Nickel Belt News
Volume 58 Number 11
Friday, March 16, 2018
Thompson, Manitoba
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Wednesday, June 16, 2021
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Volume 61 • Issue 24
Discovery of unmarked graves at Kamloops residential school reverberates in Northern Manitoba, triggering traumatic memories for survivors
Book a way to preserve and pass on memories of growing up in Churchill
fering an apology for the church’s role in the system In the weeks since the and refrained from making discovery of the graves commitments to help people of 215 children who died, affected. most of their deaths undocu“I join the Canadian bishmented, at the Kamloops ops and the whole Catholic Indian Residential School Church in Canada in exin British Columbia using pressing my closeness to ground-penetrating radar, the Canadian people, who Thompson has seen an outhave been traumatised by pouring of shock and grief shocking [sic] discovery and demands for action to of the remains of two hununcover more unmarked dred and fifteen children, burial sites and reckon pupils at the Kamloops Inwith the ramifications of dian Residential School,” the assimilation experiment, reads the pope’s statement. which has many ripple ef“These difficult times are a fects 25 years after the last strong call for everyone to school closed. turn away from the colonial In addition to a memorial model and walk side by side held May 30 at Thompson in dialogue, mutual respect City Hall, where more than and recognition of the rights 215 pairs of children’s shoes and cultural values of all were laid out as a way of the daughters and sons of honouring the memories of Canada.” the children whose graves A statement issued by were discovered in Kamthe Archdiocese of Keeloops, many of them far watin-Le Pas, which overfrom their families, Thompsees around 50 Catholic Thompson Citizen photo by Ian Graham churches in northern Sasson saw ceremonies hosted by Keewatin Tribal Council Stones representing 215 Indigenous children whose remains were discovered in an unmarked grave at the site of katchewan, Manitoba and (KTC) on June 3 and Mani- the Kamloops Indian Residential School in May lie on a monument acknowledging the role bush planes played in the Ontario and operated sevtoba Keewatinowi Okima- residential school system at Lions’ Park in Thompson during a Manitoba Keewatinowi Okimakanak ceremony June 4. en residential schools, went kanak (MKO) the following further, offering an outright day as well as statements from residential school and actually schools but prisons, “Every residential school mission, which estimated apology to families and regarding the discovery by their being confused when detention camps, torture has to have a forensic in- that at least 4,000 children people affected by residencity council members at heard him calling out the chambers. There can be no vestigation,” said Settee. who were sent away to resi- tial schools and to cooperate their June 7 meeting, names his mother had told reconciliation if there is not “This will be the beginning dential schools did not make with identifying additional Flower petals and tobac- him. “They had been away truth. With that truth there of moving forward by re- it home alive. victims of the residential co were sprinkled into the to residential school and had must also be justice, justice patriating the bodies of our “We’ve always heard this school program. water from the north bank not come home for about for you, for your families, people.” “On behalf of the Archstory, this isn’t new to us… of the Burntwood River five years so they didn’t for your communities. That Pimicikamak Cree Nation but now that they’ve actual- diocese of Keewatin-Le Pas, during KTC’s ceremony as even know that I was born in also means criminal investi- Chief David Monias said ly found those and people I express my deep sorrow at a way of remembering the that time. They didn’t even gations, that means holding residential schools are just are believing it and seeing it the news of the 215 chil215 children, with North- know they had a younger people and institutions to one facet of a society in I think it will create a chain dren found on the grounds ern Manitobans impacted brother. It damaged our account and that is some- which Indigenous people reaction.” of the previous Kamloops by the residential school family, I can tell you that thing that we will pursue in are far from equal. The Roman Catholic Residential School. This system sharing how their from my experience. We Parliament." “215 children killed, died, Church needs to do more news has made fresh again Nickel Belt News photo by Ian Graham experiences affected them. are still scarred today from That the residential didn't go home,” he said. “If to acknowledge the role it the pain for all affected by Addictions Foundation of Manitoba northern director Gisele deMeulles has written a book about her experiences growing up, mostly in Churchill. “We are standing on the what the residential school school system qualifies that isn’t genocide, I don’t played in the system, along the legacy of residential very ground where children did reads theweather letter, to us. It stillthat hurts. still as anI’m actjust of as genocide was know what is. Itsafe stillthing con- with other churches, BY IAN GRAHAM For all the harsh to write things youIhave ‘Oh, bad, right?’ was not a very swallow when people said say schools,” were taken against their published by Archbishop feel pain, anger, ashamed.” reiterated by MKO Grand tinues through the penitenCoun. Jeff Fountain EDITOR@THOMPSONCITIZEN.NET to figure out. It’s pretty clear I have all these stories and to do but I jumped at it. I that Churchill residents and the dangers of polar will, against their MurraydeMeulles Chatlain.said “There Coming to terms with IChief Settee tiaries, through theexciting justice should “A big here in bears, Though she’s nowparents’ written when I get through.” needGarrison to capture themdurfor thought that was just player find somewhere if it wills,” said Caroline Ou- theDeMeulles outflowing of legacy of said the residential system is setand up the Catholic online press confera book about her experienshe wrote ing my an grandchildren really system. until theThe plane landed easier to live.Church is still has had been been an viable she would skun, who worked with resiemotion: anger, dismay, school system requires not in a way that we will fail.” stuck, after all the crimes ence June 9. ces growing up in Churchill, her book, titled Whispers in because they will be lost if they started throwing the “To say, ‘Those people have moved back to Churchdential school survivors for Atoff theand most recent counadmission of what “These measures col- fuel thattochurch has comAddictions Foundation of only the Wind: Stories from was the I don’t.” I realized, ‘Holy that choose live there. They grief, ill in a sadness. heartbeat.I have exmany years and is also one done these emotionsI families test of cil meeting in Thompson, the years, not perienced Manitoba northern director Northto- Indigenous Life in Churchill for lectively She alsomeet has athe reputation cats, I was probably sitting mitted should over just leave,’ is quite “I missall the shoreline, herself. “They were forced, in myself as well. I wantthe to but also the purpose behind crimes against humanity,” Mayor Colleen Smook and having moved an inch, not Gisele deMeulles said writ- a couple of reasons. as a storyteller herself. on a bomb.’” simplistic. It’s quite disre- miss the rock, I miss they were taken away. The express my deep apology it as well as accountability said Settee, whose grandothers addressed the discovone inch, taking responsing wasn’t something she “I just sort of thought, “I had such a varied hisAnother thing that spectful. If we were in the polar bears even though hurt still resonates. I left for profound condolences ranthis the hissys- mother ery and what means. for the crimes area that and always thought she would youthose knowwho what, tory andattended I would residential tell people spurred her iton was the ibility same boat in another they’re very dangerous and home when I was eight to all the families comtem, said Churchill-Keewatschool. “There can be no ”This is not something organization did across do. tory, this stuff that’s in my stories and they would go, hard times facing Churchill I think we would scream I really miss theand Hudson years seven years inook We will Aski NDPtoMP Niki reconciliation their going to go away,” notdon’t onlythey to munities “In old. myI lost youth I never head, it’s going be gone ‘That’s not true,without is it?’ I’d go, that sinceisthe Hudson Bay Rail- the aboutcountry, that so why Bay,” sheaffected. says. “When I go of my life.” do allhome, we can to provide Ashton admission of that.” the mayor said. “The north have Indigenous people to back felt good at writing,” she if I don’tJune write3.it down,” she ‘Yeah it’s true.’ They’d go, way the option to dobut that? standing on the suspended operations People weren’t stu- said. information weout have “I have heard What was is hitlast hard. We children acrossnow the country said. “Butwho when I moved didn’t do discovered all that, did especially “Mynot kids arefrom not one go- ‘You north of Gillam spring. I think right they’re what Hudson Bay looking on dents themselves were also on our gravesites. During single person whether it’s a in Kamloops points to the have a lot of people that and across the world. Shame to Thompson to get into ing to get it if I don’t do it you? You’ve got to be really “It used to be a really feeling like they’re pawns the bay, it just gives you an impacted, Gordon Mc- survivor Truth sense. and Reconciliaor a descendant of need in- went to residential school on Catholic Church. the schoolsaid of social work, and it’s something I’ve alold.’ Ifor wasmore like, thorough ‘No, actually thriving large community in ayou, political game and that’s the incredible You feel so Gillivary of Split Lake, who aways (TRC), survivor that my has mom not said searches arejust residential you’ll fromI tion at that point I had to write wanted to vestigations I did all that and before I was and and it’s dwindledschool down Hopefully really sad for themlearn because smallCommission and you feel great.” grew up on Churchill and our records were turned we need action,” she said. at other residential school survivors and my thoughts this and bring some work for university and realized, do. My mom’s an elder and 27,’ and they went ‘What?’” to such a small population think the people of ChurchNow that she’s got didn’t know he had brothover to the TRC. We “That action begins by exsites, said the grand chief, are definitely with all of forward on reconciliation ‘Holy, I’m not bad at this, she’s an artist, she’s got so belt, Looking back, some of now,” deMeulles says. ill really want to thrive. one book under her comers forI the first few years posing to helpsays withshe identifying the truth, stories telling bethe recalling when he a you.” your own." right?’ certainly developed many wonderful those experiences are was things Though she’s not there of They’ve built their worlds mit deMeulles may try of his life. the children that passed at Coun. Andre Proulx said truth that this is genocide, teacher and had to develop Pope Francis, the head a lot of skill in university cause she always tells her she might not do again. any longer, her parents and there. How would we feel to produce another. “I came was told had brothers residential the graves Indigenunit onpretty the residenthe Roman and outIof there with genocide stories at against Parks Canada in his“Iown did some bizarre the her discovery sister and of other family of if someone cameCatholics, to you and our“Iown have another schools. book in who went awayskill to school,” The most important thing ous people,and state-sanctioned tial school system forinto a high was confirmation voiced sympathy forhave people a very strong in my Churchill I’ve always stuff like fuel hauls the members ‘I’m sorry, you to me,” she says. “It’s a darker still are. of what said, McGillivary recalling to pray and personlisten.” and just im- school historyatclass because beenowns sayingthe for affected by residential writing and said, confidence in genocide hounded organized her, ‘Please, high Arctic -35,” said people “My have cousin leave your home community now story,ismore about going to meet the train when with files from the Flin by the state and wasn’t even part of the years evenstore before the Truth Twitter June al -growth my writing. I write very plemented put it on tape, I will write it it deMeulles. “It didn’t dawn hardware there,” she schools and we’reon going to displace and struggles. his brothers came home Flon Reminder the churches. These weren’t curriculum at the time. and Reconciliation Com6, but stopped short of ofclear and that’s it. It’s there. for you because your story on me until after. That was a says. you somewhere else and all Maybe in the next five years BY IAN GRAHAM
EDITOR@THOMPSONCITIZEN.NET
Some people say it’s kind of blunt or direct. I don’t tend
is going to be lost,’ and she’s never done it and I thought,
very dangerous thing to do. Being on a plane full of fuel
Because of that, deMeulles finds it hard to
your loved ones and your history is gone?’”
it’s something I’ll focus on doing.”