It’s been one year since the discovery of the 215 graves at Kamloops Indian Residential School, and a gathering to commemorate the date was held near School District No. 57 (SD57) offices on the corner of Highway 16.
The same gathering was held a year previously, organized by Sonya Rock, a Gitxsan member, residential school survivor and vice-principal at Nusdeh Yoh Elementary.
“We are all gathered here to commemorate the over 10,000 children that have been discovered in 15 schools in Canada so far,” said Jennifer Pighin SD57’s Indigenous Education district vice-principal of language and culture, who MC’ed the ceremony.
“There are 139 residential schools that existed so we are here to commemorate the first 215 and all those that came after and those that will be unearthed in the near future and hopefully put them back to rest in a respectful way.”
Those who attended included SD57 staff, students, residential school survivors and supporters in the community.
They wore orange shirts and carried signs to wave at cars passing by the busy highway before the hearing drumming and speeches by SD57 staff and residential school survivors in attendance.
“This week marks the unforgivable tragedy in the lives of our First Nations families,” said Lheidli T’enneh Elder Darlene McIntosh who opened the ceremony with a prayer.
“First of all, the shock of hearing 215 children buried at Kamloops Residential School grounds has First Nations and non-First Nations reeling with such deep sorrow and now thousands of unmarked graves are being found. We commemorate and again bring attention to thus unimaginable tragedy.”
SD57 Superintendent Cindy Heitman also spoke to the crowd noting she remembered attending this event last year and the feelings it brought out for everyone in attendance.
“It is hard to imagine that children were sent to school and didn’t go home and as I look at the work we need to do in our system, in our province, and in our country this event reminds me how important it is that we create the spaces for everyone to feel welcomed, to belong and to be proud of who they are,” said Heitman.
“It is time for us to do things differently and to move education in the way it should have always been done and our commitment is so walk alongside the Nations in this work.”
SD57’s Indigenous Superintendent Pam Spooner said she remembered crying in her car when she first heard the news about the 215 graves in Kamloops.
“I think the biggest thing to remember in such a hard time is this isn’t a thing of the past. We still have survivors today. We have Indigenous education workers and teachers who are Indian residential school survivors who are there with us still and it is important that we listen that we hear the different stories,” said Spooner.
“But all of you are standing here as allies with us and now we can move forward together because we are all willing to listen and to hear the real truth. This has affected us, and it has affected our futures. I feel the change in our leadership, in our schools and in our communities and I feel it coming and it is really important to know now our voices are being heard and our voices are at the table.”
Residential school survivor Vincent Joseph said it is important to remember those who are still living with the trauma caused by residential schools.
“When we are talking about survivors about residential school there are those that are survivors and there are some that are stuck. I have brothers and sisters that are on the streets out here and they are traumatized every day by it,” said Jospeh.
“Remember that when you are talking about survivors there are those that are survivors and those that are still trying to survive the trauma of residential schools.”
The ceremony ended with residential school survivors and children gathered together to be celebrated in the centre of a drum circle.
A national Indian Residential School Crisis Line has been set up to provide support for residential school students and their families. If you are in need of counselling or support call the 24-hour national crisis line at 1-866-925-4419
