I encourage everyone in the MGH family to take it upon themselves to learn more about Canada’s history and FNIM culture. Traditional medicines will be available for prayers.Įveryone who calls Kanata (Canada) home needs to acknowledge the destructive, traumatic effect that residential schools have had on our country’s people and continues to the present day inequities faced by FNIM community members. We cannot achieve reconciliation if we don’t acknowledge the past and make a commitment to changes the future for the children, grandchildren and those yet to be born. We humbly ask you to join us and bring a pair of shoes to place on the stone people that surround the sacred fire. We invite the community to attend this grieving ceremony at any point while the fire is burning to offer prayers and support to those that are struggling with such a devastating loss of life. On June 8 th, Elder Little Brown Bear and community members will light a sacred fire and conduct a pipe ceremony located at the Bear’s Den All Nations Traditional Medicine Sweat Lodge which will burn for 24 hours until June 9 th to honour those lives that have been taken from us. We also invite our hospital to join Elder Little Brown Bear and other community members in honouring these children. The flag will remain in the mourning position until June 8 th or 215 hours. On Sunday evening, we lowered our flag to half-mast at the hospital. However, acknowledging our country’s terrible past is necessary in order seek reconciliation and change the future. It is difficult to contemplate the deaths of these young people. We all share in the grief of the generations who have been harmed by the residential schools. These children were stolen, and as a result families were broken. Last week, we learned of the discovery of the remains of 215 children on the grounds of a former residential school in Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc territory near Kamloops, B.C. Just come with open hearts and open minds,” Gerow said.We stand with our First Nation, Inuit and Métis brothers and sisters in mourning the terrible loss and reliving of the trauma caused by the residential school system operated by the Canadian government. “It is a ceremony space, so we ask that there’s no recordings, no pictures. Those who do attend are asked to remain respectful of the ongoing ceremony and refrain from recording or taking photographs. On Tuesday, Brant and Gerow are hopeful that both Indigenous and non-Indigenous members of the community will join together to honour, acknowledge and grieve the lives that have been lost and the lives that have been impacted. ![]() Now, you can’t un-hear, you can’t un-see, so we’re having this fire monthly until the children are found we’re only at, like, 30 schools (searched) out of 139,” grandmother Kathy Brant said. “The children (were) recovered in a time when everybody was quiet, so everybody got to listen, right? We were always taught to learn, what’s the gift of this tragedy? That was one of the gifts, that we were allowed air for everyone to hear. Knowing that we as multiple nations are finally being heard by the wider public, no longer can people say that it never happened,” Gerrow said. “It’s been a really good year to be able to come together as a community to feel, to share stories and to know that we’re together. The past year has been one of reckoning and healing, and the connection of community has been critical in navigating this time, Gerow explained. We’re taking them out to Kamloops, to that very first community, and they’re going to welcome us and have our shoes join their shoes in ceremony,” Gerow said. “We’re going to be taking the shoes that we gathered last year during our 10-day fire - which was over 400 pairs of shoes. ![]() Article contentĪfter the ceremony has finished, Gerow explained that she and other community members will be travelling to Kamloops to deliver the more than 400 pairs of shoes that were collected during the Sacred Fire last year. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. ![]() Manage Print Subscription / Tax Receipt.
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