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By Gates Guarin

Residential school survivors to tell their story at MHC National Truth and Reconciliation Day event

Sep 29, 2022 | 9:41 AM

MEDICINE HAT, AB – Medicine Hat College will be honouring residential school survivors during a day of reflection on National Truth and Reconciliation Day.

The college has partnered with the Miywasin Friendship Centre to host the event, which will include a walk for the community. Those attending are encouraged to wear orange in support of residential school victims and survivors.

Elder Bertha Wirch and her son Walter will be sharing their stories of being a part of the residential school system, and a blanket ceremony will also be held to honour what survivors had to endure. Buffalo calf singers from the Neekaneet Cree Nation in Saskatchewan will also be on hand to hold a round dance for the community.

Chasity Cairns, manager of Indigenous engagement and student supports at the college, says it’s important for an event like this one to be held so that the community is aware of what occurred, and to prevent it all from happening again.

“The education piece is so important because it helps to create an open heart and open mind to learning about our culture and learning about where we can move forward together,” Cairns says. “We live in a Western world but also learning about going back to our cultural way of life and bringing that back, intertwining them both so that we can all learn from each other.”

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The event will take place in front of Medicine Hat College with the walk beginning at 4 p.m. Those attending are encouraged to bring a lawn chair for the duration of the event.