SEPTEMBER 30 IS ORANGE SHIRT DAY AND NATIONAL DAY FOR TRUTH AND RECONCILIATION
A day to recognize and commemorate the ongoing legacy of residential schools.
Science North and Dynamic Earth are situated on the traditional and ancestral lands of Atikameksheng Anishnawbek and Wahnapitae First Nation in Robinson-Huron Treaty territory. We give thanks to the Indigenous Peoples who have cared for this land since time immemorial and pay respect to their traditions, ways of knowing, and acknowledge their many contributions to innovations in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics, past and present. We also recognize the Métis Nation of Ontario for their historic and ongoing contributions. We commit to deepening engagement, relationships, and partnerships in order to advance truth and reconciliation, honour and reflect Indigenous ways of knowing, grow economic opportunities, and collaborate with Indigenous peoples as partners in order to inspire people of all ages to be engaged with science in the world around them.
The path towards reconciliation requires thoughtful and active engagement with Indigenous peoples of Turtle Island.
With utmost humility, we aim to recognize the ongoing impacts of colonialism and honour the treaties. We are all treaty people.
Science North recognizes the importance of educating and learning with our staff on the topics of residential schools, their impact and ongoing legacy, and intercultural competency. As such, on Thursday, September 28, Science North will close early to the public at 1:30pm to allow our staff to engage in an afternoon of learning, honouring, and remembering as we head into Orange Shirt Day and National Day for Truth and Reconciliation on September 30.
On September 30, Science North staff will be wearing custom-designed orange shirts, and it will also be the final day for visitors to view the #hopeandhealingcanada Art Installation by Metis installation artist Tracey-Mae Chambers.
“The discussion of reconciliation and decolonization is hard to start and harder still to maintain. Therefore, I am hoping to use my work to help bridge the gap between settlers and Indigenous, Métis and Inuit people by creating art that is approachable and non-confrontational so we can start.” - Tracey-Mae Chambers
Find more information about the project and photos of previous installations on Tracey-Mae's website and Instagram.
The Story of Our Orange Shirt
The original work of art was developed and designed by Shaylene Restoule who was inspired by the Turtle Island creation story and the braided Sweetgrass teachings. This design represents the importance of everyone on Turtle Island, including the lives lost at residential schools, the seven generations before us, and the seven generations to come.
Shaylene is an Anishinaabe of the Three Fires Confederacy (Ojibway, Potawatomi, Odawa), and is a multi-media artist from Wikwemikong Unceded Territory. She is currently residing in Sudbury to finish her Indigenous Studies degree at Laurentian University while working full time at Science North as an Indigenous STEM Communicator. Her art expresses her cultural identity and personal experiences through different mediums of art such as illustrations, paintings, and beadwork. Shaylene worked collaboratively with our in-house graphic design team to finalize the orange shirts.
INDIGENOUS ACCESS ADMISSION POLICY
Indigenous People (self-identifying First Nations, Métis and Inuit people) can now receive general admission to both Science North and Dynamic Earth free of charge. This admission policy is a way to show our commitment to deepening engagement, relationships, and partnerships in order to advance truth and reconciliation, honour, and reflect Indigenous ways of knowing to collaborate with Indigenous Peoples as partners, in order to inspire all people to be engaged with science.
Please visit our admission desk during regular hours to obtain your ticket(s).
Please note this does not include parking, IMAX® films, the Planetarium, special events or programming such as camps or NIGHTLIFE on the Rocks.
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