Although September 30th is Truth and Reconciliation Day in Canada, G. C. Huston Public School in Southampton (ON) celebrated on Friday, September 29th so that students and communities could take part in the renewal of the Zgaa-biig-nii-gan bridge (“We are Connected”) that spans the Saugeen River in Southampton.
The Saugeen River mouth empties in Lake Huron and the bridge connects the two communities of Saugeen First Nation to the north of the river and Southampton to the South. On Friday, the bridge was completely closed to traffic, thanks to the Ministry of Transportation and the Municipality of Saugeen Shores, to allow for the celebration that included Indigenous drumming and singing along with speeches by dignitaries.
The renaming of the bridge was the concept of former Principal Dan Russell and has been carried on by now-Principal, Hugh Morrison of G. C. Huston Public School where 45 – 50 per cent of students are from Saugeen First Nation. The school has embraced the Indigenous culture and has become a beacon of the two communities working together through language, music and art.
The day’s celebration began at the amphitheatre behind the school where students, teachers and family members in orange shirts gathered to hear dignitaries, drumming and songs before heading out on a walk to the bridge.
(L) Saugeen First Nation ladies Drummers and VIP guests – (L) Chief Conrad Ritchie, Bluewater School Board Supt. Lori Wilder, Katie Lutz, Mayor Luke Charbonneau, Councillor Cheryl Grace and Principal Hugh MorrisonPrincipal Hugh Morrison said that, “Sometimes schools are more than a place to learn. Sometimes it’s a place for the community to come together and that’s why we are in a special place. There were people here before us and they welcomed us and gifted us with
so many things. Today, we celebrate those gifts from a culture that were not valued as they should have been. We acknowledge the past and recognize those people around us today who teach that the culture is alive and well. Think about those people and live every day with ‘orange’ in our hearts.”
Morrison added that gratitude should be shown to the communities of Saugeen Shores and Saugeen First Nation that “… make us stronger together”. We have the gifts of our crosswalk and, most recently, the medicine wheel from Saugeen Shores that say “we want to live in a good way together”. Things don’t happen unless people have it in their hearts and we are always supported by our Chief, Conrad Ritchie, who is a Huston Hawk alumni, Mayor Luke Charbonneau and Council who have supported us from the start and the Bluewater Director of Education, Lori Wilder. We couldn’t do all this without them.”
Chief Conrad Ritchie said that that school has come a long way since he attended because of the “… leadership of the teachers and former Principal Dan Russell and Principal Hugh Morrison. We are doing our part in building relationships and the children who are here today will become educated and learn about each other and that’s where it starts for our young people to help build those gaps”. We don’t operate from isolation but through connections with each other. That’s what is going to be needed more in the future. The past, present and future are always connected.”
Chief Ritchie said his grandparents all went to residential schools and his parents were the first generation from that era. “There are a lot of things that trickled down from that.
There are so many stories that I remember my grandmother telling me of things that happened to our people. There was a time when we weren’t even allowed to leave our community and had to get permission to leave. Also, our people were not allowed to hire a lawyer or we would have to give up our status. But I start to see change and change that’s coming. It’s going to be through our young people. We have a responsibility as adults to teach them and help to facilitate change. We are an Aniishanaabe people who are trying to create a better place and our children are so pure and innocent and can show us adults what we might miss because, as we become older, we become disconnected from that innocence. The children will show us and it doesn’t matter what colour or creed.”
Bluewater Superintendent of Education, Lori Wilder, as said that the partnership with Saugeen First Nation is “… incredibly important. We want that remembered every day and not just this day. We want to recognize what happened in the past and ensure that it will never happened again. Chief Ritchie laid out some very disturbing things that happened in the past and we want to more forward in a much better way. The staff here at G. C. Huston school embrace all of you and want to see the best for the students.”
Saugeen Shores Mayor Luke Charbonneau said that the new Medicine Wheel at the entrance to the school is “… a great symbol our partnership with G. C. Huston and Saugeen First Nation. Having symbols like that in places like this and throughout our community, is fitting and appropriate and an indication of our communities to recognize the fact of the history of this territory.”
The Mayor added that the Town will dress in orange in sorrow and solidarity on the day of Truth and Reconciliation. “The day will be about honouring those children who went to residential schools and never came home. It will be about
those who survived those places and who grew up with the scars of that terrible time. It will be about recognizing the families and the communities who have borne those same scars for generations.
As Canadians, we want to demonstrate our values to the world and set an example for others but, to do that, we must admit when we are wrong and when we have done wrong. When it comes to our Indigenous peoples, we have done so much wrong. So, today and every day, we must make amends by doing everything we can to support out Indigenous neighbours. We can start to do this by shining a light on the tragedies that were inflicted on Indigenous peoples and that future generations of students like those gathered here today can see and hear and know. Students and teachers at G. C. Huston have always lead the way to shine the light on Indigenous culture in our community.”
“I want to say thank you to everyone for your leadership in teaching the truth about Indigenous peoples and culture and advancing the cause of reconciliation in our community. The town is eager to join you in these efforts and, to show our support, are flying the ‘Every Child Matters’ flag. On Truth and Reconciliation Day (Sept. 30) all flags will flown at half-mast,” said the Mayor. “Knowledge is power and, by recognizing Truth and Reconciliation, we hope to empower Indigenous peoples’ culture, self-esteem and freedom while empowering all Canadians and everyone in our community to confront our legacy and do so much better.”
Councillor Cheryl Grace pointed out that it was Councillor John Divinski who was unable to attend the ceremony was “… the driving force behind getting the crosswalk” that was unveiled last year.
Following the ceremony, students moved through various cultural teaching stations before heading out on their march to Zgaa-biig-ni-gan, We are Connected, bridge.
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