'It’s not something in the past': Londoners prepare to observe the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation

Michael Hopkins steps out from a teepee at N’Amerind Friendship Centre in London to talk about the work he does as a health and wellness coordinator.

A residential school survivor himself, he now sees it as his responsibility to teach younger generations both the hardships and the lessons he learned during his childhood experiences.

“So I tell my children what I learned, three things,” he continued. “One. I value food. Two. I’m up every morning, four o’clock in the morning, every morning. And three, I’ve always worked. So these were the three values that they taught me. This is what I teach my children. Three values. If I take you out to eat, you better eat it,” said Hopkins as his face lit up with laughter.

Hopkins attended the Mohawk Institute in Brantford. Nearly 100 deaths have been connected to the notorious residential school, also known by its nickname, the Mush Hole.

He’s preparing to observe Truth and Reconciliation Day on Monday – a day to remember lives lost at residential schools.

“I’m glad it’s coming out because non-native societies can understand the things we had to go through and what we lost,” Hopkins explained. “Some people say we lost the language, we lost the ceremony, we lost to some. Maybe my parents did, and maybe I did. But it’s my responsibility to start making sure I started teaching and relearning,” he said.

Residential school survivor Michael Hopkins, seen on Sept. 27, 2024. (Bryan Bicknell/CTV News London)

Cody Groat is the grandson of residential school survivors, and now teaches Indigenous Studies at Western University. He said Truth and Reconciliation is not just about historical wrongs, but also issues that continue to plague Indigenous communities.

“I think a lot of people are going to treat it as a one-off event, but if we look at the region surrounding London, we have boil water advisories. And I think we need to recognize these as severe human rights violations. When we look at Truth and Reconciliation, it’s not something in the past, it’s something that’s severely impacting southwestern Ontario and this region right now, as well,” said Groat.

A series of events are planned in the London region this weekend to mark the National Day of Truth and Reconciliation, including an Indigenous market and music at Western Fair District, and a series of activities at the N’Amerind Centre.