National Day of Truth and Reconciliation

Ways to Mark National Day of Truth and Reconciliation

In Person Events

EVERY CHILD MATTERS – Thursday, September 30th, 2021 @ 7pm - A Community Concert Presented by Saskatoon Tribal Council at SaskTel Centre on Thursday, September 30. Saskatoon Tribal Council is bringing award-winning country artists, Gord Bamford, Charlie Major and George Canyon, together for a timely cause, a community event to celebrate the National Day of Truth and Reconciliation and commemorate residential school survivors on September 30. Concert is open to the public. Tickets are available here.

Regina Public Library – Thursday, September 30th from noon to 1pm - Join Bevann Fox, author of Genocidal Love: A Life After Residential School at this event to honour survivors and commit to meaningful and lasting reconciliation. This event will be held in-person on the 2nd floor mezzanine. 

Virtual Events

SHA’s FNMR Cultural Conversation with Joseph Naytowhow  - Wednesday, September 29, 2021 @ 1:00 pm - Joseph Naytowhow is a gifted Plains/Woodland Cree (nehiyaw) singer/songwriter, storyteller, and voice, stage and film actor from the Sturgeon Lake First Nation Band in Saskatchewan. As a child, Joseph was influenced by his grandfather’s traditional and ceremonial chants as well as the sounds of the fiddle and guitar. Today he is renowned for his unique style of Cree/English storytelling, combined with original contemporary music and traditional First Nations drum and rattle songs. An accomplished performer, Joseph is the recipient of the 2006 Canadian Aboriginal Music Award’s Keeper of the Tradition Award and the 2005 Commemorative Medal for the Saskatchewan Centennial. In 2009 Joseph also received a Gemini Award for Best Individual or Ensemble Performance in an Animated Program or Series for his role in Wapos Bay series. That same year he was also awarded Best Emerging Male Actor at the Winnipeg Aboriginal Film Festival for his role in Run: Broken Yet Brave and won Best Traditional Male Dancer at John Arcand’s Fiddlefest in Saskatchewan. Recently, Joseph was awarded the Saskatchewan Arts Board’s Arts and Learning Award for his far reaching work with many organizations, students and artists. He has performed for the Prince of Wales, the Lieutenant Governor of Saskatchewan and many other notables. His demanding schedule continues to take him to conferences, symposia, festivals and art/research projects both nationally and internationally. Fifteen years of study with a Buddhist master, combined with his nêhiyaw/Cree traditional knowledge and experience as an interdisciplinary artist has nurtured Joseph’s generosity and compassion for sharing cultural knowledge. A much sought after speaker, counselor, and educator for youth and adults alike, Joseph frequently enjoys opportunities to work as a resident artist and outdoor educator. From 1995 to 2000 he served as the Storyteller-In-Residence for Meadow Lake Tribal Council. More recently Joseph served as Emerging Elder with the Indian Teacher Education Program in Saskatoon, Emerging Elder/Artistic Advisor with Living Sky School Division, and regularly serves as advisor/knowledge keeper with various universities across turtle island.

Royal Saskatchewan Museum-Presentation by Muscowpetung First Nation Residential School Survivor - Thursday, September 30, 2021, 2:00pm - 2:45pm - Life Speaker and Residential School Survivor, Tim Poitras from Muscowpetung First Nation speaks with students about his residential school experience. Musician and youth mentor Brad Bellegarde, aka InfoRed, shares his song “I Remember”, honouring his parents as residential school survivors.

The live stream is intended for classes Grade 6 and up and the general public. Live stream the event here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=162xhyPbKDI