Over 500 Survivors and community members from across the north will gather at the Prince George Civic Centre today (Friday) and tomorrow (Saturday) for the first-ever Lejac Residential School Reunion.
Themed “Celebrating Friendship,” it is a community-led initiative to reconnect, share stories, and heal in a safe and supportive space.
It is hosted and organized by Takla Nation in collaboration with the Indian Residential School Survivors Society and made possible through funding from Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada (CIRNAC).
It brings together 17 First Nations who were directly impacted by the Lejac Indian Residential School.
The reunion is not focused on trauma, but instead on the strength, relationships, and resilience of Survivors.
“This gathering is about healing and honoring each other — it’s not a memorial, it’s a celebration,” said Tamatha French, Director of Youth, Family and Community at Takla Nation. “For many Survivors, the friendships made at Lejac were what carried them through. We want to give space for those relationships to be honored and nurtured again,” she continued.
The reunion is registration-only, and supported by Elders, cultural wellness teams, and volunteers.
— Files from Brendan Pawliw, My PG Now —
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