Voices from Kahnawake on what truth and reconciliation means to them

The people of the Kanien'kehá:ka (Mohawk) community in Quebec are sharing what the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation means to them.

Ka'nahsohon Kevin Deer says: we're all in this together.

"This whole idea of every child matters and the sea of orange with all of these shirts, is about reconstructing that spiritual aspect of who we are as a people and if all of us fully embrace that, we are never going to repeat this sad history again," said Deer.

Deer grew up in Kahnawake and is the director of Indigenous Knowledge at the First Nations Technical Institute.

He says, for him, truth and reconciliation is also about forgiveness.

"All of the settlers who are here in a relationship with us, as much as they've done, we still have to show them unconditional love, we have to forgive them and we have to take them by the hand and help them [...] and together we better start doing different," he said.

Tahatie Montour teaches Indigenous youth in Canada and in the U.S. wood carving and how to make traditional headdresses called Gustowehs, snapping-turtle rattles and cow-horn rattles.

He says when he thinks about truth and reconciliation, he thinks about giving back to youth because they have had so much culture and tradition taken from them and he hopes it will help heal wounds from the past.

"I'm thinking about the youth that didn't come back home to learn who they are or what nations they're from," said Montour.

"Keeping all these stories that were taught to me by my mother and father about growing up in a longhouse, keeping these traditions and passing them down to my children and grandchildren, to me it means a lot, " he said.

Sha'teiohseriio Patton, who was born and raised in Kahnawake and works at the local hospital, says when it comes to truth and reconciliation, it's important to keep the Mohawk language alive.

"I speak Mohawk with my grandparents all the time," she said. "That's something that also speaks to truth and reconciliation: it's the revitalization of our language and just being sure that we have the resources to do that … and make it strong again."

Kimberly Kaniehténhawe Cross is the tourism development manager in Kahnawake, where she was born and raised and where her own two children are growing up.

She's currently on leave from work to learn the Kanien'kehá language at the Kanien'keháka Onkwawén:na Raotitióhkwa Language and Cultural Center. She didn't have the opportunity to learn it while she was growing up, but she wants her kids to speak the language at home.

For her, the concept of truth and reconciliation is a daily issue for most Indigenous people.

"Sept. 30 gives everybody else a day, a reason to think about us and what our people went through. And how other people can help, educate themselves about everything that has happened in our past and histories," said Cross.

She says the day brings up a lot of emotions.

"It's nice to have this day, but it's really hard as well, for our people especially."

She said it's important to know that this isn't a holiday, it's a solemn moment, like Remembrance Day.

"It's a day where we are remembering people, a day where we are trying to move forward and heal."