The town of Oakville is offering a number of ways to recognize National Day for Truth and Reconciliation in the community throughout the month of September this year.
Over the next few weeks, residents are "invited to participate in activities to learn more about the rich and diverse culture of Indigenous people and reflect on the generational impact, trauma and oppression endured by Indigenous peoples in Canada as a result of the residential school system."
Most events and activities are taking place over the next three weeks, leading up to National Day for Truth and Reconciliation on September 30. Full listings are lower in this story.
Oakville, as we know it today, is rich in the history and modern traditions of many First Nations and the Métis. From the lands of the Anishinabe to the Attawandaron, the Haudenosaunee, and the Métis, these lands surrounding the Great Lakes are steeped in Indigenous history.
Staff for the town says, "We acknowledge and thank the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation for being stewards of this territory."
Various organizations are, participating including town facilities, Oakville Public library (OPL), the Oakville Museum and more. Event and activity highlights for September 2022 include:
- Wear an orange shirt to raise awareness about the intergenerational impact and trauma residential schools have had on Indigenous communities and make a donation to the Orange Shirt Society (available here) to support their work in commemorating the residential school experience and fostering reconciliation.
- Participate in a walk that begins at Oakville’s first orange crosswalk at the intersection of Thomas and Church streets on Sunday, September 25 at 1:30 p.m.
- Participate in a virtual woodland paint class with two-spirit Ojibway artist Patrick Hunter on Friday, September 9 from 7-9 p.m. This class is part of Community Conversations with OPL, which focuses on Indigenous Arts, Culture and Voices this month. Register here on the OPL website.
- Watch Indigenous films on the grounds of Oakville Museum on September 23 from 6-11 p.m. The night, presented in association with Indigenous community leaders, OPL and other community partners, will feature the films Honour to Senator Murray Sinclair and Hi-Ho Mistahey! Prior to the movie, Grandmother’s Voice and Our Kids Network will be leading a beading craft activity in the Coach House while OPL will be sharing book recommendations based on the movies’ themes.
- Join Christine Friday as she explores her Anishinaabek roots, first with the film Path Without End, a 10-minute documentary dance film as we witness the Friday family taking back their power from Shingwauk residential school and speaking their truth on their traditional tribal family hunting territory on September 30 at 8 p.m. For free tickets to the in-person event or the live stream event, visit the Oakville Centre for the Performing Arts website.
- Visit Oakville’s first orange crosswalk at Thomas and Church streets, which has been painted orange in honour of children of the residential school system. The intersection also features a utility cabinet cover in a Moccasin Identifier Project design of four moccasins representative of the four linguistic groups in Ontario and a permanent interpretive sign.
- Enjoy a walk along the Moccasin Trails and explore the history of the lands from an Indigenous perspective. Follow the Moccasin Trails signs along Bronte Creek Heritage Trail beginning at Rebecca Street and Mississaga Street and along Sixteen Mile Creek Inner Valley to Dundas Street West at Lions Valley.
- Visit Tannery Park and explore the First Nations history wall and Moccasin Identifier, which was built to promote public awareness of the significant cultural historic sites and the ancestral presence of First Nations, Métis and Indigenous communities.
- Make a traditional hairpipe bracelet with Indigenous artist Naomi Smith through a virtual workshop on Saturday, October 1 from 2-4 p.m. Register here on the OPL website.
- Celebrate Indigenous culture and community through Planting Our Seeds: Resurgence of Indigenous Voices from October 5 to November 30. More details to come.
In addition to activities being offered by the town, the “Every Child Matters” orange flag will be flown at Town Hall during the week of September 26 and lowered to half-mast on September 30. Town Hall and the Oakville Centre for the Performing Arts will also be lit orange during the week of September 26.
For more activities and information about the town of Oakville’s Truth and Reconciliation efforts, visit the Indigenous Culture and Community webpage here.