The Prince George Cougars junior hockey team visited the site of the former Lejac Residential School to learn first-hand from a residential school survivor.
The players traveled to Lejac in Fraser Lake to hear from Lheidli T’enneh Elder Clifford Quaw about what life was like for Indigenous students at residential school.
Lejac operated from 1922 to 1976 by the Catholic Church under contract with the Government of Canada and in 1953 at just five-years-old, Quaw was forced to attend the school until he left in 1963.
He spoke to the players about the loneliness and abuse he suffered at Lejac and how that trauma affected his life going forward.
“It is a great way for our guys to learn some things they haven’t been taught enough,” said Cougars business director Taylor Dakers.
“Our guys need to be leaders in the community. They need to have an understanding that it takes more than an orange shirt or an orange ribbon, they need to be examples of change, of recognition of where they are living and where they are playing the sport.”
He said adding to their educational understanding will allow them to be better role models in the community.
The visit to Lejac by the Cougars is part of a partnership that developed last year with the Lheidli T’enneh First Nation after the discovery of 215 unmarked graves at the site of the former Kamloops Residential School.
The Prince George Cougars contacted the Lheidli T’enneh to ask how they should acknowledge the discovery and honour kids who didn’t make it home from residential schools.
Chief Dolleen Logan suggested a start by informing the players, coaches, and staff about this dark chapter in Canadian history and to never forget the lost children, survivors, their families, and communities.
COVID restrictions last year prevented a visit to the Lejac Residential School site where most Lheidli and other Indigenous children from central B.C. attended, so Elder Quaw gave a presentation to the team in Prince George about his life at Lejac.
Quaw recounted how he was given the number 26 by teachers and staff and not allowed to be called by his name, Clifford.
During that first presentation to the team, the Cougars surprised him with an orange jersey embroidered with his number 26 and signed by the team.
“They turned the 26 into a positive,” beamed Quaw.
He brought that same jersey to show the team as he spoke to them on the grounds of Lejac.
“I was honoured to teach the youngsters. Because I did it last year, but it was COVID rules and we had to wear masks and this time is totally different,” said Quaw.
“I can look in their expressions on their faces and to me — that’s my words and they are listening to me of my history of being in Lejac school. They are listening and learning, and I am getting to them, but I just wish I had more time to do this – I wish I had more time to do a little more explanation on the school itself and more stories.”
Defenceman Hudson Thornton, who also saw Quaw speak last year, said it was important to continue to learn more about residential schools.
“Learning about his experiences of being at school, you don’t meet someone that has gone through that very often,” said Thornton.
“I think it's an important experience for me, and everyone, to come here and be on the site of a residential school. Looking at those pictures and just seeing it and being able to see what it’s like and hear about his experiences — I think it's important for all of us to understand and learn.”
Forward Fischer O’Brien said learning of Quaw’s post-school experience and how that affected his mental health was impactful.
“Mental health is important with our team so it's important we learned about that,” said O’Brien.
“Even just knowing we are allowed to play hockey and do things that we love, and they had that taken away from them.”
Lejac is located on Nadleh Whut'en First Nation’s traditional territory and Nadleh Whut'en Chief Martin Louie also came to welcome the team.
He spoke to the team about the recent loss of his grandson, who was also a hockey player and had dreams of going places, to an overdose and spoke about the struggles many of his community members face because of intergenerational trauma from residential schools.
“My siblings got affected by this. They were older than me and they never talked about it until they died, and then they talked about it. But they never mentioned these things in all the years they lived with us, and that is what happened in all the communities right across Canada. Nobody wants to talk about it but I think it's time everybody knows what has happened."
He said it means quite a lot that the team made the visit to Lejac and he hopes it plants a seed in their minds that continues to grow.
“The more they learn about us, it is good but at the same time kids like that have a lot of dreams and the only message I gave them is to go out and have fun. There is no more you can do but live for today. That is all you can do,” added Louie.
The Cougars will continue to acknowledge its partnership with the Lheidli T’enneh First Nation and will observe the dark chapter in Canadian history during the home game on Sept. 30, which is the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.
