Nickel Belt News
Volume 58 Number 11
Friday, March 16, 2018
Thompson, Manitoba
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Wednesday, October 6, 2021
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National Day for Truth and Reconciliation ceremonies look back on dark memories of residential school and to a better future Booksystem a way toforward preserve and pass on father growing up. “I didn’t realize that he couldn’t because of his own residential school experience,” he said “They took that away from him.” Another survivor, who asked that her name not be used, attended a residential school in Sturgeon Landing and said students would have tape put over their mouths if they talked in their Indigenous languages and that the atmosphere was devoid of affection. “We were lonely because we could do nothing,” she said.”Even if you cry they’re not going to hug you, they’re not going to say ‘I love you,’ they’re just going to put you in a corner and let you cry until you’re finished.” The school was later destroyed by a fire. “Everybody was so happy when the school burned down,” she said. At a service held by Manitoba Keewatinowi Okimakanak (MKO), Nelson McKay of Cross Lake, who went to residential school in Dauphin, and whose parents were also survivors, said he has tried to be open about his emotions with his children because he never heard that from his father. “Two people came out of residential schools – the silent ones, that was my dad,
memories of growing up in Churchill
BY IAN GRAHAM
EDITOR@THOMPSONCITIZEN.NET
Residential school survivors shared memories of their experiences and how the institutions affected their families at two events marking the first National Day for Truth and Reconciliation in Thompson Sept. 30. Fred Stevens, who was taken away to residential school with his twin brother, said during a Keewatin Tribal Council (KTC) event at the Ma-Mow-We-Tak Friendship Centre, that he thought it was bad going to day school and getting strapped but that residential school was worse. “It was very lonely,” he said, and students were subjected to mental and emotional abuse soon after they arrived and then other forms later. “It started getting physical and then there was sexual abuse.” It also affected the relationship between himself and his father, who was sent to residential school in Prince Albert when he was a child. When Stevens was finished school and he would drink with his parents, his father finally began to express emotions to him, but only when he was drunk. Stevens wondered why he had never heard anything like this from his
Thompson Citizen photo by Ian Graham People attending and participating in a Manitoba Keewatinowi Okimakanak event to mark the first National Day for Truth and Reconciliation walk from the Thompson Legion to a monument for residential school victims and survivors in Lions Park Sept. 30. and the aggressive ones that went to alcohol and drugs. That’s the way they cope, to quiet the pain that they’re hiding. That weight inside you gets too heavy, it’ll drag you down also.” Though the first National Day for Truth and Reconciliation is a day for looking back and acknowledging the injustice of the residential school system and the abuses that occurred there, that is only one part of truth and reconciliation, said Churchill-Keewatinook NDP MP Niki Ashton. ‘ “Today, yes, is about re-
membrance but ultimately it is about action,” she said. “There is an ongoing, not just past but ongoing, genocide against Indigenous Peoples and that that genocide must stop. The crisis that is the child welfare system must stop. The poverty that exists must stop. We have ways of doing that and that starts by living the idea that every child matters. There is no reconciliation without truth and without concrete action.” Seeing people dressed in orange, including non-Indigenous people, to mark
Sept. 30 is a hopeful sign for the future, said MKO Grand Chief Garrison Settee. “They come and hear our stories. This is the beginning of reconciliation.” Manitoba Indigenous Reconciliation and Northern Relations Minister Alan Lagimodiere told attendees at the KTC ceremony that the province is committed to respectful, meaningful and impactful actions to right the wrongs and reverse the negative fallout of the residential school system. “The harms of residential schools can not be undone
and we all must learn from them,” said the minister. “The Manitoba government will continue to contribute to this effort in every way we can guided by the calls to action and by listening to individuals communities and to leadership.” To commemorate the first truth and reconciliation day, flags listing the name of every child known to have died at residential school were erected by MKO at Thompson’s monument to residential school victims and survivors in Lions Park.
Thompson RCMPNickel seeking Belt News photo by Ian Graham Addictions Foundation of Manitoba northern director Gisele deMeulles has written a book about her experiences growing up, mostly in Churchill. information about what man BY IAN GRAHAM For all the harsh weather to write things that you have ‘Oh, I’m just as bad, right?’ was not a very safe thing swallow when people say to figure out. It’s pretty clear I have all these stories and to found do but I jumped at it. I that Churchill residents and dangers of polar outside the YWCA intheAugust Though she’s now written when I get through.” I need to capture them for thought that was exciting should just find somewhere bears, deMeulles said if it a book about her experienDeMeulles said she wrote my grandchildren really until the plane landed and easier to live. had been viable she would did throwing in the before death ces growing up in Churchill, her book, titled Whispers in because they will be lost if they started the hours “To say, ‘Those people his have moved back to ChurchEDITOR@THOMPSONCITIZEN.NET
Addictions Foundation of the Wind: Stories from the I don’t.” Manitoba northern director North - Life in Churchill for She also has a reputation Gisele deMeulles said writ- a couple of reasons. as a storyteller herself. ing wasn’t something she “I just sort of thought, “I had such a varied hisalways thought she would you know what, this his- tory and I would tell people do. tory, this stuff that’s in my stories and they would go, “In my youth I never head, it’s going to be gone ‘That’s not true, is it?’ I’d go, felt good at writing,” she if I don’t write it down,” she ‘Yeah it’s true.’ They’d go, said. “But when I moved said. “My kids are not go- ‘You didn’t do all that, did to Thompson to get into ing to get it if I don’t do it you? You’ve got to be really the school of social work, and it’s something I’ve al- old.’ I was like, ‘No, actually at that point I had to write ways wanted my mom to I did all that before I was for university and realized, do. My mom’s an elder and 27,’ and they went ‘What?’” ‘Holy, I’m not bad at this, she’s an artist, she’s got so Looking back, some of right?’ I certainly developed many wonderful stories be- those experiences are things a lot of skill in university cause she always tells her she might not do again. RCMPbizarre photos and came out of there with stories at Parks Canada in “I did some pretty a veryLafoy strong skill in mywasChurchill and I’ve always stuff like fuel YWCA hauls into Craig Clemons, who found unresponsive outside the Thompson Aug,the 21 writing confidence inat the hounded her, ‘Please, justleaving highthe Arctic -35,”10:25 said and laterand pronounced dead hospital, was last seen YWCAataround my I writeare very on information tape, I will write deMeulles. “It didn’t dawn p.m. writing. Aug. 20. Police tryingput to it find aboutit what he did during the hours clear and that’s it. It’s there. for you because your story on me until after. That was a leading up to his death. Some people say it’s kind of is going to be lost,’ and she’s very dangerous thing to do. blunt or direct. I don’t tend never done it and I thought, Being on a plane full of fuel
fuel off and I realized, ‘Holy cats, I was probably sitting on a bomb.’” Another thing that spurred her on was the hard times facing Churchill since the Hudson Bay Railway suspended operations north of Gillam last spring. “It used to be a really thriving large community and it’s just dwindled down to such a small population now,” deMeulles says. Though she’s not there any longer, her parents and her sister and other family members still are. “My cousin owns the hardware store there,” she says. Because of that, deMeulles finds it hard to
choose to live there. They ill in a heartbeat. Thompson RCMP“Iare asking public toI should just leave,’ is quite miss the the shoreline, help them pinpoint what during simplistic. It’s quite disremiss thehappened rock, I miss the the were hoursin before 52-year-old after spectful. If we the a polar bears man evendied though being found unresponsive near the YWCA same boat in another area they’re very dangerous and August. I think we in would scream I really miss the Hudson Craig Lafoy found“When outsideIthe about that so why don’t theyClemons Bay,” was she says. go YWCA onthat? the evening Aug.standing 21 and taken to have the option to do backof home, on the thenow hospital, whereHudson he wasBay pronounced dead. I think right they’re looking out on He hadpawns been seenthe leaving YWCA around feeling like they’re bay, itthe just gives you an 10:25 p.m. the previous night and is believed in a political game and that’s incredible sense. You feel so havebecause been inI thesmall downtown area that night. really sad fortothem and you feel great.” Clemons was 5’8” tall and think the people of ChurchNow thatweighed she’s 150 got pounds. ill really want to thrive. one book under her belt, who saw or interacted withmay ClemThey’ve built Anyone their worlds deMeulles says she try on the Aug. 20another. or the morning there. How ons would wethe feelnighttoofproduce of Aug. 21 is asked to RCMP if someone came to you and “I call haveThompson another book in at 204-677-6909 Crime said, ‘I’m sorry, you have to or me,” sheStoppers says. “It’sanonyma darker ously at 1-800-222-8477. Tips can personalso be leave your home community story, more about submitted online al at growth www.manitobacrimesand we’re going to displace and struggles. toppers.com. you somewhere else and all Maybe in the next five years your loved ones and your it’s something I’ll focus on history is gone?’” doing.”