former students of the residential school system. Prime Minister Stephen Harper delivered the apology in the House of Commons where Indigenous leaders and survivors stood as witness to the speech.
Sharing Stories and Experiences from a Dark Past
As part of the Indian Residential Schools Settlement Agreement, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) was launched. From 2008–2015, the TRC hosted events all across the country to listen to those who shared their residential school stories and experiences. In 2015, the TRC released its final report detailing 94 calls to action.
Actions Echo Louder Than Words
The 94 calls to action, the result of seven years of dedicated and detailed work done by the TRC, touch almost every facet of Canadian society. They are a testament to the profound negative impact government policy played in the lives of Indigenous children and their families.
The calls to action are present in every program at Selkirk College and everywhere we turn in our daily lives. It’s important to read the entire report, understand why action is necessary and assess what can be done in our own lives to make a difference.
Day of Learning: Reading and Resources
Selkirk College is committed to reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples, the intentional process of establishing and maintaining respectful and right relationships with Indigenous governments, organizations, families and learners. This process involves repairing damaged trust in education systems through respect and reciprocity as well as fostering education.
Explore Selkirk College's Indigenous History Reading List and Indigenous Resource Guide.
Day of Learning: Crafting and Connection
Join Indigenous Cultural Assistant Ann-Marie Smith in the Gathering Place to make a beaded orange shirt, enjoy a light lunch and make cultural connections. There will be a smudging and a moment of remembrance will be observed.
- Thursday, September 29, 10 am–1 pm
- The Gathering Place, Castlegar Campus
Day of Reflection: National Day for Truth and Reconciliation
The National Day for Truth and Reconciliation is a federal and provincial holiday where everyone in Canada can recognize and commemorate the legacy of residential schools.
A Day of Observance
Selkirk College will be closed so that staff and students can mark this day, which is intended for observance, learning and action. Everyone is encouraged to use this time to learn more about the history and ongoing legacy of residential schools and to have important conversations with their families, friends and communities about how we can collectively bring action to reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples in BC.
What is Truth and Reconciliation?
Learn more at the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation
Upcoming Learning Opportunities
Indigenous 100: Regional Indigenous Perspectives on Languages and Culture
Join us for a five-day intensive introductory course that will introduce students to the histories, languages, values, oral traditions and literature of the Sinixt (Lakes), Okanagan-Syilx, Ktunaxa and Métis Peoples.
- October 15–November 19, 2022, Saturdays for five weeks (no class on November 12)
- 9 am–4 pm
- Castlegar Campus, Sentinal 102
- Bring your own lunch & snacks
On-the-Land Learning
Join Indigenous Skills Instructor Melissa Dorey (Mi’kmaw) and Sn̓ʕay̓ckstx (Sinixt) Elders and Knowledge Keepers for traditional learning experiences. This series will have a special focus on food security, providing hands-on learning opportunities for various processing and storage methods. For those interested in Indigenous language revitalization, the N̓səl̓xcin language will be shared, including plant names, place names and associated vocabulary.
- September 21, September 28, October 11, October 18, October 25, November 1
- 12–3 pm
