Oxford County closing The Long Road Back: Bringing Percy Home, memorial exhibit.
Oxford County will host an honouring ceremony on Monday, October 6, to close The Long Road Back: Bringing Percy Home, a memorial exhibit at the Oxford County Administration Building in Woodstock.
Curated by the Oxford County Archives, the display shares the story of Percy Onabigon, a member of Long Lake #58 First Nation whose life was shaped by the legacy of residential schools. Taken from his home at the age of eight, Percy spent nearly two decades in institutions before dying of tuberculosis at the Oxford Regional Centre in 1966. He was buried over 1,200 kilometres from his community. After decades of searching, his family successfully repatriated his remains.
The ceremony begins at 9 a.m. at 21 Reeve Street. Speakers include Anishinabek Nation Grand Council Chief Linda Debassige, Mississaugas of the Credit Chief Claire Sault, Percy’s niece Claire Onabigon, and Oxford County Warden Marcus Ryan. All members of the community are invited to attend.
