The Innisfil ideaLAB and Library is partnering with the Woodland Cultural Centre to present the Mohawk Institute Residential School Virtual Tour and Debrief on Wednesday afternoon.
The event runs from 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. Adults are invited to register and log on to this event via Zoom or watch the virtual presentation with others in the boardroom of the Lakeshore branch, which is located at 967 Innisfil Beach Rd.
The Woodland Cultural Centre is a non-profit organization that serves to preserve and promote First Nations culture and heritage. Its website explains that the Mohawk Institute Indian Residential School operated in Brantford from 1828 to 1970.
It was a boarding school for First Nations children from Six Nations, which is the largest reserve in Canada, as well as other communities throughout Ontario and Quebec.
"It served as a key tool in the effort to assimilate First Nations children into European Christian society, and sever the continuity of culture from parent to child," says the website.
The description for the event explains that participants will see different rooms in the school, from the meeting room, the girls’ and boys’ dorms, the third floor, cafeteria, and various rooms in the basement.
After the presentation, participants will have the opportunity to ask questions or share comments with the cultural interpreter.
“Through programs in partnership with Indigenous communities and organizations like the Woodland Cultural Centre, the library creates a space for critical conversations," said Erin Scuccimarri, ideaLAB & Library CEO.
"Our role extends beyond providing books and resources; it encompasses fostering understanding, empathy, and learning,” she added. “The library welcomes everyone to join us for this presentation, no matter where you are in your learning journey, to ensure the painful legacy of residential schools is never forgotten.”
Woodland Cultural Centre executive director Heather George told InnisfilToday there will be multiple testimonials from survivors of the Mohawk Institute Indian Residential School in Wednesday's presentation. Questions will be addressed in the last 30 minutes of the event and attendees will be provided with online resources that they can explore at their convenience.
"It's really important for Indigenous people to tell their own stories," she added.
As National Day of Truth and Reconciliation — also known as Orange Shirt Day — approaches on Saturday, Sept. 30, Kathryn Schoutsen, the engagement and community development manager for the Innisfil ideaLAB & Library told InnisfilToday that the library will offer a variety of events.
The library will remain open on Sept. 30 as a space for learning and reflection. There will be book displays, custom reading lists and other resources to help library patrons on their learning journey, as well as a thought-provoking conversation titled, Indigenous History that Wasn’t Taught in School, with Kelly Brownbill on Saturday, Oct. 21.
To register for the Mohawk Institute Residential School Virtual Tour and Debrief, click here, or to join members of the community for the virtual presentation at the library, click here.
To learn more about the Woodland Cultural Centre, visit the website.
