Local youth to lead Truth and Reconciliation Candlelight Vigil in Almonte

A group of youths from two local churches in Mississippi Mills are coming together to lead a Truth and Reconciliation Candlelight Vigil later this month to mark the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.

Community members are invited to gather for the vigil on Tuesday, Sept. 30 at Riverfront Park on Spring Street. The event is being organized by youth from Almonte United Church and St. Paul’s Anglican Church, with support from the Mississippi Mills Youth Centre, Mississippi Mills All My Relations and the municipality.

According to a release from Mississippi Mills, the evening will include readings and music and dance performances, featuring special guest Shelly Sayeau. Known by her spirit name, Dancing Willow, Sayeau is the great-granddaughter of Chief Matthew Bernard of Pikwakanagan at Golden Lake. She has created her own jingle dress and will speak about what connecting to her ancestral roots and culture has meant to her.

The evening’s programming will begin at 7 p.m. with a warm welcome and land acknowledgement, followed by readings and sharings at 7:10 p.m. The candlelight vigil will take place at 8 p.m.

The municipality explained the vigil is meant to serve as “an opportunity for reflection on our relationships with Indigenous peoples, as well as a time to honour the victims and survivors of the residential school system, their families and communities.”

Following the vigil, participants will be invited to place candles at The Seven Gifts monument, a public art installation in the park that was unveiled in 2023. “This installation, created by Indigenous and non-Indigenous artists, is an initiative of Mississippi Mills All My Relations and provides a sacred space for healing, reflection and learning,” explained the municipality.

Some seating will be provided at the event, though attendees are encouraged to bring their own chairs.