Indigenous artwork is a message of resilience and hope on National Day of Truth and Reconciliation

Waterloo Region – This year’s Indigenous artwork commemorating the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation on September 30^th is a message of resilience and hope.

“This painting represents empowerment, healing and remembrance of our young ones that were taken from us,” says Judy Ross Mack, a Swampy Cree painter and digital artist from the Territory Weenusk First Nations.

September 30, also known as Orange Shirt Day, honours the children who never returned home and Survivors of residential schools, as well as their families and communities. Public commemoration of the tragic and painful history and ongoing impacts of residential schools is a vital component of the reconciliation process.

Judy is a Survivor of the 60s scoop and has been part of the KW Indigenous community since she was 16 years old, currently living in Waterloo. She created the painting, which will be shared with the community through a Grand River Transit bus wrap and mural.

“To the left is our ancestors watching over us and the children represent our future generations. We will continue to be strong and proud of who we are but never forget the suffering our brothers and sisters endured from the schools. The additional colors represent green for mother earth and blue for water. The flowers present rebirth from seeds and how we are growing from this experience, and how we are firmly grounded, and our spirits will never be broken again.”

The bus is part of the Every Child Matters walk that began this morning outside Healing of the Seven Generations at 300 Frederick St. in Kitchener. It was available to anyone in need of mobility assistance along the route. After the walk, the bus will circulate through the community on major transit routes.

The artwork is being shared as part of the Reconciliation Action Partnership, a collective of municipal representatives dedicated to coordinating efforts to support Indigenous-centered initiatives across the region. The bus wrap and mural provide opportunities for public education, understanding and connection.

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