YORKTON - National Day of Truth and Reconciliation is being marked in Yorkton today, starting with a long parade of more than 200 people down Broadway Street.
The parade ended at City Centre Park where several dignitaries brought opening remarks, before a lunch was served.
“I was happy when we were two blocks long (the parade),” said Yorkton Tribal Council (YTC) Tribal Chief Isabel O’Soup, adding “this is just the start of it.”
O’Soup said the day was one which focuses on “learning the truth about residential schools – the legacy.”
O’Soup said it is clearly time for change because through change people may heal, are educated and find ways to better live together.
Madame Commissioner Mary Culbertson of the Office of the Treaty Commission and from Keeseekoose First Nation, said she was “honoured to be here with my family today,” adding that in spite of many responsibilities there was “no way I was going to miss walking with my own people.”
Culbertson noted that there “is a lot of intergenerational trauma we are all dealing with ... lateral violence is everywhere around us.”
Culbertson said it is time to change things, “to put the brakes on here and now.
“Our generation, we stop this legacy now.”
The residential schools were “a system of genocide,” that didn’t work, but it did leave great scars.
“We weren’t supposed to be here anymore,” said Culbertson. “But we’re still here. We’re very resilient.”
And things are changing, said Culbertson. She said there were ceilings put on First Nations people, but now they are breaking through that ceiling, noting she is the first lawyer from her reserve and the first woman Treaty Commissioner in 150 years.
Yorkton Mayor Mitch Hippsley suggested the day was a chance at a new beginning of sorts.
“Today is a day of remembering, a day of learning, a day of truth.
Yorkton Tribal Council (YTC) Health Commission Chair, Chief Connie Big Eagle said the gathering once again showed that in spite of what has happened “we are still here.”
Big Eagle also acknowledged the non-First Nations people attending the event.
“We appreciate your support on this day,” she said, adding “we all need each other to survive. All the races need each other to survive.”
The event continues this afternoon with Indian Residential School survivors scheduled to share their stories.
