INUVIK - Survivors of residential schools descended on Inuvik this week to continue a courageous journey of reconciliation over the legacy of assimilation started by the Canadian federal government 130 years ago.

Along with the joy of reuniting with old friends and sadness for the horror, pain and suffering from attending residential school, participants of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission's northern event shared stories of what happened at the schools and the impact since.

During the opening ceremony on June 28, Justice Murray Sinclair spoke of the effects of residential schools on the North specifically and how the distance amplified the feelings of isolation and detachment from culture.

Sinclair, chair of the TRC, described how this process of truth-telling and reconciling with those who caused harm will help aboriginal people regain pride in their culture and become a stronger people.

"Every single one of us here will share a past experience. It's why we're here together. Courage has brought us this far," Sinclair said in his speech.

"It's a journey to reclaim our cultural identity, national pride and spiritual peace. We're learning who we think we are as a people, a nation and a country."

The theme for this national event is "It's about courage – a national journey home."

Inuvialuit elder John Banksland, a member of the survivors committee, spoke during the opening ceremony of the effects 15 years of residential school had on him.

Tears in his eyes and his voice cracking with emotion he introduced his five-year-old grandson, who is the same age Banksland was when he was taken from his family and put in residential school.

"I don't know how people could do this to people," Banksland said. "I don't know how we got through residential school. We've been through a lot to be here. We've had 130 years of this stuff and it's time to start thinking of yourself as a person, not a number."

This was the first time Banksland had summoned the courage to wear his traditional clothing.

For participants, who are all at different stages of their healing journey, the event embraced the resilience of their culture. Despite this reassurance, Tuktoyaktuk elder William Nasogaluak begged to differ. He's one of a few dozen people who still speaks Inuvialuktun in his community and thinks the loss of language links directly to the loss of culture.

"Language and culture are one thing. If you don't know the language, you can't really know the culture," Nasogaluak said. "You can't continue culture if you can't speak it."

Twenty or thirty years ago, he felt optimistic about Invialuktun's chances of surviving, but now feels the language has become endangered as the number of fluent speakers decreases.

"To recover the language we have to teach it differently," he said. "We have to make sure the people teaching it are perfectly fluent in the language and culture. The language is fragile in Tuk."

Education is a part of the national event, with displays and a learning centre set up in the Midnight Sun Complex and cultural events each night. During the day, sharing circles, panels and discussions tell the stories of residential schools, while in other buildings expressions of reconciliation and resilience are shared.

Evenings feature community feasts and a call to gather for participants to join after a day of sharing and emotions. This section has the honorary witnesses recount what they saw and heard during the day.

This is followed by a special cultural performances, films, fashion shows or concerts.

All the events have taken place in the former locations of Stringer Hall and Grollier Hall, residences for students, as well as Sir Alexander Mackenzie School, the school for the students. The residential school operated until 1997.

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