Truth and Reconciliation Event Today
Truth and Reconciliation in Medicine Hat
National Day for Truth and Reconciliation is not a holiday in the traditional sense—a day for leisure or sales. Here, on the traditional lands of the
Siksika (Blackfoot)
Kainai (Blood)
Piikani (Peigan)
Stoney Nakoda
Tsuut’ina (Sarcee)
Cree
Sioux
the Saulteaux bands of the Ojibwa peoples
homelands of the Métis Nation District 2 Battle River Territory
Treaty 7 and neighbour to Treaty 4 territory,
it is a day of profound gravity, a collective deep breath for a community grappling with a difficult history and striving for a more equitable future.
Medicine Hat is home to the Saamis Tepee, the World’s Largest Tepee, was brought to Medicine Hat after the Calgary Olympics by Medicine Hat resident Rick Filanti. It is a dedicated symbol of the native values of spirituality, family, and the circle of life, its storyboards created by Indigenous artists to narrate the history and legacy of the peoples connected to this land, including the sacred Saamis Archaeological site it watches over.
The Fourth Annual Gathering
This year, the heart of the day's observance will beat at the Medicine Hat College campus, where a partnership between the College, the Miywasin Friendship Centre, and the Firekeepers Women’s Society hosts its fourth annual community event. This longstanding commitment highlights a deepening, sustained dedication to the journey of reconciliation within the city.
The outdoor gathering will be held at the main entrance of the college between 5:00 and 7:00 p.m.
The event program includes:
Walk for Reconciliation
Story Sharing
Blanket Ceremony
Honour Song
Round Dance
Attendees are encouraged to dress for the weather, bring a lawn chair, and, crucially, to wear an orange shirt in solidarity with Orange Shirt Day, recognized simultaneously. This simple act visually unites the community in remembering the children lost to the residential school system and honouring the Survivors.
File Photo - Elder Charlie Fox at Medicine Hat College
The Work Beyond a Single Day
The consistent leadership of institutions like Medicine Hat College, Miywasin, and the Firekeepers Society ensures that the spirit of September 30th infuses the other 364 days of the year. The "reconciliation" part of the day’s title is an active verb, and these organizations are at the forefront of putting it into practice.
A Community's Pledge
Observing Truth and Reconciliation Day in Medicine Hat is a quiet, determined affair. It is a day where the prairie wind seems to carry echoes of both sorrow and hope. It is a day to honour the children who never came home, to listen to the Survivors who did, and to acknowledge the vibrant Indigenous cultures that have persisted against immense odds.
The orange shirts dotting the college campus, the shared steps of the walk, and the resonant beat of the round dance are more than just symbols; they are active practices of a collective commitment. They signal that in Medicine Hat, the journey of truth is underway, and the long, necessary path toward reconciliation is being walked, one step, one story, one open heart at a time.
