Sixties Scoop the focus of 2018 Truth and Reconciliation event set for June 5 in Swift Current

Swift Current will be taking another step forward by hosting their second Truth and Reconciliation event on June 5.

Truth and Reconciliation: Act Now Healing Families will be hosted at Great Plains College from 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Tuesday. This year’s event which explores the issue of the Sixties Scoop follows up the March 2017 debut event which had the theme Truth and Reconciliation: Let’s Walk the Talk. Organized by the Southwest Multicultural Association and a number of partner agencies, the event continues the local initiative to increase awareness of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action.

The South West Multicultural Association originally proposed this initiative in 2017 to raise awareness in the community in response to a survey which determined that 35 per cent of prairie residents hadn’t even heard about Residential Schools. That was the highest percentage in Canada, despite Saskatchewan having one of the highest indigenous populations by percentage.

“So we saw that there is a huge problem here,” explained event organizing committee member Bula Ghosh from Great Plains College.

“We hope that we were able to reach out to many people who did not know about it. But then people were asking us ‘are you doing anything as a follow-up?’”

The June 5 event will begin with a blessing by Cultural Advisor Wendell Starblanket, followed by an Honour Song. Presentations will be made by Sixties Scoop Survivor Vince Vandale, plus Sixties Scoop Committee member Leticia Racine. During the noon hour event participants will walk to Market Square for a flag raising and a reading of Calls to Action items pertaining to Families.

The Chinook School Division will have 185 Grade 12 students attending from parts of the Southwest - Leader, Maple Creek, Swift Current Comprehensive High School and Maverick School.

“We want our students to be able to be aware and acknowledge the land that we’re on - Treat 4 Land and the land of the Metis. But we also want to have students dedicate themselves to moving forward in partnership with indigenous communities,” explained Lisa Kuntz, a Curriculum Coordinator with the Chinook School Division.

Ghosh added that the event is fittingly aimed at youth.

“They are the people who will be at the workplace, who will be in the community, who will be the decision makers of tomorrow. So their understanding of the indigenous issues will help them better relate to the workplace and their communities.”

During the evening Zoey Roy will be making a presentation at the Swift Current Library starting at 6:30 p.m.

Individuals interested in participating are asked to register with Bula Ghosh at 306-778-5477 or Catherine Aguilar at 306-750-2847.