Events and Programs to Mark National Day for Truth and Reconciliation

Sept. 30 is the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.

city of peterborough photo

The National Day for Truth and Reconciliation is a day to honour the children who never returned home, the survivors of residential schools, their families and communities.

“The National Day for Truth and Reconciliation is an important opportunity to reflect on our histories, learn about the injustices committed against Indigenous communities and dedicate ourselves to contribute toward reconciliation,” stated mayor Jeff Leal. “As a community, we need to take meaningful action to fulfil our collective commitment to reconciliation. I encourage everyone to take part in the activities organized by groups across our community.”

The Every Child Matters flag will be flown at City Hall for the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.

Programs and Activities:

Peterborough Public Library

Adults and Teens

• Sept. 24: Adult Book Club - Firekeeper’s Daughter by Angeline Boulley

• Sept. 27: Quilling with Sandra D. Moore

• Oct. 10: Just Get Over It: Exploring Stereotypes, Biases and Racism Between Indigenous Peoples and Settlers

• Oct. 17 - 22: Secret Path Film Viewings

Children

• Sept. 27: PA Day: Rabbit & Bear Paws - The Way with Chad Solomon

• Oct. 17: Indigenous Bilingual Story Time

Peterborough Museum and Archives

The Peterborough Museum and Archives is offering an Every Child Matters and reading centre and children’s activity during the month of September.

It’s also providing Every Child Matters stickers, buttons and bookmarks to encourage participation and learning through its National Day for Truth and Reconciliation activities.

Art Gallery of Peterborough

The exhibition “Watershed” is on display until Oct. 6.

It features work by Mary Anne Barkhouse, John Boyle, Brad Copping, Liz Magor, Stan Olthuis, Amanda Strong and Olivia Whetung.

Other Activities

Canadian Canoe Museum - Sept. 24 from 7 p.m. - 9 p.m.: reading, Q&A and book signing of “North of Nowhere, Song of a Truth and Reconciliation Commissioner” with Marie Wilson, the 2024 Jack Matthews Fellow.

GreenUP and Kawartha Land Trust - Sept. 25 from 4 p.m. - 6 p.m. and Oct. 8 from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.: Saving Native Seeds is a two-part workshop series.

Learn how to collect and save seed from a variety of native trees, shrubs, forbs, grasses and sedges.

Part I is at Ecology Park and Part II is a field trip to the Dance Nature Sanctuary.

Artspace - Sept. 27 from 12 p.m. - 1 p.m.: launch and celebration of the Maker Space Mural, Niimikaage: she/he dances for a purpose, by Anishinaabe artist Josh Morley (Miskopwagan Asin)

Curve Lake First Nation - Sept. 28 (all day): 5th annual Mnoominkewin Gathering at Lime Kiln Park.

Engage with us on social media on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, Tiktok, Youtube and LinkedIn. Write to us at tips@ptbocanada.com. Sign up for our newsletter here.

Missing & Murdered Aboriginal Women Awareness Campaign Launched By Peterborough's STRUTT

Peterborough's STRUTT Central has launched an "Unmask the silence" campaign to raise awareness about the number of Indigenous women who are going missing and being murdered at a much higher rate than other women in Canada—a rate so high it constitutes nothing less than a national human rights crisis.

STRUTT's program was undertaken with young girls from the Cree Nation of Wemindji to spread awareness on this crisis. The impactful photographs below (and above) from the series were taken by Paisley Spence Photography. The campaign was directed by Christina Abbott, who tells us the backstory for how it came together in this photo essay below...

Christina Abbott... "I was working with Mickey Decarlo, a First Nations Woman in our community, and her group of young Cree women. Mickey serves as a mental health worker at the Cree Nation of Wemindji Wellness and Culture Program. She meets with the girls individually every week to discuss issues concerning them over lunch."

Abbott... "Mickey, who lives in Peterborough, brings the girls from Wemindji to Peterborough at least once a year, and arranges fun and meaningful activities for them while they're here in town. Amnesty international states that: 'Indigenous women are going missing and being murdered at a much higher rate than other women in Canada—a rate so high it constitutes nothing less than a national human rights crisis.' As a First Nations woman, Mickey sought to educate the girls on the seriousness of this crisis by challenging them to picture the effects of similar tragedies on their family and/or loved ones."

Abbott... "Together, we decided to make an awareness campaign as so many, including myself, have gone years without knowledge of the extent or severity of the crisis affecting Aboriginal women. By asking the girls to act as models in campaign photos showcasing facts and figures on the crisis, we endeavoured to educate them on the dangers they may face, as well as spreading awareness beyond their community."

Abbott... "The butterfly is the national symbol behind the struggle to combat this crisis; it represents the individual beauty of each woman that is missing. In our images, the butterfly mask being removed symbolizes the unmasking of the cold hard facts that we all need to face together. We want Canadians to see the plight of these women as though they were our sisters."

View more photos in the striking series below...

You can view the entire photo essay here on the campaign. (Hair and Makeup by STRUTT Beauty's Jasher Guiel, Carolyn Abbott, Brandy Aston, Jacqueline Hoss, Christina Abbott. Creative Direction by Christina Abbott. Research facts by Camellia Shaw.)

For more information, check out Amnesty International and Native Womens Association of Canada.

Please spread the word about this campaign on your social media channels.

Tip us at tips@ptbocanada.com. Follow us on Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram, and Like us on Facebook.