Page 14 - Ha-Shilth-Sa - April 18, 2013 Tla-o-qui-aht raises commemoration pole
We will stay vigilant so it never happens again Continued from page 1. “If it was wrong, it was wrong. We had poles in front of our villages to remind us how we were expected to behave... and the Elders would talk about the teachings on the poles for hours.” Joe thanked the many people who took part in carving the pole. He posted on Facebook, “A huge thank you to John Hayes, George Manson, Carl Martin, Tim Paul and Joe David, Mark Mickey and his son Marcus Mickey.” Several others spent time working with Joe on the pole, including Alice George, Katie Fraser, Louise Martin, Tammy Dorward and Nora Martin. “It was really healing to put my own hands to this symbol that acknowledges what happened as real after so many years of being faced with disbelief by the general public, and commemorates the experience and suffering of the generations of children that attended those schools, including myself.” Barney Williams Jr. read out the commemorative plaque that sits beside the totem pole. It reads, in part: The Government Indian Agents, RCMP, Social Workers & Religious Orders forcibly removed children as young as 2 from their mothers and fathers and placed them in residential schools for up to 15 years. Many were innocent victims of sexual, psychological, mental, spiritual and physical abuse. Most, if not all, faced child labor, loss of culture, loss of language, loss of identity & lack of education. Many children’s lives were lost due to suicide, murder & neglect while in these schools. Today we welcome all these children home. We are grateful to you that under great threat and intimidation, you carried as much language and culture as you did from the past to today. We want you to know we will remember what happened to you and all that you endured was not in vain. We will stay vigilant and do everything we can so it never happens again. At the luncheon after the pole raising, Gisele Martin shared a story to express her gratitude and hope with the residential school survivors. “There’s a story Julia Lucas shared at the Carving On The Edge Festival,” Gisele said. “There was a big storm, with a big wind blowing from the southeast. Forests were falling over. The animals gathered together and were shivering. ‘We don’t know if we can survive.’ They found a big cedar and carved it into a plug to plug the hole in the sky. But then they had to get that plug up to the hole in the big wind. “First they picked the strongest animal, the elk, to take the plug, but he couldn’t do it. The wind tumbled him over and over. It was too hard. Then they looked to Chims (bear)... He couldn’t do it. One by one every animal tried except seagull. No one thought seagull could do it. She was handicapped, but she kept saying ‘Let me try.’ Finally they gave her the plug. She was zigzagging back and forth in the wind. She took a different approach than all the other animals. She got there, going back and forth. So that’s why we’re still here today. Everyone has a special contribution to make. “Survivors, you may sometimes feel down but you survived this far and brought language and culture with you to today. You will be remembered for what you did. When I’m walking the beach in
Photos by Carla Moss
Tla-o-qui-aht's oldest residential school survivors were recognized with the gift of knitted shawls from Ruth D'Hollander (left). Pole project coordinator Nora Martin was among those recognized. a storm I still watch the seagulls going back and forth.” Gisele then shared a song she’d composed in the Nuu-chah-nulth language to honour the residential school survivors. Many Elders commented how Gisele’s dedication to learning and her increasing fluency in the Nuu-chah-nulth language gave them hope. Stan Matthew, Quu?asa Coordinator and emcee for the pole raising, shared history about the origins of the residential school system. He said, “residential schools were put into place because the Canadian government wanted to take control of the ‘Indian Problem.’ Sir John A. MacDonald went to the United States to see what they were doing and brought it home to Canada... and now our people are coming forward and telling the truth about what happened and how it continues to impact our communities.” Richard Lucas said he and so many others were taken from their parents at a very young age. “I was taken away for 10 years from my parents. It was the law. We had to be taken away.” He said he hates ivory soap to this day. “We got beat, had our mouths washed out with soap for speaking our own language.” He said a lot of people can’t talk about their experiences yet. “We had 100 years of residential schools and five to heal. We are going to survive.” “Our innocence and trust was taken from us by those that were supposed to care for us,” Lucas said. “I work with survivors. I’m one that listens to their stories, so I know why our people were alcoholics, drug addicts and committed suicide.” Catholic priest Father Scott Whittemore said “I’m sorry for the damaging reality that has been a part of people’s lives. I’ve also heard of many wounds and scars of people that attended schools and how it impacts those that came after. Today is a very sacred day for Christian people. It seems a very appropriate day for this. We recall this day how Jesus was arrested, whipped, beaten and nailed to a cross. Why would we call it ‘Good Friday’? He was a victorious victim. So I pray our own wounds can heal or if they can’t be, they become life giving wounds and I pray we can walk together.” Nuu-chah-nulth Tribal Council President Cliff Atleo reflected on how
good it felt when the old Alberni Indian Residential School in Port Alberni was torn down. “I have relatives that still can’t put words to what they went through. And me, being in my third marriage, is a testament to my short comings as a person from teachings that were interrupted 10 months of the year.” From the Anglican Church of St. Peter and Paul Parish in Esquimalt, Ruth D’Hollander said, “I’m chilled, and I grieve for the loss of language and culture. I’m also really ashamed it’s taken so long for the truth to come out and I still don’t think it’s out with my people. I appreciate how hard it is for some to tell their stories.” Nora Martin acknowledged Ruth for her ongoing support for residential school survivors and for the contributions she made to have residential school survivors’ travel, accommodations and meals paid for to attend the Truth and Reconciliation Conference in Victoria in 2012. Nora said the pole took two months to complete. Nora acknowledged the committee that worked towards the realization of the commemoration: Hiyoueah Seymour Seitcher, Alice George, Naomi Seitcher, Gisele Martin, Levi Martin and herself. Many others contributed in many different ways.
Gisele Martin shared a story about survival and contribution. The bear crest speaks about boundaries. “We know not to get too close to a bear in nature,” said carver Joe Martin. In residential schools, the children’s natural boundaries were broken again and again. The salmon represents water; valuable and sacred to all for survival. “The mouse is small and at the bottom of the pole to remind us to listen to even the smallest creatures,” Martin said.
On the pole the crests represent ceremonies that were teachings of natural laws. The sun represents the first law, respect.
Natural law is like having a sliver in your eye, said carver Joe Martin. “You won’t leave it there. You will remove it immediately. If you leave it there it will fester and you won’t be able to see anymore.” The wolf crest represents letting go of fear.