Islanders young and old gather to discuss Mi'kmaw culture, history and reconciliation

When Theresa Spingle was in school, she never learned about Indigenous people and residential schools. Decades later, she's doing her own work to educate herself.

"It wasn't part of our curriculum," she said. "It was the old standard curriculum because it's been a long time since I've been in Grade 8 and even when I finished teaching, it wasn't really a big part of the curriculum."

On Friday, Spingle was one of dozens of people who attended Abegweit First Nation's Truth and Reconciliation event at its administration office in Scotchfort, P.E.I.

The crowd clad in orange shirts was made up of Abegweit First Nation community members, elders and Grade 8 students from Mount Stewart Consolidated School. Spingle attended with her community group, Coffee and Chats, composed of women as old as 90, who participated in the event to better understand Mi'kmaw culture and history.

Abegweit First Nation Chief Junior Gould said the Truth and Reconciliation event was held four days after the National Day forTruth and Reconciliation on Sept. 30 because the education campaign needs much more than just one day a year.

He said it's important for older generations to educate themselves because they are the ones who are currently making decisions that affect Canada and the future.

"The elder group that came here today and reached out is part of the intergenerational healing process," he said.

"I believe that, in Prince Edward Island, this group here will be able to empower our voice as a First Nation, and understand our plight that we have when sometimes it falls on younger deaf ears."

The 'Orange Shirt Generation'

Nate Gould, a Grade 8 student from Scotchfort, said it was nice sharing the Truth and Reconciliation event with his classmatesas they learned more about his culture and what orange shirts signify.

The National Day forTruth and Reconciliation replacedOrange Shirt Day, which had been marked on Sept. 30since 2013to bring attention to the experience of Phyllis Webstad. Her grandmother gave her an orange shirt to wear on her first day atSt. Joseph's Mission Residential School in Williams Lake, B.C., but school staff took the shirt from her and she never saw it again.

Island Morning7:30The history of Orange Shirt Day, from its founder

Phyllis Webstad was just six years old when she was sent to a residential school in B.C., and the orange shirt she was wearing that day was taken away. Decades later, Webstad began sharing her experience, and the orange shirt became a national symbol for mourning what happened at residential schools. CBC's Jessica Doria-Brown spoke with Webstad when she was on P.E.I. recently about Orange Shirt Day and what it means.

It has come to be a symbol of the generations who lost their connection to their languages and culture at residential schools across Canada.

Grade 8 student Grant Wortley, a student at Mount Stewart Consolidated School on P.E.I., said it's important for him to learn about Indigenous culture and work on reconciliation because his ancestors caused much damage to Indigenous people.

"I feel like, as a Canadian, I have to show more respect and apologize to my friends who are Indigenous to this land."

Gould said he feels progress toward reconciliation in Prince Edward Island has been "slow."

Yet he referred to today's young people as the "Orange ShirtGeneration," saying they have a lot of opportunities tomake a difference.

"And they will. And from what I'm seeing, and what I'm getting from the younger generation that were here today, they paid attention, they listened, and they were engaged."

Work towards reconciliation continues

Looking ahead, Grant Wortley said he plans to use this new knowledge to devote time to helping his Indigenous classmates, such as by helping them with their homework if they need it.

As for Spingle, she said she thinks people must realize there's still more work left to be done to achieve reconciliation.

"We all have to learn how to live together, work together. And that's the beginning of it; being able to live together and work together."