Can you help Carey Newman get to Ottawa?
Efforts are under way to raise the funds so that Carey Newman (his traditional name is Hayalthkingeme, the creator of the Witness Blanket) can get to Ottawa for the closing ceremonies of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada (TRC), concluding six years of testimony from 7,000 witnesses.
The Witness Blanket (pictured below) is on display at the event. According to a speech delivered by Newman (which you can read here on Facebook), “The Witness Blanket is a monument to commemorate the atrocities of the Indian Residential School Era. It is made from pieces of our shared history, collected from all parts of Canada.”
The closing ceremony runs from May 31 to June 3, and the Sooke Fine Arts Society has initiated a fundraising effort to see if they can get Newman there.
From the fundraising site:
The Event
Next week, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada (TRC) will hold its closing events, including Survivor Sharing Circles, a Walk for Reconciliation, Traditional and Cultural Performances… and display of the Witness Blanket, Carey Newman’s large-scale installation, recognizing the atrocities of the Indian Residential School era, honouring the children, and symbolizing ongoing reconciliation.
Carey needs to be there.
We truly believe this. And we can come together as a community to help him get there.
What’s Needed
[sam id=”9″ codes=”true”]We’re hoping to raise $1000 of our $1500 goal in the next few days (a very achievable goal!) to ensure Carey is present during these events—as the Witness Blanket’s creator, as the son of a survivor, and a man, who has, during the past three years, respectfully borne witness to countless stories, tangible artifacts, and relic energies of the Residential Schools. He has done this with deep reverence, honesty, artistry and devotion.
He deserves to be in Ottawa to stand by his piece.
For more information about the Witness Blanket project, please visit witnessblanket.ca
Other Ways You Can Help
If you can’t contribute, please share the campaign! If we can raise more than $1000, it would be a wonderful gift to give to Carey.
Resources
- IndiGoGo “Get Carey to Ottawa” Fundraiser Campaign
- The Witness Blanket website
- The Witness Blanket on Facebook
- Sooke Fine Arts Society
- Truth and Reconciliation Commission
- CTV Newsclip on the The Witness Blanket, April 19, 2015
[sam id=”1″ codes=”true”]
Comments
Can you help Carey Newman get to Ottawa? — No Comments