Xe xe Smun’ eem-Victoria Orange Shirt Day: Every Child Matters Ceremony
Noon to 2:30 p.m., Centennial Square
This is an annual event organized by residential school survivor Eddy Charlie and Kristin Spray and supported by the City of Victoria. The event features Indigenous performers and speakers, the raising of the Orange Shirt Day flag and a minute of silence to honour children who died at residential schools.
The name of this event, Xe xe Smun’ eem, means “Sacred Children” in the Cowichan or Quw’utsun language.
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National Reconciliation Day Ride
10 a.m. to noon, starting and ending at Centennial Square
Capital Bike and Victoria Orange Shirt Day are hosting a bike ride in recognition of National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, with stops at locations of significance to the Lekwungen and W̱SÁNEĆ people where organizers will share stories about each stop’s history.
> gobybikebc.ca/greater-victoria/2021/09/21/ announcing-reconciliation-day-ride
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Totem pole raising to honour lost children and survivors
10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Maffeo Sutton/Swy-a-Lana Park in Nanaimo
This event will include messages from community leaders, sharings from Snuneymuxw community members impacted by residential schools, honouring a welcome pole by Snuneymuxw carver Noel Brown, Snuneymuxw Flag recognition and cultural performances by Snuneymuxw Dancers.
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ReconciliAction Oak Bay
10 to 11 a.m. at the Sno’uyutth Welcome Pole, in front of Oak Bay High School, 2121 Cadboro Bay Rd.
A group of community organizations invites residents to an event honouring residential school survivors, their families and the children who never came home. Members of the Songhees Nation will be present to share their wisdom.
ReconciliAction Oak Bay is also hosting a film screening of Picking Up the Pieces: The Making of the Witness Blanket on Oct. 1 at 7 p.m. at the Canadian College of Performing Arts, 1701 Elgin Rd.
> stmarysoakbay.ca/events/honouring-children-and-survivors/2021-09-30
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Open house at Art Gallery of Greater Victoria
Noon to 5 p.m.
The art gallery is welcoming visitors to view their two current exhibitions for free, which offer starting points for conversations around reconciliation. Holding Ground is an Indigenous-led exhibition that examines the history and continuation of Indigenous resistance.
> aggv.ca/events/national-day-for-truth-and-reconciliation
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Every Child Matters March
Starts at 9:15 a.m.
Vancouver Island University in Duncan to Cowichan Tribes, Si’em Lelum Soccer Fields on River Road. At the soccer fields after the walk, elders will share storie followed by traditional drumming, singing and dancing.
