By Brandie Majeau
A sea of orange shirts flooded the gymnasium of Thorhild Central School (TCS) on September 29 in
recognition of the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. Approximately 375 guests were in
attendance, including students, TCS staff, Aspen View officials, and members of the community. The
holiday, which originated in 2013 as Orange Shirt Day, was formally implemented and recognized for the
first time in 2021 as the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. It encourages Canadians to
understand, reflect, and learn about the impact residential schools had on the Indigenous community.
TCS educator Erin Halonen guided the ceremonies with solemn dignity, encouraging all guests to join in
this journey of understanding. “Remembering, recovering, and reconciling” is a term used many times
for this cause, dedicating ourselves to the healing journey from a history of abuse and degradation.
The National Day of Truth and Reconciliation presentation called upon Superintendent Constantine
Kastrinos, who spoke to the students and members of the community about understanding the stories
and the truth and creating peace and understanding through reconciliation. Principal Lenore Lamouche
followed with a sincere thank you to all in attendance, adding her own personal interest as a parent of a
First Nations daughter and a desire to bring awareness to the circumstances. The ceremony involved a
sacred smudging, and guest speaker Jason Whiskeyjack from Saddle Lake Cree Nation gave an opening
prayer in Cree. The grade four class joined the singing of O Canada by signing our National Anthem, and
a visual media presentation was shown offering a brief history, explanation, and testimony of the plight
of residential schools. There was also a moment of silence as the beat of drums played the honor song,
beat after beat pounding its way into the hearts and minds of a darker time in Canadian history.
Jason Whiskeyjack spoke of the trauma incurred by families, how children were forcibly taken, relating
his own family’s experience and emotions. The stories were poignant, relaying the disharmony that
echoed in the personal lives of Indigenous families, all because of the damage of the residential school.
As he spoke of his own journey towards healing, he relayed respect and strength of family as a unit,
supporting each other and working together to reconcile. His own childhood stories found their way to
the telling of The Story of The Grass Dance. The story speaks of a boy seeking guidance and enduring
suffering and finding hope at the end of it all—the story denotes healing, the grass dance a healing
dance.
As Jason Whiskeyjack’s words settled fresh in the minds of all attending, Darryl Whiskeyjack stepped
into the center of the gymnasium. Dressed in full costume, with a swish of beads and the tinkling of
bells, he began an entrancing performance of The Grass Dance, swaying to the songs of ancient
ancestors. He moved with elegance, his feet strong and sure but graceful, bells echoing a haunting song
as he moved. With a final stamp of a foot and the jingle of bells fading into silence, an up-roaring of
applause filled the air. With the touching performance, understanding dawns and marks the impact of
this painful history. The fading of the bells drew forth the memories of children who never made it back
to their homes and the struggle that still very much impacts so many families and communities today.
Students, staff, and guests were invited to join together following the ceremony for a group lunch. The
chefs at Freddy’s Lunchbox (TCS cafeteria) worked hard to create an amazing traditional meal of
bannock and stew to honour the service.
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