Church event explores legacy of residential schools

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This article was published 19/09/2022 (1132 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

An upcoming event invites people of all faiths to Walking the Paths: From the Truth of Residential Schools to Reconciliation at Westworth United Church.

The Sept. 24-25 event, which will be led by elders from Fisher River Cree Nation, includes a presentation by Cree elder Gloria Cook on Our Journey as Cree People, worship led by Cree elder the Very Rev. Stan McKay, with Walking Wolf Singers and Oji-Cree singer Keely McPeek, conversation circles with residential school survivors, and a procession to the nearby former Assiniboia Residential School.

“We’re holding it as part of our response to the calls of action to churches from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission,” said Westworth minister Loraine MacKenzie Shepherd. “It’s a way to recognize the role churches played in colonization.”

By meeting with Indigenous people, “We want to hear the hard stories and find ways to reconcile,” she said. “It’s not just about learning, but about being together.”

The procession to the former Assiniboia school on Academy Road will take about 20 minutes, MacKenzie Shepherd said. Assiniboia was a Catholic-run school from 1958-67, and housed rural students attending other schools until 1973.

“We are the closest church to it,” she said, noting the Winnipeg church (1750 Grosvenor Ave.) has a member on the Assiniboia Residential School survivors board and is involved in the creation of a memorial on the site.

The walk to the school’s site will be “meditative and reflective,” she said. It will conclude with a circle dance.

The event also features a week-long display at the church about the Brandon Industrial Residential School, which was operated by the United Church of Canada from 1895-1969.

The school was attended by Indigenous students from across the province, including from Fisher River.

The display is also available for viewing through the week and will be visited by teachers and students from nearby schools. It is also open to the public Tuesday and Wednesday, 6 to 8 p.m., Thursday 1 to 3:30 p.m. and Saturday 1 to 4 p.m.

“Residential schools and their legacy are part of our shared history,” MacKenzie Shepherd said. “In our diversity, we are united in seeking to listen and take steps toward reconciliation in response to the hard truths that we are hearing.”

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