By Kiply Lukan Yaworski, Catholic Saskatoon News
The 10th annual Rock Your Roots Walk for Reconciliation again involved thousands walking together to demonstrate their commitment to reconciliation and to honour Residential School survivors ahead of the June 21 National Indigenous People’s Day, which this year fell on a Sunday.
Participants of all ages and from walks of life — including representatives from the Roman Catholic Diocese of Saskatoon — show their commitment to truth and reconciliation at the annual Rock Your Roots Walk for Reconciliation in Saskatoon. (Photo by Barbara Aden, Catholic Saskatoon News)
The Friday morning walk along the river on June 19 began and ended at Victoria Park, with artists performing along the route, and participants invited to wear cultural regalia or traditional dress or to dress in orange. Elders, Residential School survivors and those with mobility issues led the way in golf carts.
The two-hour walk was followed by a program at Reconciliation Circle.
The walk echoes one that was originally held to honour Residential School Survivors which was part of the June 2012 Truth and Reconciliation Commission event held in Saskatoon to hear and record the experiences of those who attended Residential Schools.
The first Rock Your Roots Walk for Reconciliation to mark National Indigenous Peoples Day was held in 2016, leading to the creation of Reconciliation Saskatoon, a network that includes the City of Saskatoon, the Office of the Treaty Commissioner, Saskatoon Tribal Council, the Central Urban Métis Federation, and now many other members working together on Truth and Reconciliation.
Reconciliation Saskatoon offers regular learning events and has launched an online tool called ConnectR that helps people find and respond to the TRC Calls to Action and continue the journey of Truth and Reconciliation.
In addition to the event for National Indigenous Peoples Day which marks its 10th anniversary this year, a walk is now also held annually in Saskatoon to mark Truth and Reconciliation Day Sept. 30.
Related: Marking the 150th anniversary of Treaty 6 aug 20-23 at Fort Carlton, SK – LINK
Related: Indigenous Reconciliation Fund supports local initiatives – ARTICLE
Related: “Introduction to Reconciliation” weekly online course in Catholic diocese begins Sept. 15 – INFO
Be A ConnectR video about the history of the walk:
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Kiply Lukan Yaworski is the communications coordinator for the Roman Catholic Diocese of Saskatoon: rcdos.ca.
Communications and Catholic Saskatoon News are supported by gifts to the Bishop’s Annual Appeal: dscf.ca/baa.