I am in my 8th course in the MET program and am an online teacher out of SD6 in BC. I have two children ages 6 and almost 5. I am an avid biker, hiker, skier, and reader. I enjoy spending time camping in the summer and skiing in the winter.
These are the stories of survivors. There is a disclaimer to look at. Warning: These videos contain subject matter that may be disturbing to some visitors, particularly Survivors of the Residential School System. Please call the Health Canada 24-Hour National Survivors Crisis Line at 1-866-925-4419 if you need assistance.
The following is a selection of Survivor stories drawn from the Our Stories…Our Strength video collection. We are grateful to the men and women who have shared their personal and often painful accounts of their experiences of residential school and its legacy. It is by sharing these truths that we can all continue to work toward understanding and healing.
Please contact us info@legacyofhope.ca if you are a Survivor who participated in the Our Stories…Our Strength project and would like to have your video posted on this site. If your story appears here and you would like it removed from the site or the collection, please do not hesitate to contact us at info@legacyofhope.ca
I was able to watch a few of the stories but I have not watched all of them. They are a powerful testament to the gift that the survivors have given us. How interesting.
National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation – September 29, 2020.
Below are my notes on this Act Two on Reconciliation. It is quite powerful and very important.
Foods disappearing and lands were stolen meant the people were starving. They were forced to attend the schools and by then generations had attended. We are still here. These are our stories and we share them with you, and the path that lay ahead.
These are our stories
Can we Talk?
Words become agreements, alliances and talking define our obligation. Because words matter. Words become ideas and ideals. Because talking tells us who we might become.
Can we Talk? So, Can we Talk? We are all in this together.
Senator Murray Sinclair – doing away with languages and harmful abuse to the kids from 5-18 years old. You have one simple challenge. We want you to treat every child and person in your school like they are your friend. Being friends and treating others well and respectfully. Every Child Matters.
“Where the Spirit Live” – first movie about residential schools. They all knew how bad it was and they didn’t stop it.
Reconciliation is a journey and not a destination.
Best hope for reconciliation are in your hands and in the hands of children yet to come. The students selected the animals, and carving the totem. Something that led to the project was for orange shirt day. They go to their daughter’s class to talk about residential schools. The inspiration that comes from talking about students and the future of the children. It fills with hope.
Wear an orange shirt, make art, be a witness and share the stories
Thank you for your help and support – we wear orange to remember the children. Pert of changing the future. Wearing an orange shirt means you’re making an effort and sparking a conversation.
Autumn Pelletier – Water Warrior for the people and protection of the water. Water keeper. Pray for the water and the water is sick and contaminated. Hope that one day the water’s clean. Inspired her to do her work doing today. I will protect the water. Award me by helping find solutions and helping me make change. No community should not have to live without clean drinking water.
What can you do?
This is an invitation to everyone across the country to take steps for Reconciliation. Mamawi together – answering the calls. What can you do? Start with one thing and challenge yourself and others around you. It doesn’t matter where it begins we can always learn more.
Step into and commit to the Calls to Action. Take the Challenge!
“I Am Me” short film about Jazmine Smith – two spirited – transgender indigenous woman. Being transgender is beautiful and I am not a stereotype. I am a Cree First Nations woman. Found a sense of self. I want to encourage people to never give up, find your passion and love yourself.
Every Child Matters – very powerful words and for a long time it wasn’t the case in this country. Indigenous and Metis children were treated differently.
There were hundreds of day schools, savages and bastard children. There remains a long road for the Metis, First Nations and Inuit children. Lots of exploration of what it means to be Metis.
Rose Darling – Metis and Pride – Wookey Films – 5-year-old child.
Hi I’m Rose and I’m Metis. And she tells us what it means to be Metis. 18:20 – this is adorable and something that you should see it for yourself. Metis means “mixed”. Seven generations leading to “me”. She talks about the rollercoaster ride. Proud generation and Louis Reil and the Metis were defeated. Then the Defeated generation and were quiet about it. Then there was the Shamed generation. Mean things were said. Then came the Hidden Generation got good at hiding. They didn’t even tell there babies who they were and then those babies were the Lost Generation and thankfully Rose’s mom’s generation were Found Generation “thanks mom”. I love to play in the snow, do the jig. What’s the lesson here? Knowing who we are makes us happy people and when we are nice to each other. – SOOO CUTE! Worth a watch.
Spirit Bear – going back to court. The government doesn’t want to pay the money. It’s your job to stand up and help them have a proper childhood. Cindy Blackstock from the Caring Society. Addresses the unequal funding for families. Read Spirit Bear’s plan. @spiritbear.
We Can’t Make the Same Mistake Twice – A movie by Alanis Obomsawin
Award making film director who has made so many films of worth. Including ones about Jordan’s Principle. 52 years making films. Another world and nothing was easy and fight a lot and the documentaries. To witness the hate in the province and 270 years of resistance. You have to know why you are making the film and to ask them to respect our people. “Our People will be Healed” and imagine that and how clever and beautiful the people are. What a gift she says.
It’s more than hope and much more profound. All around the country and people are changing and are kind. There are young people are doing things.
Justin Trudeau – knowledge keepers remind us about how Indigenous people are have been here for generations. It’s Canadian history and everyone should know what took place. Racist ideas and systemic racism and discrimination challenge us today. It us up to us to show Every Child Matters.
Notorious Cree – traditional hoop dance – made a choice at 16 years old and really wanted to explore the artists life and make him feel empowered. Dancing to channel the energy to become a dancer. Good things just started happening to him. Great mentors.
You are the future. Be the best versions of yourself.
“Traditional Healing”
Raymond Caplin – film about traditional healing. In the same way as Chanie Wenjack flim (my observations). The images are about the land being polluted. Then the character starts dancing and the land starts to blossom and heal. Colour starts to appear. There appears to be growth with flowers, trees and grass dancing. The character looks around and then walks off screen.
Next is the Chanie Wenjack and an exerpt from “The Secret Path”. Very powerful.
Representation matters – and Tonto was a lousy role model and Indians created by white people. This is the stereotypes of Indigenous people. Lots of kids think the Tomahawk chop is something that indigenous people do. Nope. The journalist who wants to tell the stories. Told many stories about the abuse, and how hockey saved lives. Survival due to hockey. News media is full of stereotypes about Indigenous people. Call to Action 86 – fair and respectful way of telling stories. You have a responsibility to tell the stories well. Learn more about the past and present and take care with your stories.
The United Nations Declaration – survival and the wellbeing for Indigenous Peoples. A solution to reconciliation. The violation of treaties took the Indigenous peoples to the UN. Recognition, respect and Justice and after 27 years of debate it was published.
Kiawentiio – 14 year old singer and songwriter, actor from Akwesasne, Ontario – Great singing and powerful song. Surrounded by family and community and a Mohauk Community School. And did it all in the language and a full immersion school.
Filming “Beans” and a story following a 12 year old girl going through the Oka Crisis. Emotional journey. This song is going through difficult times and is inspiring and empowering.
The ending is thanking the creator for bringing everyone together for Orange Shirt Day. Joyful that the month is over, and because of being torn away from their families. September 30 means that it is gone and we can all move on.
Hug your family and tell them you love them. Because you have no idea going through a childhood not being told you are loved.
September 29, 2020. National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation
Below are the notes that I took while watching Act one – Truth posted September 29, 2020. A very powerful video that is about 45 minutes long and looks all over Canada and talks to many survivors, commissioners for the TRC and powerful members of communities.
To show the survival, the resilience, the courage, and the love that our communities have for our children. Reconciliation cannot happen without the TRUTH.
Phyllis Webstad – Orange Shirt Day
RECONCILIATION – LEARN portion.
Throat singing – great imagery – great message
Metis nation acknowledgement.
The reconciliation we talk about healing, empowerment and leaving a legacy for children and grandchildren. The creator to live within the hearts and minds of the Metis.
The video goes through Canada or Turtle Island and June 16, 2020, was a fire of respect and Reconciliation starts with respect. This fire marked the start of the TRC commission and shared their pain, their hope and their dreams. They asked the TRC to share their stories with the young people of Canada and they want you to know the history and never repeat it.
It will require a deep commitment – Chief Fontaine.
The LEGACY of the RESIDENTIAL SCHOOL SYSTEM – 150,000 First Nations, Inuit and Metis children were separated from their families. Residential boarding schools 1830’s and closed late 1990’s. Suffer abuse and malnutrition. Discrimination, hardship, neglect and abuse. Isolated from communities, culture, punished. Thousands died while attending residential schools. Some people won’t go into the building and some of the elders won’t go into the building.
Many of the scars of abuse have been passed down. The survivors have fought hard to reclaim their traditions. Residential school experiences matter because we Matter.
14:00 – 18:16
Looking at the artists now and the witness blanket made from documents, photos and to record the truth of what happened to them. Over 880 different objects and each one tells a story and each one si part of the truth. The idea of being caught between two cultures. Through the art, the pieces and stories are being put together as a blanket. This blanket was made to witness and a witness watches and remembers and re-tells what they have learned
“I invite each of you to be a witness”
“Zuya” – video of the journey in the Sioux language. The name “White owl Woman” and she tells us her story and journey. Two worlds – the cultural sides, and the other world where there are cars, buildings and chaos. She is a Northern Woman’s traditional dancer. “Nothing is impossible”.
Throughout the video, there is a connection to crisis lines, and they talk about the Kids Help Line to support those feelings you might have.
Rita Joe – “I Lost My Talk” – high school students from Inuksuk High school create a video about what this meant to them. Very interesting take on Rita Joe’s poem. Very powerful.
Work University of Toronto – Indigenous Trauma and Resiliency – Master’s program. Social and emotional safety through a cultural lens.
Slam poetry about the residential survivors. “I know that my ancestors are still healing” and the idea of knowing self.
Orange Shirt Day – is a symbol of all the things that were taken away from the students that mattered.
The dolls for just one day, and then the dolls were taken away. The chores they had to do, and a survivor’s story and using a rag to make her a doll. When she got home she would look for her doll every Christmas and Antique stores to look for the doll. It is important for children to have toys. Making the rag dolls and talking about her doll.
Inuit experienced residential schools in different ways and in different timelines but they experienced them the same way that First Nations and Metis children experienced them as well.
The children of residential school survivors and the loss of life, children and culture. It’s important to recognize that this happened to all groups across Canada.
Please take these attachments and use them to guide. There are others on the website for downiewenjack.ca and you can adapt and plan. The lessons are divided into four themes: Awareness, Acknowledgment,
Atonement, and Action. There is a lesson plan and accompanying powerpoint to teach the lesson along with websites and links that are still active.
The final report has been delivered in 2015. Where are we today? This was a video used in one of the lesson plans for teaching using Gord Downie’s “The Secret Path” and it quite powerful. How much has changed in 6 years? It took 6 years for the commission to issue the 94 Calls To Action and now 6 years later, where are we? What a powerful piece of research for students.
The story was first published in 1967 about Chanie Wenjack. His teachers had mislabeled him as Charlie. The story was by Ian Adams and published on February 1, 1967. Chanie was 12, and Indigenous. He died as the white world’s rules had forced him to live—cut off from his people.
By Ian Adams February 1, 1967
Chanie ran away with two other friends and sought refuge with the friends. Because their house was full and their means small, Chanie was subtly encouraged to leave. He died October 22, 1966. He likely died of hypothermia and was found October 23, 1966. At a hearing about the death, the jury at the time made the following recommendations.
After spending more than two hours deliberating, they produced a written verdict and recommendations that covered one, long, closely written page of the official form. The jury found that “the Indian education system causes tremendous emotional and adjustment problems.” They suggested that the school be staffed adequately so that the children could develop personal relationships with the staff, and that more effort be given to boarding children in private homes.
But the most poignant suggestion was the one that reflected their own bewilderment: “A study be made of the present Indian education and philosophy. Is it right?”
What makes me sad is that they knew in 1967 that this wasn’t ok. That residential schools did more harm than good. There were people speaking up like the part-time employee in the grocery store who said it was “us who did this to them.” So why on earth has it taken so long to tell the stories and to get people to listen? Why did the TRC take so long? Why wasn’t something “done about it” so long ago? And now, what can we do about it now that we know better?
If you have not heard the CBC animated film from Gord Downie that tells the true story of Chanie Wenjack, a 12-year-old boy who died while trying to escape from a residential school and travel back home.
This is a 60-minute documentary that was driven by his sisters Daisy and Pearl Wenjack to help them tell Chanie’s story. “Who would have thought the Tragically Hip”.
The story is of 12-year-old Chanie Wenjack who ran away from a residential school in 1966 to try and travel over 600 kilometres home by following the railway tracks. He had some matches with him. When he ran away it was October and he was found dead on the railway tracks. This is his story as told by his family and music supplied by Gord Downie and the Tragically Hip.
The Secret Path is a story that was written about Chanie Wenjack and Gord Downie played music and helped write. This is a CBC short documentary about the work the www.downiewenjack.ca foundation is working on with a lens to Truth and Reconciliation.
A group of grade 5 students worked through the educational package on the Chaney Wenjack, and made art, stories and letters to give to Chaney’s surviving sisters on a visit. One of the most powerful moments were of a young girl describing her picture “Blue is the sadness, red is the madness and black is the darkness and dying part”.
The Wenjack story is heavy material, and the sisters were concerned that it was too heavy for young kids but the teacher wanted to make sure they could take something away with them and that they could do something in their lives to bring about change.
If you have not heard the Chaney Wenjack animated story I will add it to my next post.
Monique Gray Smith and author of “Speaking Our Truth” came out with a youtube video on how to talk to kids about residential schools. The post is recent because of the discovery of all the unmarked graves that have been found and in response to the first 215 found on T’Kemlups te secwepemc former residential school site.
Her advice for our littlest citizens is to create a circle and tell them that for a long time the indigenous children were taken away. Depending on the age you can talk about the genocide and atrocities. She recommends authors rather than books. Authors such as Julie Flett, Christy Jordan Fenton, the late Olemaun, Margaret Pokiak Fenton, Tasha Spillet, Jenny, Kay Dupris, Katherina Vermette, Cynthia Leitich-Smith, Tracy Sorell, David A. Robertson, Richard Van Camp, Dallas Hunter, Nicole Nedhert, Karie Newman, Christie Hudson, Tanya Talega, Cherie Demeline, Eden Robinson, Tracey Lindberg, Louise Erdrich, Helen Knott, Teresa-Mailhot, Waubgeshig Rice, Drew Hayden Taylor, Thomas King, Richard Wagamese.
All of these authors’ residential schools and legislation that has impacted the families and the ripple effects. The relationships between indigenous and non-indigenous peoples. Monique continues to tell us that change is incumbent upon us as citizens in Canada. That the reality is that we are only beginning this journey to heal and to understand. To uphold dignity and move forward means we all have a role in that.
She asks us as adults having conversations with the classes, friends and children, What is your role? And to be ready, because when the children ask you, and they will, that you will be ready to have these conversations.
Monique encourages us to have humility as there is a lot that we don’t know and more that we need to do.
“Never forget that justice is what LOVE looks like in public” – Dr. Cornel West.
Sydney talks about how education can be a tool for social justice. How education and teachers should aim to empower students to articulate their OWN opinions and no coerce students into agreeing with us. That we become thought partners with students and help them to have tricky conversations about social justice and activism with each other and with adults in their lives.
Sydney talks about schools teaching problem-solving, critical thinking, collaboration, perseverance and the most important historical context. That by intertwining these events we explore history with our students and that we can show them that history is ongoing and we are potential players in living history.
To do this, we need to change the way we think about rebellion in our students and instead think of them thoughtfully pushing back as a sign we are doing something right. That sometimes teachers will be the ones that teachers will push against, our systems, our assumptions and our complacency. To do that we need to stop thinking of Education as a set of nouns and instead think of education as a series of verbs that serve as an engine to “drive” our path forward in justice.
The biggest part of Sydney’s talk is that students deserve just as much respect and trust as we would give adults. We need to give them the tools to express themselves and be prepared for that expression and that learning can be messy.