City Bus Wrapped In Orange In Smudging Ceremony For National Day of Truth And Reconciliation
/A city bus is on board for the “Every Child Matters” movement as it was wrapped in orange during a smudging ceremony to raise awareness of residential schools and encourage Indigenous reconciliation on Thursday.
Crystal Scrimshaw (pictured) was one of three people that brought the idea of the bus design to council. Photo by David Tuan Bui.
City council quickly approved the motion on Monday to have the bus covered in orange and the “Every Child Matters” wrap on it. The idea was brought forth by Crystal Scrimshaw, Kelli Marshal and Pam Goldsworthy.
Curve Lake Chief Emily Whetung, Mayor Diane Therrien, Coun. Stephen Wright and several other Indigenous supporters and representatives were in attendance.
“The most important thing is raising awareness and making sure the people know the true history of Canada so that they can learn and know what happened and make a choice to make it better,” said Chief Whetung.
“The circumstances behind it are obviously tragic but I think this is a beautiful artistic way to honour those children and to raise awareness about the fact that there’s going to be more children found,” said Therrien. “Hopefully it will educate Canadians more about the reality of residential schools and intergenerational trauma and impact its had on families.”
The bus circuited from town hall, down George Street and circled back around Water Street as a ceremonial lap. Photo by David Tuan Bui.
The smudging ceremony was performed by Whetung’s father, Lorenzo Whetung. He purified the bus by waving burnt sage in an abalone shell with a feather.
The shell with the sage symbolizes a woman carrying life similar to the bus carrying and protecting people Lorenzo tells PTBOCanada.
(left to right) Coun. Stephen WriGht, Chief Emily Whetung, Mayor Diane Therrien, Crystal Scrimshaw and Pam Goldsworthy after the bus was cleansed from the smudging ceremony. Photo by David Tuan Bui.
