Residential school survivors share their stories at Regina healing gathering
Regina’s mayor joined Indigenous leaders on Tuesday at the Regina Indian Industrial School cemetery for a healing gathering following the discovery of 215 children at the Kamloops Indian Residential School.
The event included a pipe ceremony, a feast and school survivors shared their stories in hopes of helping others heal.
“That forgiveness to me is very important, ‘cause I’m a survivor. I learned to forgive the people who have done me wrong,” said Audrey Eyahpaise, a residential school survivor.
Ray McCallum, another survivor, said he is aware of 181 children who died at the St. Anthony and Beauval Indian Residential Schools in Saskatchewan.
“Normal children lost in ordinary routines of daydreaming until the darkness came and set upon us a dark cloud of fear, shame, anger and uncertainty. Of diminished ambition and a world without colour. For many, that colour would never come as they lie endured, many forgotten, until now,” said McCallum.
Cowessess First Nation Chief Cadmus Delorme said Cowessess is conducting its own radar search of the former Marieval Indian Residential School area in hopes of identifying the bodies currently in unmarked graves.
“[We’re] just looking at them is a little different now after what we found out last week,” said Chief Cadmus Delorme of the Cowessess First Nation.
Delorme said since the discovery in B.C., he has received numerous calls from residents that are angry and need to talk.
“It opened up the wounds, the hurt, the anger in many First Nations people that attended residential school,” said Delorme said.
Chief Roberta Soo-Oyewaste of the Standing Buffalo Dakota Nation said finding the graves of children who died at residential schools will bring closure to communities.
“Closure to a wound. Those angels, they wanted to be found. They wanted to be put back with their family and their nations,” said Soo-Oyewaste.
Regina’s mayor Sandra Masters said she quickly became aware of how the B.C. discovery would impact other residential school survivors. She said the city is willing to help in any way it can.
“If this is a call to arms across the country from the province, from the federal government and they are willing to participate in this, then there has to be the technology…we should find every single unmarked grave and honour it,” said Masters.
Delorme said even if a body can not be identified, at least a plaque can be placed to honour and remember the lives lost at residential schools.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
What is whooping cough and should Canadians be concerned as Europe declares outbreak?
There is currently a whooping cough epidemic in Europe, with 10 times as many cases compared to the previous two years. While an outbreak has not been declared nationwide in Canada, whooping cough is regularly detected in the country.
Ontario Provincial Police arrest 64 suspects in child sexual exploitation investigation
Ontario Provincial Police say 64 suspects are facing a combined 348 charges in connection with a series of child sexual exploitation investigations that spanned the province.
AstraZeneca says it will withdraw COVID-19 vaccine globally as demand dips
AstraZeneca said on Tuesday it had initiated the worldwide withdrawal of its COVID-19 vaccine due to a 'surplus of available updated vaccines' since the pandemic.
'Summer of discontent': Federal unions vow to fight new 3-day a week office mandate
Federal unions are launching legal challenges and encouraging public sector workers to file "tens of thousands" of grievances over the new mandate requiring federal workers to return to the office at least three days a week in the fall.
Toronto police seek suspect vehicle after security guard shot outside Drake's mansion
Toronto police are seeking help from the public as they continue to investigate a shooting that seriously injured a security guard outside rapper Drake's mansion.
'Ozempic babies': Reports of surprise pregnancies raise new questions about weight loss drugs
Numerous women have shared stories of 'Ozempic babies' on social media. But the joy some experience in discovering pregnancies may come with anxiety about the unknowns.
OPINION What King Charles' schedule being too 'full' to accommodate son suggests
Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex, has made headlines with his recent arrival in the U.K., this time to celebrate all things Invictus. But upon the prince landing in the U.K., we have already had confirmation that King Charles III won't have time to see his youngest son during his brief visit.
Seafood, eat food: Calgary Stampede releases Midway menu
The Calgary Stampede has released its menu of sweet, salty and spicy treats available on the Midway for the Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth.
Boy Scouts of America is rebranding. Here's why they've changed their name
After more than a century, Boy Scouts of America is rebranding as Scouting America, another major shakeup for an organization that once proudly resisted change.