It has only been 29 years since the last residential school in Saskatchewan closed. It has not even been half a century and it demonstrates how fresh the wounds are from the pain and struggles Residential school survivors endured. I believe the best way to prevent retraumatization is to focus on Indigeneity and embrace their talents and bravery. Redirecting the attention toward Indigenous accomplishments and highlighting their culture is essential in today’s media censorship.
In mid-June 2023, CBC News reported that denialists, people who were in ‘denial’ of the outcome of the 2021 burial site investigation, trespassed the now sacred site to maliciously exhume or dig up the remains so that they can ‘see for themselves’. The denialists brought shovels on the site and documented the residential school grounds without consent. To deny and miniscule the psychological, mental, physical, and sexual abuse of Indigenous children are the objectives of these denialists. The group’s unlawful entry, lack of respect for the deceased and their willingness to disobey cultural protocols show the extent of hatred and discrimination ‘denialism’ is built upon. Even though almost 4 years have passed since the tragic discovery of 215 unmarked graves at the former Kamloops Indian Residential School, the mourning and fight for justice persist as First Nations communities continue to stand for their truth and reconciliation.
To have a deeper understanding of Indigenous injustices, we must listen to their stories and today’s podcast can help you attain a broader percpetion on these issues. This podcast episode features Tanisha Terry, a Secwépemc and Nigerian student at Thompson Rivers University. Tanisha voices her perspectives on Indigenous censorship in the media, the denialist incident and even speaks on behalf of her grandfather – a Kamloops Indian Residential School survivor. Her disposition will make you understand the harsh outcome of residential school trauma for survivors’ families. Though her Poppa’s neglect and conditioned mentality prevent Tanisha’s unwavering love to be reciprocated, she understands that most people who have gone through a tragedy like her grandfather has, unfortunately “stay in that dark spot” emotionally.
I hope you enjoy listening to this episode of the Tragic Truths of Kamloops podcast!
Works consulted:
Content warning: reader discretion is advised as the following story contains distressful details
215 unmarked graves were discovered on the grounds of the former Kamloops Indian Residential School with the help of a ground-penetrating radar specialist. Verification of the remains of the Indigenous children buried beneath the school’s premises were announced by the Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc in late May 2021. The Canadian government and population were forced to confront the historical and ongoing injustices faced by Indigenous communities after the Kamloops discovery attracted attention.
Residential schools’ ill intended goal of having complete dominance over Indigenous children through erasing any relations to their family, identity, and culture is reflected in the lack of documentations regarding their passing. This is due to certain Catholic entities not perceiving these children with any respect nor dignity. Verbal accounts of survivors and community members mention this cultural erasure, raging physical and sexual abuse of innocent children, which is consistent with the investigation’s devastating outcome.
Prior to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s (TRC) launch in 2008, the Catholic church denied accusations of any awareness about an unmarked burial site at Tk’emlúps. The Catholic church was comfortable to leave the 200+ children labelled as ‘disappeared’ until their corpses were uncovered in 2021. Due to this tragedy being overlooked initially when the TRC commenced, families of the survivors and Indigenous communities suffered an unparalled, prolonged, and delayed grief without proper closure. Commemoration and custodianship of the deceased Indigenous children have been initiated by the surviving relatives, Nations, and communities after the report’s release. Any support, services and resources should be provided to these families as they cope with their losses and memorialize their dearly departed.
The lasting trauma of the residential school system, the mistreatment of Indigenous peoples in Canada, the amplifying cries for justice and reconciliation have all been illuminated by this tragedy. The harsh truth serves as a wake-up call for the country as it instigates national reflections.
Author Anecdote: The Kamloops Indian Residential School prohibits photography of the sacred site where the unmarked graves are located. Therefore, no visual of it is featured in this blog post. Please remember to respect their wishes when visiting.
Coburn, V. (2021, June 10). No longer the disappeared: Mourning the 215 children found in graves at Kamloops Indian Residential School. The Conversation. https://theconversation.com/no-longer-the-disappeared-mourning-the-215-children-found-in-graves-at-kamloops-indian-residential-school-161782
Dickinson, C., & Watson, B. (2021, May 27). Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc say remains of 215 children found at former Kamloops Indian Residential School. CBC News. https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/tk-emlúps-te-secwépemc-215-children-former-kamloops-indian-residential-school-1.6043778