John R. Park Homestead invites visitors to learn for National Day for Truth and Reconciliation

The John R. Park Homestead in Essex, Ont., is honouring the second National Day for Truth and Reconciliation with an exhibit aimed at education. 

It features 21 placards of orange t-shirts with questions about Canada's residential school system and the answers to those questions.

"It's a record of conversations we have had with staff, educators and the community all around the understanding of what the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation is," said Darlene Thomas McCarthy, the Indigenous education lead for the Windsor-Essex Catholic District School Board (WECDSB), who guest curated the exhibit.

The exhibit also contains pictures of former residential school sites and pictures of children who attended the schools. McCarthy said all the images were obtained from either the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation in Winnipeg or what she describes as "authentic resources from vetted places."

She says the pictures have a little "provocation" to them.

"Not only do they support the answer to the question, but they also lead to more questions," McCarthy said.

Kristin Ives, the curator and educational co-ordinator with the Essex Region Conservation Authority, says the homestead has always blended human history with natural history.

"We're expanding the story we tell," she said. "Primarily, we've told the early settler story ...  The early settler knowledge was shared and their survival and success was only because of that knowledge shared and fostered by local Indigenous people and populations."

Ives says exhibits that have been displayed at the homestead draws visitors in and starts conversations. She feels this exhibit can get visitors asking more questions about the history of residential schools and "build those relationships and break down barriers that allow us to hopefully move forward together."

McCarthy says more work needs to be done.

"The road to reconciliation is long. The first part we're trying to answer with this display is understanding the truth," she said. "Once we can do that, then we can build a relationship with our First Nations communities. From there, only when we know our community can we begin to take steps toward reconciliation."

Support is available for anyone affected by their experience at residential schools or by the latest reports.

A national Indian Residential School Crisis Line has been set up to provide support for survivors and those affected. People can access emotional and crisis referral services by calling the 24-hour national crisis line: 1-866-925-4419.

Mental health counselling and crisis support is also available 24 hours a day, seven days a week through the Hope for Wellness hotline at 1-855-242-3310 or by online chat at www.hopeforwellness.ca.