Free gathering at the King Heritage & Cultural Centre on September 30 featuring Indigenous musicians, speakers and drummers
Township of King, Ont. (Sept. 16, 2025) — Residents are invited to attend a meaningful concert featuring Indigenous musicians, speakers and drummers at the King Heritage and Cultural Centre on Tuesday, Sept. 30 from 6 to 8 p.m. The free gathering is being presented by King Township in partnership with the Indigenous Action Committee to commemorate National Day for Truth and Reconciliation and Orange Shirt Day.
Learn about the diverse stories, experiences, and histories of Indigenous peoples by touring the museum’s Indigenous artifact collection, participating in family-friendly crafts, viewing the new Truth and Reconciliation Mural and connecting with the Indigenous Medicine Garden.
Newly painted by Anishinaabe, Indigiqueer non-binary, neurodivergent, disabled artist Shawn Howe, the Truth and Reconciliation Mural can now be viewed on the east side of the museum’s exterior wall. The mural reflects the adjacent Indigenous Medicine Garden’s themes of connecting to the earth and the resurgence of traditional knowledge. It is a symbol of King’s dedication to celebrating and uplifting Indigenous voices.
The Truth and Reconciliation Mural will be revealed on Saturday, Sept. 20 at the King Heritage and Cultural Centre in an intimate community gathering from 1 to 2 p.m. Mural artist Howe will be in attendance to discuss their story and artwork.
Kahéhta: Indigenous Medicine Garden
Kahéhta: translated from Mohawk to “The Garden”, is an accessible Indigenous medicine garden open to all community members. The garden, designed by Indigenous garden coordinator and partner Tanya Gluvakov, opened to the public in a ceremony on June 14 as part of National Indigenous History Month.
The garden symbolizes the interconnectedness of all life and the resurgence of Indigenous knowledge and language. Visit the garden to see the Butterfly “Memengwaa” Trail Marker by artist Donald Chretien of Nipissing First Nation, installed at the heart of the garden.
Contribute to the Indigenous Medicine Garden by designing your own garden stones at the National Day of Truth and Reconciliation and Orange Shirt Day Gathering. Painted stones will become part of the living installation and a symbol of reconnecting with the Land.
Background on National Day for Truth and Reconciliation
The National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, observed on September 30, was established as a federal statutory holiday in 2021. It honors the survivors of residential schools, their families and the children who never returned home. The day also coincides with Orange Shirt Day, which began in 2013 as a grassroots movement to raise awareness about the lasting trauma of the residential school system and the ongoing impacts on Indigenous communities. The orange shirt symbolizes the stripping away of Indigenous culture and identity during the residential school era.
All participants are encouraged to wear Orange Shirts in recognition of the lives lost at residential schools across Canada.
King Township invites all members of the community to attend this important event to reflect, learn and work together toward reconciliation. Free on-site parking at the King Heritage and Cultural Centre is available but limited. Overflow street parking is available behind the site.
For more information on the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation Day event, visit kingheritageandculture.ca.
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Media Contact
Township of King
Rebecca Streef, Communications Intern
Township of King | Phone: 905-833-5321 | Email: media@king.ca
