Wearing orange downtown Calgary

Despite the chilly rain and gray skies over the city of Calgary.

It did not stop Calgarians coming out in the hundreds for National Day of Truth and Reconciliation.

In the downtown core events were taking place to honour survivors of Canada’s Indian Residential School and remember those who never came home.

At nine o’clock in the morning the City of Calgary held an event at Fort Calgary where time to hear from Elders and officials about the importance of Reconciliation.

Part of the remembrance of the Children who never came home was an aerial salute by the Calgary Fire Department.

The Fire Department raised an orange flag with the name of Children who discovered in unmarked graves and a large empty space on the right side of the flag to signify that the list of names is incomplete.

Photo of Calgary Fire Department’s Aerial Salute to children who never came home from Indian Residential School

Not longer after the gathering at Fort Calgary, the Pokaiks walk gathered at City Hall at the Indian Residential School Memorial where Siksika Elder Clarence Wolf Leg blessed the gathering.

The walk of Pokaiks escorted by the City of Calgary Police Service, held traffic for the three-kilometer journey to Shaw Millennium Park.

With over three hundred people partaking in the walk accompanied by drummers who kept spirits high as the march drew closer to the park.

Once at the Park Elders, dancers and musicians preformed and shared what it means to be part of reconciliation while also, taking time to heal.

Photo of young drummer at Pokaiks walk

To get out of the rain and on the other side of the Downtown core from the Millennium Park at the National Music Centre, David McLeod who is the curator of the SPEAK UP! exhibition hosted a panel with Fawn Wood, Lindsey Knight “Eekwol” and Shane Ghostkeeper to explore what role music plays in reconciliation.

Musical performances by each of panelists who shared songs about reconciliation to transition to the next talking point.

Read more about the panel and CJWE’s conversations with the panelists here.

Photo of the SPEAK UP! panel

See photos from the Calgary Downtown events below: