A sea of orange shirts descended on the Alderville First Nation reserve Wednesday afternoon for the annual Truth and Reconciliation Walk along a portion of Highway 45.
Chief Taynar Simpson was on hand to greet the walkers and was visibly moved by the turnout and the overall support the cause has been garnering across the country.
Elder Nora Sawyer led off with a prayer, reminding us that we are truly all one people and that, despite the tragedies of the past, it is the future we need to look toward to.
New this year was the inclusion of dozens of students from Roseneath Elementary School, led by Principal Martha Harp-McMurray, who said it was very important that children come to understand from an early age the significance of what happened in their own backyard, albeit long before any of them were born.
As Orange Shirt Day is often referred to as a “Day to Listen,” United Way Northumberland Executive Director Alicia Van Dine was there to do just that — take in the words and spirit of the participants and reflect on the importance of the day.
Organizers predict that the number of participants will continue to grow as awareness of the atrocities of the past continues to reach the ears and minds of those of us living in the present day.
(Written By: Richard Evans)
