Permanently flying high in the sky, the Survivor’s Flag will honour Indigenous resilience for years to come.
The orange and white flag was permanently installed on Queen’s campus between Douglas Library and Ontario Hall on Sept. 23. The flag, which will fly year-round, symbolizes the resilience of residential school survivors and honours the many lives lost because of them.
“We must continue to those lost and to honour survivors of the residential school system by understanding its history and its continued impacts on Indigenous people today. When we speak our languages and practice our customs, we do so in defiance of colonial efforts to erase them,” Mika Henry, the acting associate director for the Office of Indigenous Initiatives said in an interview with the Queen’s Gazette.
“Each of us who walk these lands owe gratitude to the Indigenous communities who cared for this land since time immemorial. We must task ourselves with gaining knowledge and nurturing that relationship—not just for today, but for the future and for all those who come after us,” Vice-Principal of Culture, Equity, and Inclusion Stephanie Simpson said in the Queen’s Gazette.
The idea for the Survivor’s Flag, an “expression of remembrance,” was introduced in 2021 after 215 unmarked graves were found at a former residential school in Kamloops, B.C. The design, developed in consultation with survivors of the schools, incorporates various symbols including family, children, and the Tree of Peace, among others.
According to the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation, the Tree of Peace is a Haudenosaunee symbol representing the unity of nations and the establishment of peace, offering protection, comfort, and renewal.
Henry emphasized the importance of ing those who were lost and honouring the survivors of the residential school system by acknowledging its history and its ongoing effects on Indigenous communities today. She explained speaking Indigenous languages and practicing cultural customs serves as a powerful act of defiance against colonial efforts to erase these vital aspects of identity.
The flag-raising is one of several events at Queen’s marking the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation on Sept. 30. Held at Agnes Benidickson Field, Queen’s hosted a Sacred Fire—an Indigenous tradition for healing, wellness, and community gathering. The event also offered attendees a chance to learn about Indigenous cultures and the custom of tobacco offerings, a gesture of gratitude or remembrance for loved ones.
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