All-Day Sacred Fire Ceremony at the xʷcı̓cəsəm Garden at UBC Farm
Saturday, September 30, 2023
The all-day sacred fire ceremony commemorates the spirits of the lost children who never returned home, the survivors of residential schools, their families, and their communities. It is also an opportunity for everyone to acknowledge and commit to reconciliation and to ensure that the tragic history and ongoing legacy of residential schools are never forgotten.
You can participate by making fire offerings, singing, drumming, sending prayers, sharing experiences, and reflecting on your support for Truth and Reconciliation and advocacy. This free outdoor event is open to everyone. We ask that no photography or recording occurs as this is a sacred space.
We acknowledge that the UBC Vancouver campus is situated on the traditional, ancestral, and unceded Territory of the xʷməθkwəyəm (Musqueam). These lands have been a place of learning about xʷməθkwəyəm culture, history, traditions, and knowledge for thousands of years.
We recognize that these annual Sacred Fires are not practiced within xʷməθkʷəy̓əm culture in this way, and we are grateful for their consent to offer them each year.
We also acknowledge the unceded, traditional, and ancestral Territories of Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish), SəlíL lwətaʔ/Selilwitulh (Tsleil-Waututh), Syilx (Okanagan) people where other UBC Campuses are located.
Hosted by xʷc̓ic̓əsəm Garden, First Nations House of Learning, Indian Residential School History and Dialogue Centre, and the Indigenous Land-Based Health, Wellness, and Education Research Cluster.
If you have any questions, please contact:
Dr. Eduardo Jovel, ejovel@mail.ubc.ca
or Corina Sparrow, corrina.sparrow@alumni.ubc.ca
When: Saturday, September 30, 2023
Time: Fire starts at Sunrise (7:10am) and ends at Sunset (6:53pm)
Rain or shine, please dress appropriately
Where: xʷci̓ cəsəm Garden at UBC Farm – 3461 Ross Drive, Vancouver
Limited parking is available outside Farm gates
Also on September 30th, join the Faculties of Land and Food Systems and Applied Science for an Intergenerational March to commemorate Orange Shirt Day. See the details here.