Reconciliation Day in Ottawa
by Sarah Onyango
On February 22, 2015, St. Albans Anglican Church hosted the annual Reconciliation Day event organized by Ms. June Girvan, founder and Volunteer-in-Chief of the J’Nikira Dinqinesh Education Centre. The theme chosen this year was “Underground Railroad Refugees & Their First Nations Guides”, to honour the crucial role played by the Aboriginal community in the struggle to free blacks from slavery in the United States. The thought-provoking program emceed by Greg ‘Mista Wasis’ Dreaver featured: a spiritual reflection by Rev. Mark Whittall of St. Albans Anglican Church; music performed by Maria Hawkins, Ottawa’s “Blues Lady”, the Every Woman’s Drum Aboriginal ensemble, and Inuit throat singers Silpa Suarak and Eva Obed; the reading of the Mayor of Ottawa’s Proclamation by children; and a keynote address by researcher and author Jerry Prager.
