215
The recent discovery of 215 children’s bodies in an unmarked grave at an Indian Residential school in Kamloops BC people are rightfully horrified at the news. Flags are being lowered to half mast, many are sending their thoughts and prayers and many moving and heart breaking public displays of love and affection are being carefully and safely put together. I have been struggling with the news and have not been sure what to say - is there anything I could say that I haven’t already shared many times before?
It really is horrifying to imagine 215 kids going off to school and never coming home. Imagine being the parents and never getting to say goodbye, perhaps never knowing what ever happened. Imagine that times 215 and that can tell you a little bit about what kind of pain Indigenous families are feeling right now. I can only imagine what it is like for those who survived those “Schools” as they see this news unfurling today. For myself, as the son of an Indian Residential school survivor this news hits close to home. I am reminded of the stories I have heard from survivors about unmarked mass graves in the past. The National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation even has an entire National Student Memorial Register dedicated to the kids who never came home. The numbers are heartbreaking to read:
Map of Indian Residential Schools in Canda (The Canadian Encyclopedia)
The effort to fully document the children that never returned home from the schools remains ongoing. The Truth and Reconciliation Commission identified 1953 children, 477 students where additional investigation is required and an additional 1242 students where they are known to have passed away but their names are not yet known. The NCTR has conducted further review of the records and has added an additional 477 students to the memorial. This number is expected to climb as additional work is conducted. In total there are presently 4118 children within the national student memorial register. Research efforts by the NCTR are ongoing, and this number will increase over time. Please note that at present, this memorial only contains students who attended IRSSA Residential Schools and does not include students who died while attending day schools or other non-IRSSA schools.
Does the world see past the shiny image of politeness that Canada projects? Can you agree that Canada has committed genocide against Indigenous peoples with acts of family separation like Indian Residential Schools? This policy of family separation continued until the last school closed in 1996, at the same time as the 60s scoop was adopting out Indigenous kids to non-Indigenous families and it continues today with the child welfare system. When will we stop following this policy and start doing what is right?
So what do we do?
For non-Indigenous people, please understand that Indigenous people live this every day. For people who had families at IRS, this subject is very draining on our overall mental health and it is hard for us to be educating people about it during this time - but the news cycle only lasts for so long and so I have a few ideas I want to share with you:
Search All Indian Residential schools for unmarked mass graves - we have record of 139 residential schools (not including day schools or other types), how many more mass graves are there? This is something that has been said by survivors on many occassions and it comes as no surprise to many.
Reach out to IRS survivors and their families with extra mental health supports - as I mentioned this topic and news is triggering, draining, sad stuff for those of us with relatives who have been to those schools. A little more kindness will go a long way, a little system advocacy by non-Indigenous allies, will go a long way.
Help Indigenous Children Today - there are many kids that need help, whether they are trying to reunify with their parents, they are aging out of the child welfare system or they are young adults struggling with homelessness or harmful substance use. I promise you there are many families today that need help and support and kindness so they can work towards reunification.
Read & Select Calls To Action/Justice from the MMIWG and TRC reports - You should also take a look at documents like UNDRIP, or regional documents in your territory. Write the recommendations and calls to action down and put them somewhere that you will see them every day & take action whenever you can. (originally appeared here “Action & Justice Everyday”)
Use your platforms for good - Educators can host discussions in their (virtual) classrooms, preachers can have conversations with congregations and leaders of every variety can use their platforms and influence to educate people on what happened here and different ways we can all work towards justice.
Exhausted But Still Going
I am tired, but I am hopeful that things can get better if we keep on going and building up the conditions for people to have their basic needs met and the things they need for a good life. There have been so many news items this week that have been dehumanizing for Indigenous people and it feels relentless. Too many stories that have been focused on Indigenous suffering after Indigenous suffering. If there is one more thing I can add to the above list, it would be to celebrate Indigenous joy: I wish for a day where stories of the success and happiness of Indigenous people are more plentiful than the stories of our pain.
