As Saturday, Sept. 30 approaches, Brock University is gearing up for a day of meaningful initiatives to commemorate the National Day of Truth and Reconciliation.
 
The University's varsity games, set to take place at Brock Alumni Field, will serve as a platform to foster awareness, appreciation, and respect for the deep and sacred roots of lacrosse while honoring the significance of this important day.
 
Each year on Sept. 30, Brock honours the unknown number of children who never returned home from Canada's residential schools, as well as those who survived their time in these facilities.
 
The National Day for Truth and Reconciliation is an opportunity for the campus community to come together to learn about and reflect on this country's past, and the harm colonization continues to have on Indigenous Peoples across Canada — including in communities like Yukon First Nation, which is grieving this week after the discovery of 15 potential graves near the site of a former residential school near Whitehorse.
 
In a historic collaboration, the Brock men's lacrosse team has joined forces with Brock University's Hadiyaˀdagénhahs First Nations, Métis, and Inuit Student Centre. This partnership seeks to bridge cultures and promote unity through the game of lacrosse, which holds immense cultural significance for Indigenous communities across Canada.
 
"This incredible event will be held to honour those impacted by residential schools and to revitalize the cultural roots of the game of lacrosse to the Indigenous Peoples of Turtle Island," said Kaitlyn Austin, a fourth-year Medical Sciences student and Peer Assistant at  Hadiyaˀdagénhahs. "It marks a significant moment of cultural education and revitalization."
 
Brock Alumni Field will be transformed into a vibrant arena of cultural celebrations on Saturday, Sept. 30. Spectators attending the Brock men's lacrosse game at 7 p.m. can expect a mesmerizing display of Indigenous culture, including traditional dancers, water drumming performances, and a participatory standing quiver that invites everyone to partake in this rich heritage.
 
"We also want people to recognize the importance of showing up and learning from Indigenous Peoples, as it is the first step in reconciliation," added Austin.
 
The spirit of truth and reconciliation will extend to the soccer field as well. Both the Badgers' men's and women's soccer teams will don special orange-colored Brock Badgers' Truth and Reconciliation T-shirts for their games against the Algoma Thunderbirds at 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. respectively.
 
These shirts, whose full proceeds will be donated to the Woodland Cultural Centre in Brantford, provide a tangible way for the community to contribute to this vital cause. The logo was designed by Brock men's lacrosse head coach Vince Longboat and was digitally created by Nick Edinger.
 
At 7 p.m., the Brock men's lacrosse team will take the field donning special orange jerseys as they face off against the Laurentian Voyageurs. The orange jerseys serve as a powerful symbol of remembrance, paying homage to the survivors and victims of the residential school system.
 
For those looking to show their support for the National Day of Truth and Reconciliation, the Brock Badgers' Truth and Reconciliation T-shirts will be available for purchase. These shirts will be on sale before the men's lacrosse game beginning at 6 p.m. and can also be acquired online through the Brock Sports online store.
 
The day's festivities extend beyond lacrosse and soccer.
 
The Brock women's hockey team will host a ceremonial puck drop prior to their exhibition game against the Ontario Tech Ridgebacks at 4 p.m.
 
This special moment will include Marian Jacko, a proud Anishinaabe from Wiikwemkoong Unceded Territory, who currently serves on Hockey Canada's Board of Directors and holds the position of Assistant Deputy General for the Indigenous Division of Ontario.
 
"We want people to take away a sense of appreciation and respect for the deep and sacred roots of the game. We also want people to recognize the importance of showing up and learning from Indigenous Peoples, as it is the first step in reconciliation," Austin said. "This event will be an exciting night of education and cultural revitalization. We hope to see you there to support our Indigenous community and to honour those impacted by residential schools."