SENECA N.Y. (WKBW) — The Every Child Matters walk gathered many to fill the sidewalks from Seneca Square to Niagara Falls in honor of Truth and Reconciliation day. Residential Schools in the Canadian and Upstate New York area stripped Indigenous children from their homes and cultures. Forcing them to dress and speak differently and enduring traumatic experiences in the process.
Brother and sister Dakota Mettler and Samuel Billings both participated in the second annual Every Child Matters walk.
"I'm walking here today because my great grandma went to residential school and this is my way to honor her," Mettler said.
They both said this walk is very important to them and their families. Mettler said she refuses to let that part of her family history die.
"Unfortunately I don't think she spoke a lot about it while she was alive, so I mean going and making sure we honor her by doing this. Just making sure that I'm never forgetting what she went through and to keep the culture alive to be able to pass if down to further generations even though she wasn't as lucky to be able to do that," She said.
Many throughout the walk carried flags,wore orange, sang songs - but Mettler and Billings also allowed their threads to express how special this experience is to them.
"Its just something special about wearing all of this," Billings said.
Seneca Gaming Cooperation President Kevin Nephew said this walk is all about remembrance and healing.
"The doors to these school finally closed a few decades ago but the pain still lingers," Nephew said. "It's important to remember the road to healing takes time and commitment and determination. And it all starts with one step and to resolve to walk that road just as we walk tonight together."
