Indigenous culture, music and language was at the centre of an important event to launch AV俱乐部鈥檚 partnership with the National Centre for Truth & Reconciliation (NCTR) on Tuesday, February 5.
As the first East Coast hub of the NCTR, the space, located in the Indigenous Community Room of the MacRae Library on the Agricultural Campus in Truro, will encourage education and awareness about Indigenous history and will serve as a constant reminder to students, faculty and staff of the university鈥檚 commitment to reconciliation.
Donna-Bourne Tyson, university librarian (right) speaks at the event alongside Elaine MacInnis, head of the MacRae Library.聽
鈥淎V俱乐部 is proud to house the first NCTR location in Mi'kma'ki, the traditional and unceded territory of the Mi鈥檏maq,鈥� said Donna Bourne-Tyson, university librarian for AV俱乐部. 鈥淒ue to the archival and research-focused aspects of the NCTR, the AV俱乐部 Libraries are the anchor of this partnership on behalf of AV俱乐部.鈥�
In addition to archival and research expertise, the AV俱乐部 Libraries have recently hired an Indigenous services librarian, Morning Star Padilla, who will facilitate connections between the local centre and the surrounding communities.
Making NCTR resources accessible
The NCTR opened in 2015 at the University of Manitoba 鈥� a result of the 2007 鈥� to be the permanent home for all statements, documents and other materials gathered by the TRC. The NCTR was created to preserve the memory of Canada鈥檚 Residential School system and legacy.
鈥淲e are thrilled to see this partnership with AV俱乐部 take this significant step forward,鈥� said Ry Moran (pictured above), a member of the Red River Metis and director of the NCTR. 鈥淭he NCTR was founded on the vision of a network of interconnected hubs working from coast to coast to coast, keeping the fire of Reconciliation lit in this country. AV俱乐部, through this Centre, is helping advance this vision.鈥�
Moran facilitated the gathering of nearly 7,000 video and audio-recorded statements of former Residential School students and others affected by the Residential School system. He was also responsible for gathering the documentary history of the Residential School system from more than 20 government departments and nearly 100 church archives 颅鈥� millions of records in all.
Through this partnership AV俱乐部 Libraries will ensure the NCTR鈥檚 archives are more accessible and better used in the Atlantic region. In the future, AV俱乐部 will grow the service to include contributing additional holdings to the NCTR; facilitating additional oral history and community narratives, research and reports; supporting a broad scope of public education, research, cultural and reconciliation activities; assisting the NCTR in serving the public in a variety of Indigenous languages, English and French and fulfilling regional or community needs and desires related to residential school research, education and reconciliation.
A powerful partnership
Highlights of the event included a welcome song performed by Catherine Martin, a member of the Millbrook First Nation and an independent, international award-winning film producer and director; and a recitation of Rita Joe鈥檚 poem 鈥淚 lost my talk,鈥� read by her daughter Francis Sylliboy. Joe was a residential school survivor and poet and songwriter.聽 She was awarded the Order of Canada, and appointed to the Queen鈥檚 Privy Council.
Francis Sylliboy speaks at the event
鈥淚 lost my talk鈥� is also mounted on the wall in the Indigenous Community Room. Elder Jane Abram, one of the Elders in Residence at AV俱乐部 and a member of the Millbrook First Nation performed a smudging ceremony for guests in attendance Elder Jane is also a residential school survivor.
Other speakers at the event including DSU President Aaron Prosper and Kji-Keptin of the Mi鈥檏maq Grand Council Antl茅 Denny, both from Eskasoni First Nation. The Grand Council is the traditional government of the Mi鈥檏maq nation. The Kji-Keptin is the political leader of the Grand Council.
鈥淲e鈥檙e proud to open this hub on the Agricultural Campus, in this beautiful new space, with its proximity to a number of Mi鈥檏maq communities, including Millbrook, Sipekne鈥檏atik, Glooscap and Pictou Landing,鈥� said Teri Balser, Provost and Vice-President Academic. 鈥淭his partnership with the National Centre for Truth & Reconciliation is an important bridge between the university with the community and we鈥檙e pleased to offer this service to assist residential school survivors and family members.鈥�
鈥淭here is still much work to do in the coming years as we continue to incorporate Indigenous education, research and support into the life of our institution.鈥�
