The Mi’kmaq Confederacy of PEI is pleased to partner with the Charlottetown Islanders to host a game on Monday, September 30, 2024 at 2pm in honour of National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.
The game will feature a new video honouring Survivors, their families, and communities in Epekwitk who have been and continue to be impacted by the history of residential schools. Survivors and representatives from Abegweit and Lennox Island First Nations will be present for a ceremonial puck drop.
The Charlottetown Islanders will be sporting a special Indigenized version of their logo on their helmets designed by local Indigenous artist, Trenton Smith. Fans are encouraged to wear orange to show their support and commitment to reconciliation.
The Charlottetown Islanders Truth & Reconciliation design, by Indigenous artist Trenton Smith, reflects both his Mi’kmaq and Ojibwe heritage. Central to the design is the Mi’kmaq double curve, which incorporates plant motifs symbolizing their protective, curative, and sacred properties. These clusters of curves represent a union or community. The background features a dream catcher. For the Ojibwe, dream catchers were traditionally used to protect sleepers, especially children, from bad dreams and harmful spirits.
The colour orange holds a significant meaning, inspired from Orange Shirt Day. This day honours the story of an Indigenous child who proudly wore an orange shirt on her first day of residential school, only to be stripped of it by school officials. Wearing orange stands as a symbol of remembrance for all those who attended residential schools, a call for healing, and a hopeful vision that no child will endure such experiences again.
By wearing this design, the Charlottetown Islanders demonstrate their commitment to truth and reconciliation, aiming to honour Indigenous experiences and contribute to healing and awareness.