In recognition of National Indigenous History Month and Indigenous Survivors Day, The City of Thunder Bay’s Indigenous Relations team launched a new public exhibit today by the Legacy of Hope Foundation, Bi-Giwen: Coming Home – Truth Telling from the Sixties Scoop.

Hosted in partnership with the Legacy of Hope Foundation and Department of Canadian Heritage, the exhibit brings forward the lived experiences of survivors of the Sixties Scoop, a period during which thousands of Indigenous children were removed from their families and placed in non-Indigenous foster or adoptive homes far beyond their communities and across Canada.

The Bi-Giwen, meaning “coming home” in Anishinaabemowin, features powerful first-person oral testimonies from 12 Indigenous Sixties Scoop Survivors. Through their voices, the exhibit explores themes of loss, identity, resilience, and healing, while creating space for reflection, learning and truth telling.

"As a community, we have a responsibility to learn from the truths of our past and to listen to voices that have too often gone unheard,” said Annika, Engagement & Partnerships Lead for the City of Thunder Bay. “Bi-Giwen: Coming Home – Truth Telling from the Sixties Scoop shares deeply personal stories of loss, resilience, and identity. Bringing this exhibit to Thunder Bay is an important opportunity to honour survivors, deepen understanding, and strengthen our collective commitment to reconciliation."

The exhibit aligns directly with Action Item 20 of the City’s Smart Growth Action Plan, which focuses on integrating Indigenous perspectives, history, and lived experiences into public spaces and community learning. By centring survivor voices and supporting truth‑telling and reflection, Bi‑Giwen: Coming Home advances the City’s commitment to reconciliation as a foundation for long‑term, inclusive growth in Thunder Bay.

Members of the public are invited to visit the exhibit at the Baggage Building Arts Centre Galleria on the following dates:

  • June 25 from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm
  • June 30 from 11:00 am to 7:00 pm
  • July 1 from 3:00 pm to 9:00 pm

The exhibit invites respectful engagement with Survivor voices in support of truth, reflection, and reconciliation. All are welcome to attend this important opportunity.

- 30 -

Contact:          Annika Gregg, Engagement & Partnerships Lead – Indigenous Relations, 807-631-9839