Festival shifts program after discovery of unmarked graves at B.C. residential school

WARNING: This story contains details some readers may find distressing.

Ottawa'sannual Summer Solstice Indigenous Festival is shifting its programming last minute, in the wake ofa horrific reminder of Canada's past treatment of Indigenous peopleas the remains of 215 children were discovered on the grounds of a former residential school in Kamloops, B.C.

The festival, starting June 1, is a three-week long celebration of Indigenous resilience and heritage, packedwith craft making workshops,cooking lessons, drumming and dance.

With only days to plan,thefestival's producer Trina Mather-Simard, says she knew she needed to finda way toprovide some comfort to those who"were triggered by the events and grieving."

The only problem: the festival is online.Pandemic restrictions had led organizers to hold a virtual eventwith almost all of thecontent, workshops, performances and even the traditional welcomingceremoniespre-recorded.

• Remains of 215 children found buried at former B.C. residential school, First Nation says
• Five highlights of the Summer Solstice Indigenous Festival

That meant there wasn't going to bea coming together of community and sharing of grief that would have happened on the festival grounds pre-pandemic.

"Where those that needed support and guidance would be able to have that in-person connection." said Mather-Simard.

Within the limitations of the virtual festival, organizers came up with an idea. It was important that the community heard from its respected elders.

They'vescrapped the pre-recorded smudgeceremony for a live Zoomevent led byAlgonquin traditional elderAnnie Smith St-Georges.

Smith St-Georges says she will begin witha moment of silence in memory of215 children and then share her thoughts about their tragic deaths.

"It is a moment to think of the ones who have died through the residential schools," said the Algonquin elder, "and a time to heal."

500,000 expected participants

Smith St-Georges says she is hearing from many experiencinga range of emotions from sadness to anger, andafter getting through a winter pandemic ofloneliness and isolationthey're finding it hard to cope.

"I think the suffering is more harder for people, the survivors especially."

The zoom ceremony will also include the burning of sacred medicines to cleanse and bring more positive energy.

Organizers say they're expecting more than 500,000 online participants at thevirtual festival, including 50,000 school children from across Canada.

Mather-Simard said Canadians from allbackgrounds are showing more interest in learningaboutIndigenous culture, and thatthere was a bump in registration after the news from Kamloops.

Although the festival's content was put together before the discovery of the children's remains,some of its workshops deal with the dark chapter of residential school history, told by the survivors who lived through the horrors.

"[We need] to recognize that's within Canada's history and to move forward on the path to reconciliation in any way that that we can,"said Mather-Simard.

Support is available for anyone affected by their experience at residential schools, and those who are triggered by the latest reports.

A national Indian Residential School Crisis Line has been set up to provide support for former students and those affected. People can access emotional and crisis referral services by calling the 24-hour national crisis line: 1-866-925-4419.