A circle of shoes placed around Sarnia City Hall fountain, in honour of 215 residential school victims discovered in B.C. Photo courtesy of Mayor Mike Bradley, via twitter.A circle of shoes placed around Sarnia City Hall fountain, in honour of 215 residential school victims discovered in B.C. Photo courtesy of Mayor Mike Bradley, via twitter.
Sarnia

Drumming march to honour lost residential school children

Residential school victims and survivors will be remembered during a march Thursday in Sarnia.

The We Walk With Your Spirit-Drumming March is being held following the recent discoveries in BC and Saskatchewan of hundreds of unmarked graves.

Lyla Bruyere, a residential school survivor, said they will march silently along the waterfront with their drums in hand.

"The drums symbolize the heartbeat of the children," said Bruyere. "It's in honour of the children they found so far, the 1,323 children that never made it home."

Bruyere is also the keynote speaker at Thursday's march.

"I go to universities, colleges, and to elementary schools and educate people about residential schools and the impact that it had on communities," she said. "I think at this time that it's really important to get the word out there. Every time that they find more, it hits all of us, it has an impact on every First Nation person."

Those attending are encouraged to wear orange.

The march will begin at 10 a.m. at Sarnia City Hall, down Christina Street to Wellington Street, towards Front Street and along the waterfront, back to city hall.

Aamjiwnaang First Nation will be holding a moment of reflection at its residential school monument July 1 from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Tobacco offerings and honour songs are planned at noon.

Those attending are also encouraged to wear orange and follow social distancing protocols.

Read More Local Stories