Stories from Kamloops residential school survivors, community offer road to reconciliation
In May 2021, the truth that all residential school survivors and many Canadians knew deep down came out. Two hundred and fifteen unmarked graves were discovered of precious children that were forcefully made to attend the Kamloops Indian Residential School. The two-pronged weaponry of treaties and residential schools had come to full fruition. Canada’s genocidal plans and actions opened up a new set of wounds, and more unmarked graves were (and are) to come.
Celia Haig-Brown, a Professor in the Faculty of Education at York University, wrote a master’s thesis on Kamloops residential schools in the mid-1980’s, the work was published as a book but was ignored. Haig-Brown has returned to the work and recently published ‘Tsqelmucwílc: The Kamloops Indian Residential School―Resistance and a Reckoning’ in light of recent events. “Now that we have heard the stories, we have a responsibility to act and to contribute to just and respectful change,” says Haig-Brown.
Read the full article on the Winnipeg Free Press website.