Nipissing First Nation Residential School Survivors Fund receives donation from local business
By Kelly Anne Smith
NIPISSING FIRST NATION – A significant donation was made to Nipissing First Nation for the Residential School Survivors Fund through the sale of orange t-shirts at the Green Medicine store in Duchesnay.
On Dec.3, Green Medicine Store owners Mitch Dokis and Kerry Lynn Peltier presented a cheque in the amount of $3,000 to the Indian Residential School Survivor Fund accepted by Nipissing First Nation Chief Scott McLeod and Indian Residential School Survivor and Councillor June Commanda.
Dokis said they couldn’t have done it without artist Isaac Murdoch. His art adorns the orange t-shirts and hoodies that Green Medicine sells in-store and online, shipping them across Canada.
“He designed this and if it wasn’t for him, we wouldn’t have these shirts. We give him a lot of credit for that.”
The Serpent River First Nation artist asked for his shirts to be sold locally. Murdoch is pleased to have his artwork on the sought-after shirts and that sales are paying it forward.
“Art has a way of making connections and bringing awareness to issues at hand. Right now, our Residential School Survivors deserve our respect and support. When I heard of possibly helping with this initiative, I jumped on it. Community-driven support is medicine.”
The Green Medicine couple spoke of being honoured that people came to show support with orange shirts. Dokis and Peltier want to give back through donations. Peltier says they wear orange shirts all year round but have been excited since Sept. 30, Orange Shirt Day and the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, respectively.
“This is one way we can bring wellness and reconciliation. We hope this small kind act of love can really help the survivors to know that you are not alone. That we’re here with you.”
June Commanda talked of the day being special because survivors were forgotten.
“They know about us again. And we’re validated that; our story is true, what happened to us.”
Work on Truth and Reconciliation should continue says Commanda.
“I want it to continue long after I’m gone and the other survivors that are still here. I want it to continue so people will never forget.”
Commanda speaks to many school children in schools so they will know the true history.
“It’s been so long now since the 50s that I left. It stays with you forever. You never forget. And there’s nobody to tell. They don’t understand. When I say I was at Residential School, they don’t know. It was very difficult. We come back and we had to try to fit into our Nation again with our people. We were strangers. We were strangers in our community,” Commanda recounts. “I’m one of the survivors that are known. I speak out and it’s very hard to. And I do it for those that are gone and those that can’t speak, mostly because it hurts so much.”
Peltier talked of her gratitude for Commanda.
“To tell what is the truth in Canada and what has happened at Residential Schools and to have her survive and be here to tell her story and to share that with everybody, that’s really big. It touches all of our hearts.”
Another donation is forthcoming to the Nipissing First Nation Residential School Survivor Fund. Filming on Nipissing First Nation territory, the executive producers of “The Lake” Michael Souther and Teza Lawrence want to give back. Lawrence is being directed to the Nipissing First Nation Finance Department to donate.
Nipissing First Nation set up an account to accept donations for Indian Residential School survivors in June, says Communications Officer and Business Operations Manager Genevieve Couchie.
“We started receiving them and wanted them to be kept separate. An ad hoc committee will be formed to determine the best ways to use these funds for our Nipissing survivors.”
Green Medicine will continue to supply orange t-shirts in the future.
“We’ll be selling more shirts. Oh yes,” Dokis added. “We already donated close to $5,000 to orangeshirtday.org.”
He says that the stories have to be told.
“We won’t stop until all our children are home.”
After the speeches, Dokis gifted a pouch of tobacco to Councillor Commanda, Chief McLeod, and members of the media.