A Kemptville resident is looking to honour the lives of the children whose bodies were discovered at a residential school in British Columbia.
Frank Onasanya is hoping to raise more awareness toward Indigenous rights, by encouraging the community to bring painted rocks to the baseball diamond at South Gower Park as homage for the 215 lives lost.
A Nigerian immigrant, Onasanya says the entire situation has left him sad and frustrated.
“Indigenous people have been screaming but we choose not to hear them about what’s happened, and what’s going on,” Onasanya said. “It’s like we have selective hearing.”
From now until June 30, residents are asked to place their painted rocks along the fence line at the park.
Onasanya says he hopes people will take the next few weeks to reflect on the lives lost, and acknowledge that there is still a lot of work to be done in terms of reconciliation.
“We have to think about uniting everybody, bringing equality, respect, and we strongly have to embrace coexistence,” Onasanya said. “And let that coexistence be the forefront of our existence.”
Onasanya says it’s everyone’s responsibility to become educated and aware of the struggles that Indigenous people have suffered throughout history.