The Discovery in Kamloops, Canada
In May 2021, the remains of 215 indigenous children were discovered at the Kamloops Indian Residential School in British Columbia - an announcement that left people across the world shaken. These undocumented deaths serve as a reminder of the horrors that took place in these institutions across Canada for over a century.
Like other Canadian residential schools, the institution opened in the 19th century with the aim of forcing indigenous children to adopt Christian beliefs and assimilate them into society. It is estimated that over 150,000 First Nation, Inuit, and Métis children attended these residential schools, where they faced emotional, physical, and sexual abuse. For example, children would be beaten if they spoke their native languages and had their hair cut, taking away what is traditionally a symbol of pride for indigenous communities. Tragically, many children never made it home as a result of rampant diseases, including tuberculosis and influenza, and as well as the neglect they faced in these institutions.
After almost a century, the Kamloops Indian Residential School closed in 1978, with the last known residential school closing its doors in 1996. However, the horrific legacy of these institutions carries on in the memories of the survivors, many of whom have openly spoken against the cruelty they faced and witnessed. The reaction to this news has obviously been one of deep sorrow and heartbreak, with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau calling it “a painful reminder of that dark and shameful chapter of our country’s history.”
The Truth and Reconciliation of Canada was a justice body, established in 2008, with the intention of recording the history of these schools and the impact they continue to have on indigenous communities. It also provided survivors with the chance to document their experiences in order to educate others about the atrocities they faced at these institutions. Despite the fact that the commission closed in 2015, their work continues with the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation at the University of Manitoba. To date, their Missing Children Project has identified the names or information about more than 4,100 children who died as a result of disease or an accident whilst attending the residential schools. This information aims to provide peace for the native communities who lost children to these institutions.
Across the country, ceremonies have been taking place in towns and cities in order to remember the deceased and honour their memory. Memorials have been created with children’s shoes to represent the sheer number of children that lost their lives as a result of the neglect they faced at the residential schools. Meanwhile, the search for information about these children continues - a process that will undoubtedly bring both pain and solace for those affected, as well as an acceptance and understanding of the past.
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Published June 21, 2021
Written by Rebecca Symns-Rowley
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