Truth and Reconciliation

Gallery 2 – September 30th, 2021 – Spring, 2022

Reflect, Recognize, Grow

After a class-action lawsuit with the government of Canada, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission was formed as a means of reckoning with the devastating legacy of forced assimilation and abuse left by the residential school system. From 2008 to 2014, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission heard stories from thousands of residential school survivors. In June 2015, the commission release a report based on those hearings. From that came the 94 Calls to Action; individual instructions to guide governments, communities, and faith groups down the road to reconciliation.

Thursday, September 30th is now a federal statutory holiday to recognize the tragic history and ongoing legacy of residential schools. On this day and every day, we are encouraged to reflect on the intergenerational harm that residential schools have caused Indigenous families and communities and to honour those who have been affected by this injustice. On September 30th, 2021 the Truth and Reconciliation Exhibit opened at the Squamish Lil’wat Cultural Centre as part of events on the National Day of Truth and Reconciliation. Displayed at the entrance to the Grand Hall on opening day, the exhibit is now located upstairs in Gallery 2 of the Squamish Lil’wat Cultural Centre.

Featured on display:

A canoe by Sesiyam Ray Natraoro, Master Canoe Carver of the Squamish Nation and his apprentices carved out of a western red cedar tree on September 30th, 2021. The log was donated from the Resort Municipality of Whistler, and was salvaged from the longhouse structure that once stood at Rebagliati Park.

Hand sewn blanket by the grade 5/6 French Immersion class at Spring Creek Community School 2017.  The students worked with their Indigenous Support worker Tanina Williams of the Lil’wat Nation.  Creating art opens the door to deeper, more meaningful conversations; with this project the group discussed First Nations culture, how to make healthy choices and mental health. The blanket highlights how the students interpreted the United Nations “Rights of the Child”.

A collection of personal items that were left at the entrance of the SLCC after the announcement from the of the unmarked graves discovered at the former site of Kamloops Indian Residential School.  Many other collections sprung up Nation wide after the announcement.

Discover the exhibit:

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Read more about the 2016 Exhibit Where are the Children?