Several hundred residents gathered together to participate in the Brantford Region Indigenous Support Centre’s (BRISC) Every Child Matters March on Monday, September 30, 2024.
Held on National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, also known as Orange Shirt Day, the event was dedicated to remembering and honouring the more than 150,000 children, their families and their communities that were impacted by residential schools in Canada.
“Every Child Matters” signs and banners in hand, the sea of people wearing orange t-shirts started their march at Brantford’s Civic Centre, and walked the roughly 2.5 kms to the former Mohawk Institute Residential School.
According to the Woodland Cultural Centre’s website, the institute, which operated in Brantford from 1828 to 1970, served as a boarding school for First Nations children and was a key tool in the effort to assimilate them into European Christian society, and sever the continuity of culture from parent to child.
Stephanie LaForme, Intergenerational Strength and Resiliency Coordinator for BRISC, said that while herself and her team were hoping to initially host the walk along event as an alternative to Canada Day on July 1, the Woodland Cultural Centre was still undergoing major renovations.
“There was a lot of organizing to do, so we did start early this year,” she said. “We have actually planned to do this for July 1, but at the time, Woodland was not ready to have us back here yet and so the next fitting day was today.”
While participants of all ages initially started out leading Monday’s walk, singing and drumming along the way, many youngsters in the crowd eventually made their way to the front of the group as they drew closer to the former institute.
Shelly Hill, Executive Director of BRISC, said that seeing everyone take part was emotional.
“To see how many elders joined us and having them walk with us, that really and honestly just warmed me up so much,” she said. “When the children went to the front and led the way, it really showed that our children do matter, it was very emotional.”
Stephanie LaForme, Intergenerational Strength and Resiliency Coordinator for BRISC, said that while herself and her team were hoping to initially host the event on July 1, the Woodland Cultural Centre was still undergoing major restorations.
“There was a lot of organizing to do, so we did start early this year,” she said. “We had actually planned to do this for July 1, but at the time, Woodland was not ready to have us back here yet and so the next fitting day was today.”
As the group arrived at their destination, they joined the other hundreds of people already taking part in Woodland Cultural Centre’s programming for the day.
Many joined the lineup of people waiting to tour the former institute, sat in for a screening of Silent No More, listened in to a survivor talk and Q&A, or participated in various Truth and Reconciliation Activities.
Hill said that the overall day was incredibly moving and impactful.
“It felt really great to see all the support that came out for us today,” she said. “With the graves that are being uncovered and everything that’s happened with residential schools, the intergenerational trauma and the genocide, we’re very resilient people and we’ve come so far just to prove that we’re still here. Having people join us for this walk, it was just very impactful.”
Kimberly De Jong’s reporting is funded by the Canadian government through its Local Journalism Initiative.The funding allows her to report rural and agricultural stories from Blandford-Blenheim and Brant County. Reach her at kimberly.dejong@brantbeacon.ca.
