On September 30th, the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, a monumental totem pole will be raised in Gitwangak, B.C., to honour Indian Residential School Survivors.
The event will take place at the newly built Gwelx Yee’inist Wilp Siwilaksa’, Gitwangak’s new high school. The pole raising ceremony runs from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. and will bring together survivors, their families, and community members from across the region.
The totem pole represents strength, resilience, and remembrance. It also holds Adaawk, traditional oral histories, shared by survivors who were taken from their families and placed in residential institutions. The pole is meant to honour both those who survived and those who never made it home.
A community feast and Li’lig̱et will follow at 5:00 p.m. at the Gitwangak Community Centre. All are welcome to attend. Guests are encouraged to come in full regalia for the ceremony and bring their own cup or ts’e̱k for the feast.
Organizers say the day will offer a powerful opportunity for healing, reflection, and community connection, and to ensure that the stories of survivors are never forgotten.
For more information, contact Wanda Good at 778-202-0324 or director@gitanoyowellness.ca.
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