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Outlook park story trail spotlights Indigenous matters

Tale sheds light on truthful First Nations history
Outlookparktrail1
The story can be read while walking the trail in Outlook Regional Park.

OUTLOOK - If you ever find yourself out and walking around Outlook lately, you may be interested in taking a stroll down into the Outlook & District Regional Park.

Just inside the main entrance and located to the right in the grass near the trees, you'll discover another story book trail that continues down through the park.  The story, 'When We Were Alone' by Cree author David A. Robertson and illustrated by Julie Flett, brings Indigenous issues to the forefront as it deals with the controversial topic of residential schools.

The trail that unfolds the story was put up in the park in time for September 30, the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.

Official info on the story is as follows:

"When a young girl helps tend to her grandmother's garden, she begins to notice things about her grandmother that make her curious. Why does her grandmother have long braided hair and wear beautifully coloured clothing?

Why does she speak another language and spend so much time with her family? As she asks her grandmother about these things, she is told about life in a residential school a long time ago, where everything was taken away. When We Were Alone is a story about a difficult time in history and, ultimately, a story of empowerment and strength."