**Title: Woodland Cultural Centre Opens as Museum on Reconciliation Day** The Woodland Cultural Centre, located in Brantford, Ontario, opened its doors as a museum on the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. This site was formerly the Mohawk Institute, which holds the distinction of being Canada’s longest-running residential school. The grand opening attracted hundreds of visitors eager to learn about Indigenous history and culture. Many attendees expressed a desire to understand the legacy of the Mohawk Institute, which operated from 1828 until 1970. Approximately 15,000 children from 60 different communities were forced to attend this residential school, which was managed by the Anglican Church in partnership with the federal government. John Moses, who attended the opening with his cousins, Lesley and Patty Davis, emphasized the importance of reconciliation. "Reconciliation resides with non-Indigenous Canadians to reconcile themselves to what the true history of the country really is. And families like ours provide the truth telling," he stated. During the event, Moses and his cousins stood in front of a framed photograph of their parents taken in 1943, during a brief visit allowed by the school. Moses shared that his father, Russ, wrote a memoir about his experiences at the school in 1965. The cousins noted that their parents refused to let their time at the school define them. Russ served in the navy and played a key role in developing an Indigenous pavilion at Expo '67, while Thelma advocated for an apology from the Anglican Church regarding its involvement in residential schools. Lesley Davis remarked on the severe impact these schools had on First Nations communities, stating, "That has to be acknowledged, reconciled … and never to be brought back here again." The Woodland Cultural Centre aims to preserve the stories of the children who attended the Mohawk Institute and to address the legacy of abuse that occurred there. According to the Survivors' Secretariat, at least 105 children died while enrolled at the school, often due to illness or injury. Heather George, the centre's executive director, highlighted the significance of the building, saying, "I think this building holds that really tangible evidence of what occurred at residential schools and what our families experienced." She hopes the museum will inspire visitors to learn more about Indigenous issues today. Visitors included Carol McDonald, Brian Burleigh, and Cathy Mountenay, whose grandmother attended the Mohawk Institute. Burleigh shared that his grandmother had advised his father to identify as Scottish rather than Indigenous due to the stigma associated with their heritage. Siblings Jessica and Kyle Nguyen attended the museum to deepen their understanding of local Indigenous history. Kyle noted the importance of being allies and understanding each other's pasts. Janis Kahentóktha Bomberry, the former director of the Woodland Cultural Centre, played a crucial role in the campaign to restore the institute. She emphasized the need to preserve Indigenous languages, which were often suppressed in residential schools. Bomberry stated, "You tried and you failed because we still have our language. You failed and we're still here." The Woodland Cultural Centre, which had been closed for renovations since 2019, now serves as a vital space for education and remembrance of the experiences of Indigenous children in residential schools.