The Sikh Riders of Canada will be heading from Abbotsford to Kamloops in memory of the children who died at residential schools.
Daljit Sandhu said the motorcycle club took their first ride to remember the “lost souls” last year, following the confirmation of 215 grave sites by ground-penetrating radar.
This year’s ride will leave from Abbotsford on June 18, and everyone is welcome to join in, he said.
They will be meeting up with several other rides that are coming from other cities, and other groups, including Lillooet, Chilliwack and Kelowna. Once they meet in Kamloops, they will be escorted by RCMP to Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc, the location of the Kamloopa Powwow.
The Sikh Riders of Canada are a busy group of motorcycle riders who are heavily involved in the community, including helping out with flood recovery in Agassiz and joining in the Yarrow parade just last weekend.
They are doing this ride to help highlight the injustices against Indigenous people in Canada in the past and the present, Sandhu said.
“We do feel the same pain as Indigenous people,” he said, as minorities who have fought against oppression, including violence.
“We need to not forget about other injustices, and keep on remembering the kids and the plight of the traditional lands taken from the Indigenous,” he said.
The ride starts at the Abbotsford Auto Mall at 9 a.m., and ends at 330 Chief Alex Thomas Way in Kamloops. While the club will be on their motorcycles, other vehicles are welcome to join in.
For more information, phone 604-825-0813, or 778-779-2582, or email sikhridersofcanada@gmail.com.
You can also check out the group on Facebook: Sikh Riders Of Canada.
There are mental health supports regarding residential schools available by calling 1-800-721-0066 or by visiting https://www.irsss.ca or https://tkemlups.ca/supports/.
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