Candlelight vigil, sacred fire mark first National Day for Truth and Reconciliation in Kitchener

As the sun set on the first National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, hundreds of people turned out to a candlelight vigil and sacred fire in Kitchener's Victoria Park. 

The vigil was hosted by O:se Kenhionhata:tie Land Back Camp, and capped off a day of programming that also included a march through downtown Kitchener organized by The Healing of the Seven Generations. 

Although the first National Day for Truth and Reconciliation has ended, Joshua Mitchell hopes people continue to seek out information about Indigenous history and the truth of residential schools. 

"In school, I never learned about any of this that was going on, I had to do my own research and my own family kind of taught me," said Mitchell, 16, who is Ojibwe and lives in Kitchener. 

Mitchell said youth need to learn more about Indigenous history, starting at the elementary level. And while a National Day for Truth and Reconciliation is a good start, Mitchell thinks there should be more days like it. 

"I believe they should be regularly throughout the year," he said. 

Members of the Diebold family also hope the momentum from Thursday will drive change in the weeks and months ahead.

"Reconciliation is not just a one-day thing," said Kayla Diebold, 30, who is a member of the Mohawks of the Bay of Quinte First Nation. 

Diebold said one tangible step could be to build a cultural centre in Kitchener where people can go to "learn and honour and respect the culture."

Her grandmother, Elaine Murray, said she is particularly concerned about an issue that still affects many Indigenous communities: a lack of safe drinking water. 

"They need water on the reserves, if they haven't got it," said Murray, 76. 

Valerie Diebold wants to make sure people don't forget about residential schools, and about the children who died there, once the current news cycle winds down. She thinks every residential school across Canada should be converted to a cultural centre and memorial. 

"We need to learn not to ever let this happen again," said Diebold, 57.  

For now, she said her family is rediscovering traditions, from smudging to making ribbon dresses, that she's eager to pass on to her grandchildren and future generations. 

"The new generations, younger folks, they're bringing it back for us and for my mom, and I so appreciate that," she said. 

"It's a wonderful thing."