An orange wave swept through downtown Winnipeg this morning as a crowd gathered in recognition of Canada’s residential school legacy and in honour of those affected by it.
Thousands participated in a march through the city centre — which has become an annual tradition on the National Day of Truth and Reconciliation — hosted by Wa-say Healing Centre.
Monday marked the first time the day,also known as Orange Shirt Day, was recognized as a statutory holiday in Manitoba.
MIKAELA MACKENZIE / FREE PRESS FILES
A slate of Truth and Reconciliation Day events is taking place across Winnipeg today.
“Today is to remember the things that were taken from us as a people,” said Ian Desjarlais, who participated in the march with his partner Lea-Ann and their 18-month-old daughter Galaxy.
“It’s to remember who we are and where we could be, as opposed to where we are at now because there is a lot of us struggling… Canada is a great nation with a dark history.”
A slate of events was planned throughout the province, including at The Forks, where Indigenous elders started the morning with a pipe ceremony before inviting community leaders to speak at the Oodena Celebration Circle.
The crowd included people of various cultures, ages, backgrounds and physical abilities.
Indigenous leaders — including Southern Chiefs Organization Grand Chief Jerry Daniels, and Betsy Kennedy, acting grand chief of the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs — stressed the importance of family and resilience.
Premier Wab Kinew, who enshrined the day in legislation as one of his first acts after taking over provincial leadership, echoed that sentiment in a statement.
“It’s our hope you spend this day with your family, enjoying each other’s company — a thing that was denied for so many Indigenous families,” he said. “Every person in our province matters. Every Manitoban deserves a good life.”
Desjarlais kept one eye on the public speakers and the other on his daughter, who tumbled and played with other children on the grassy, sloped walls of the outdoor amphitheater.
It was the second time he’d brought Galaxy to participate in TRC Day events, hoping “to show her she matters in everybody’s life,” he said.
Marchers left The Forks shortly after the speeches, heading north down Israel Asper Way before turning west onto York Avenue.
Led by a orange pickup truck bearing the words “Every Child Matters,” the group turned northbound again down Main Street toward Portage Avenue.
Plumes of smoke from traditional medicines filled the air, accompanied by the sound of pounding drums played by those in the crowd.
They were to continue to Kennedy Street to the RBC Convention Centre, where they would participate in a powwow.
Wayne Mason Jr., Wa-Say’s director of operations, thanked people for participating in the healing march and powwow, which is now in its fourth consecutive year.
His voice caught in his throat and he paused to compose himself — drawing a cheer of support from the crowd — as he explained the event was nearly cancelled earlier this month, after the centre lost funding support from the federal government.
The centre announced the event was cancelled in a post on social media at the beginning of September, but later said it would continue as planned thanks to funding support from the province and elsewhere, including the Southern Chiefs’ Organization.
Other TRC events were ongoing elsewhere in the city.
At the Leaf in Assiniboine Park, a sacred fire was burning in the Indigenous Peoples Garden. Educator Cree Crowchild was set to share sacred teachings there from 1 p.m. Until 6 p.m.
Youth were invited to gather at Ma Mawi Wi Chi Itata Centre’s Gathering Place for a day of activities and ceremony.
The Children’s Museum, The Canadian Museum for Human Rights and the Manitoba Museum each offered free admission throughout the day.
tyler.searle@freepress.mb.ca
Tyler Searle
Reporter
Tyler Searle is a multimedia producer who writes for the Free Press‘s city desk. A graduate of Red River College Polytechnic’s creative communications program, he wrote for the Stonewall Teulon Tribune, Selkirk Record and Express Weekly News before joining the paper in 2022. Read more about Tyler.
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