Maffeo Sutton Park was full of orange shirts during last year's National Truth & Reconciliation Day event. (Ian Holmes/NanaimoNewsNOW)

By NanaimoNewsNOW Staff

a day to listen and learn

Community coming together to honour and remember on Truth & Reconciliation Day

Sep 30, 2022 | 5:28 AM

NANAIMO — For the second time nationally, the National Day for Truth & Reconciliation is being recognized on Sept. 30.

The day was made official last year as a time to honour the victims and survivors of residential schools and work on a pathway towards healing for their families and communities.

Snuneymuxw First Nation, City of Nanaimo and Nanaimo Ladysmith Public Schools are teaming up to pay tribute to survivors and families by honouring the Snuneymuxw way of being.

The jointly hosted events start at 10 a.m. at the Stadium District on Third St. inside the Rotary Bowl. Community leaders from Nanaimo and Snuneymuxw will speak, with Snuneymuxw community members sharing their truths about the impacts of the residential school system.

Newly created art by Snuneymuxw carver Noel Brown will also be honoured, along with a new place name for q’unq’inuqwstuxw, the hul’q’umi’num’ word given to the NDSS community field by the Snuneymuxw First Nation.

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From 11 a.m. until 3 p.m. there will be Snuneymuxw performances on the main stage at the Rotary Bowl, along with free sports and recreational activities taking place throughout the Stadium District from noon until 4 p.m.

Interactive and artisan booths and food trucks will also be on site.

Community members attending are encouraged to wear orange to show support for Orange Shirt Day, also on Sept. 30. The National Day for Truth and & Reconciliation built on this day, based on the story of Phyllis Webstad’s story of having her new orange shirt taken away on her first day at the Mission Residential School.

A shuttle service will be provided by the RDN and a bike valet will be on site.

There is also a number of free skating opportunities at the Nanaimo Ice Centre and free swimming at the Nanaimo Aquatic Centre starting at noon and going until around 4 p.m.

Last year’s event drew a large crowd to Maffeo Sutton Park to a sombre gathering for the first official day of Truth & Reconciliation in the wake of the discoveries of unmarked graves at residential school sites, including 160 on Penkelakut Island east of Chemainus.

More information on the event can be found here at nanaimo.ca/goto/truth.

To learn more about Orange Shirt day, click here to go to orangeshirtday.org.

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