Chief Francine Meeches of Swan Lake First Nations is grateful that she was raised by her Grandmother, a survivor of the Residential School. If she hadn't, that's where Francine would've gone too and she's not sure what kind of mess she would be in if she hadn't stayed with her Grandmother.

“To me, National Aboriginal Day is a day to celebrate who you are and to recognize you survived all this (broken treaties, mistreatment in Residential Schools, the Sixties Scoop and ongoing racism)”

When asked who are the Aboriginal people, Meeches quickly responded, “They are our elders, our youth, they are people in general – our First Nations People in this country. Those are who are the aboriginals of this country. That's who you've got to recognize. That's why our people celebrate.”

Both of Meeches' parents went to Residential School and neither one of them raised her. Francine sees the effects of Canada's painful past in her people everyday. Ongoing stereotypes of her people still hamper the Truth and Reconciliation efforts.

Submitted photos

Meeches states that today is significant because it's the first day of summer solstice and today means that her people have survived decades and decades of traumas.

“We're not going to go anywhere, your people - our people, whoever it may be. It's time that we walk together and work together and partner and share this country because we allowed this to happen. We said we will share this country with you, we allowed you to be here. If that is what we agreed, then you know what? We need to be on the same page.”

Meeches recognizes we all play a role in working together to bring true reconciliation to help her people heal from the past atrocities. She invites anyone who wants to come to Swan Lake First Nation for a tour, to meet her and to get to know her community to come and visit. You won't be turned away.

 

 

The Swan Lake First Nations 20th Annual Pow Wow. The day is open to the public to attend June 30th, July 1 & 2nd.