We at SBDHS and the Archdiocese of St. Boniface acknowledge the school we attend is situated on the ancestral land of the Anishinaabe, Ininew and Dakota Nations. We also acknowledge the significance of this land as the traditional trade and travel routes of the Anish-Ininew and Dene Nations, as well as the homeland of the Metis Nation. We recognize, with respect and gratitude, Shoal Lake 40 First Nation as the source of our drinking water. We are all bound together on these lands by Treaties and we pledge to learn from the mistakes of our past to move forward together in the spirit of reconciliation.
Each year, September 30 marks the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.
The day honors the children who never returned home and Survivors of residential schools, as well as their families and communities. Public commemoration of the tragic and painful history and ongoing impacts of residential schools is a vital component of the reconciliation process.
Orange Shirt Day is an Indigenous-led grassroots commemorative day intended to raise awareness of the individual, family and community inter-generational impacts of residential schools, and to promote the concept of “Every Child Matters”. The orange shirt is a symbol of the stripping away of culture, freedom and self-esteem experienced by Indigenous children over generations.
On September 30, we encourage all Canadians to wear orange to honour the thousands of Survivors of residential schools.
People in Canada celebrate National Indigenous History Month every June and recognize National Indigenous Peoples Day on June 21. These are great opportunities to acknowledge Indigenous Peoples, to learn about their histories, cultures and ways of life. Here is a short list of websites to learn more about Indigenous Peoples.