ATTAWAPISKAT – As we come up to the July 1, a designated day to celebrate the confederation of Canada, The Attawapiskat First Nation will honor the day as a Day of Resilience.
It has been a tough time for many members of our Nation, last year in May, the Tk’emlups te Secwepmc First Nation in British Columbia announced that a mass grave containing the remains of 215 children had been discovered on the grounds of the former Kamloops Indian Residential School.
Many of our members also share in the collective grief that attending these schools has brought many of us have friends, and relations who attended Residential Schools in communities such as Fort Albany, and Fort George.
The schools had a purpose, a purpose for which we to be changed to become non indigenous, and to loose our culture, our identity, our history, our language, and our pride.
We must advise all that did not succeed, we are still here, with firm roots to the roots of our ancestors, and land.
The various levels of Government have also caused us grief, and has tried to also control and undermine our presence in our traditional lands.
For this year, the Chief and Council will not honor Canada Day, but will observe the day as a Day of Resilience.
Spend the day with your family, friends, and relations, and rest, gather strength, focus to honor the good works that we have done, and will do in the future.
In unity,
Acting Chief Jack Linklater
