Honouring Truth, Reconciliation, and the Stó:lō New Year

As we complete the first month of the new school year, there are two important dates to honour and guide our work on Stó:lō tém:éxw: National Day for Truth and Reconciliation on September 30th and Stó:lō New Year on October 2nd, 2024.

Working towards revealing truths and moving towards Reconciliation takes all of us. As we reflect on these two dates, we see how they work with one another.

Stó:lō New Year is a time to “crash the canoes” and take them out from the water they’ve been in during the warm months and start preparing for colder months when families and communities come together to support one another. Families may have unique ways to bring in the new year.

September 30th is a day of significance, recognizing as both the grassroots movement of Orange Shirt Day and the federal day to commemorate the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. These two events are instrumental in honouring the resilience of Residential School Survivors and the memory of the children who never returned home.

These days give us a good place to start with this new school year. No matter when you celebrate the new year, it represents a time of reflection, renewal and hope. It is a time to be grateful for the land and all that is around us when we set our intentions for the future.

Looking at Reconciliation through the lens of the New Year provides a different approach to reconciling our past, present and future. Reconciliation is heart work. It is more than just a recounting of historical events; it is a heartfelt exploration of how our past has been woven into our present lives. Combining this heart work with the New Year creates a way to see the world differently and look at ourselves differently.

As we move throughout our district, we see this important work happening softly, like staff and students wearing orange shirts. Still, we also see the work happening in louder ways, like our Abbotsford Community Partner’s Stetís ímexstowx (Walk beside us) events and families sharing that they are feeling heard by school staff as their child stands proud of who they are. Our hearts fill when we reflect on how far we have come, and those good feelings fuel us to continue the work. Reconciliation blooms when we walk forward together, fully recognizing our interconnected stories. Throughout this school year, I encourage us all to think about Reconciliation through the Lens of the Stó:lō New Year so that we may move forward with warmth, understanding, and a unified spirit.

ALLISON GARDNER, DISTRICT PRINCIPAL
LORALEIGH EPP, COMMUNITY RESOURCES
Indigenous Education