Canada - Remains of children found at former residential schools in Canada, May 2021

[beubeubeu]

I'm hoping this can't be true, though I've seen a few reports of it now.

It appeared as absolutely true and real in literally hundreds and hundreds of places like that around the World. One here, one there, all with their own laws and full of sadists who found their ways to make a dream come true. Good old times are build on endless silenced pain.

 

[moody_chicago]

Canada mourns as remains of 215 children found at indigenous school

A mass grave containing the remains of 215 children has been found in Canada at a former residential school set up to assimilate indigenous people.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said it was a "painful reminder" of a "shameful chapter of our country's history".

The First Nation is working with museum specialists and the coroner's office to establish the causes and timings of the deaths, which are not currently known.

-I'd like to point out that while Trudeau believes this is a relic of the nation's past, this is erasure language. Human rights violations against Indigenous peoples are still being carried out today. Many of us here have been made aware of the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women human rights crisis and we cannot pretend that enough has been done to address any of these atrocities. MOO.

THIS

 

[Gibbo214]

As horrific as it is, there is fear that more graves could be found.

Chief Rosanne Casimir of the Tk'emlúps te Secwépemc First Nation said that "more bodies may be found because there are more areas to search in the school grounds".

This is sickening and heartbreaking. I can't begin to imagine the trauma and grief of survivors. I know of someone who is a residential school survivor from the early 1950s, and to this day she can not discuss it. She was adopted by a non-native family who perpetuated the emotional and mental abuse by making her feel terrible about her blood, her ancestry, her "where she came from", her everything.

I hope they use ground penetrating radar at every site that ever existed in Canada as a residential school, and repatriate every single one of these dear children back to the communities of their ancestors.

Did not just happen in Canada. Australia shares that guilt too.

 

[Tealgrove]

I’ve read several articles that have reported on the Canadian Govt asking the Catholic Chirch to apologize for their “part” in the Residential School atrocities. To date, they have not.

Here’s my take.

Apologies at this time are empty words. You apologize for an accident. You apologize when you come to terms with your wrongs and you feel remorse and shame for your actions. It’s a time to make amends.

214 children are DEAD.

TWO HUNDRED AND FOURTEEN CHILDREN!

Let that sink in.

Apologies are nothing.

I understand that many responsible are no longer alive but some are I’m sure. It’s time to hold them responsible. Who did what?

I am so angry and so sad about this I can barely keep a lid on my emotions. Where is the outrage?

I’ve always been proud to be Canadian. Today I am full of shame.

 

[Lilibet]

Did not just happen in Canada. Australia shares that guilt too.

BBM

So does the U.S.

Indigenous people have been treated horrifically everywhere, it seems. It makes me angry, sick, and sad.

USA TODAY

"Indian Schools were designed to destroy American Indian cultures, languages and spirituality. Students had to accept white culture, the English language, and Christianity,"

The reckoning on Native American boarding schools differs greatly in the U.S. versus Canada, which has paid out billions in reparations to victims and families.

"The truth and reconciliation process has been a very public one in Canada," Lomawaima said. "There’s not been that scale of public engagement in the U.S."
———————————

There were also cover-ups of deaths.

Native Sun News: Death rate cover-up at Carlisle Indian School

According to McBride’s findings the death rate of Native students at Carlisle [in Pennsylvania] were far higher than previously estimated and were deliberately “white washed” by the school’s founder. “Carlisle had higher death rates in the census years than almost every state that had an Indian nation. Carlisle had a higher death rate than war zones. During the Spanish American War a Carlisle student was more likely to die than a soldier going in to war,” said McBride.
——————————

Now the U.S. Bureau of Indian Education funds 183 schools of an entirely different kind, not without their problems, but nothing compared to the tragedy in Canada.

Bureau of Indian Education | Bureau of Indian Education

The mission of the BIE is to provide students at BIE-funded schools with a culturally relevant, high-quality education that prepares students with the knowledge, skills, and behaviors needed to flourish in the opportunities of tomorrow, become healthy and successful individuals, and lead their communities and sovereign nations to a thriving future that preserves their unique cultural identities.

 

[Gibbo214]

So does the U.S.

USA TODAY

"Indian Schools were designed to destroy American Indian cultures, languages and spirituality. Students had to accept white culture, the English language, and Christianity,"

The reckoning on Native American boarding schools differs greatly in the U.S. versus Canada, which has paid out billions in reparations to victims and families.

"The truth and reconciliation process has been a very public one in Canada," Lomawaima said. "There’s not been that scale of public engagement in the U.S."


Now the Bureau of Indian Education funds 183 schools of an entirely different kind, although not without their problems.

Bureau of Indian Education | Bureau of Indian Education

The mission of the BIE is to provide students at BIE-funded schools with a culturally relevant, high-quality education that prepares students with the knowledge, skills, and behaviors needed to flourish in the opportunities of tomorrow, become healthy and successful individuals, and lead their communities and sovereign nations to a thriving future that preserves their unique cultural identities.

I don't think that any graves have been found in Australia from any of these 'schools', but indigenous children were trained to be paid domestic workers or farm workers and the government held their wages in trust because they were deemed (insultingly) to not be able to manage their money.

 

[dotr]

UN seeks full probe into death of Indigenous students at residential schools | Toronto Sun
''The United Nations Human Rights Office is calling on all levels of Canadian governments to investigate the deaths of Indigenous children at residential schools and to intensify efforts to find those who are missing.''

''The discovery adds momentum to implement the recommendations of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission and the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls, Hurtado says.

She also called on Trudeau to establish a specific legal organization, with government and Indigenous members, to protect and manage burial sites, and that the United Nations is able to offer technical help.''

 

[dotr]

Non-Indigenous people — here’s what you can do, right now
By Anna McKenzie, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, and Jacqueline RonsonThe DiscourseWed., June 2, 2021
''This article contains content about residential schools that may be triggering. Support for survivors and their families is available. Call the Indian Residential School Survivors Society at 1-800-721-0066 or 1-866-925-4419 for the 24-7 crisis line. The KUU-US Crisis Line Society also offers 24-7 support at 250-723-4050 for adults, 250-723-2040 for youth, or toll-free at 1-800-588-8717. Communities across so-called Canada are grieving after the discovery of the unmarked graves of 215 children at the site of the former Kamloops Indian Residential School. Many Indigenous people are overwhelmed with the tasks of caring for themselves, their families and communities. And many non-Indigenous people are wondering what they can do to help.''

 

[Black Widow]

I live in a neighbouring community to the school. We have relatives who live directly across the river from it. Yesterday I went to the riverbank at the relatives home and spent some moments in silence before offering a prayer.

This discovery is completely heart wrenching. I’m a regular, elderly white woman and I feel totally gutted. I’ve been crying tears for days now. Passing groups of school children wearing their orange tshirts in solidarity. Seeing displays of candles,, flowers, teddy bears and children’s shoes. Porch lights have been left on, adults in Costco shopping wearing orange t shirts with “every child matters” slogans.

My heart is just breaking for the many First Nation communities around us....descendants and survivors of Kamloops Residential School. I’m not sure that anything before has ever felt quite so wrong, ugly, warped and evil during my lifetime as this does. I cannot even begin to comprehend what this must feel like to them.

 

[Cora]

William Coombes survived Kamloops only to die later. His story is horrific. God rest his soul. This article form the Herald digs into some of his story.
The truth about atrocities of British colonisation

 

[Black Widow]

The Chief of the Kamloops band emphasized on our evening news tonight that this is not a mass grave. She said that these are individual graves and that the issue is that they are unmarked and undocumented gravesites. She expressed that she will likely have more information by the end of this month.

 

[Bit of hope]

The Chief of the Kamloops band emphasized on our evening news tonight that this is not a mass grave. She said that these are individual graves and that the issue is that they are unmarked and undocumented gravesites. She expressed that she will likely have more information by the end of this month.

Clear....a mass grave is one big hole (sorry) where bodies are buried. This a grave yard with a mass of individual children's graves, buried Nomen Nescio....or are the names known?....I'm confused, because of this Canada reveals names of 2,800 victims of residential schools

 

[Lilibet]

Clear....a mass grave is one big hole (sorry) where bodies are buried. This a grave yard with a mass of individual children's graves, buried Nomen Nescio....or are the names known?....I'm confused, because of this Canada reveals names of 2,800 victims of residential schools

Perhaps the names of the victims are known but it hasn’t been possible to connect those names with the identities of ones buried in these individual graves (yet).

 

[Bit of hope]

Only thing I can show right now....

 

[musicaljoke]

Perhaps the names of the victims are known but it hasn’t been possible to connect those names with the identities of ones buried in these individual graves (yet).

I hope that this is the case. It would be the best case scenario for a truly horrendous history. Graves were usually marked with a small wooden cross, so just maybe the crosses have deteriorated, but perhaps there still is a register of those children who died. The whole residential school thing was a great evil in our land.

We can blame the gov't or the Catholic and Anglican churches, but these institutions merely were doing the bidding of the general public who believed residential schools were appropriate. If we pass the blame and don't recognize systemic, racial injustices in our current practices, then we risk doing equally wrong things in our own times.

 

[Black Widow]

I spent most of the day trying unsuccessfully to log back in, until finally success. It’s late and I’m tired to please forgive my typos. I do hope this answers some of your questions.

I am no expert on this subject but my understanding is that on Monday the names of 2800 children were released (on an inscribed red scroll) by the National Centre of Truth and Reconciliation in partnership with Aboriginal Peoples Television. I believe this is the previously known number of deceased children from the numerous residential schools across Canada. I dont believe that this would include the 215 they have discovered in Kamloops B.C.

I believe the crux of the issue is that former, but still living, First Nations people who had attended Kamloops Residential School heard rumours while still at the school about buried former students, while others heard rumours passed down from their relatives making the same claims. These rumours appear fairly consistent across the country. T’kemlups te secwepmc ( Kamloops Band) had recently been given a provincial government grant for some ( unknown to me) purpose. They made the choice to use that money to hire a contractor with the special ground penetrating radar to do a search for bodies on the property. That search would either lay to rest the rumours that had been going on for generations in the First Nations community or prove them true. Sadly and painfully it seems the rumours were true. In fact 215 times true in unmarked and unnamed graves. Not a mass grave as I had originally read but individual graves. This confusion was clarified by Kamloops Band Chief, Rosanne Casimir, as I indicated in a previous post. These 215 bodies ( unnamed and unknown about until now or so it is thought) would be in addition to the named children on the list.

No one knows over what period of years these children died. These Residential Schools were in existence from near the beginning of this country. No one knows how these children died. It could have been from past flu pandemics, small pox, tuberculosis, or any number of physical conditions including malnutritian but it could also have been from physical or sexual abuse or other nefarious means.

So, no one knows these children’s names but DNA testing would likely find that many share the common surnames of those living on First Nation lands in the Kamloops and Shuswap area of the province.

What does seem clear at this time is that the death rate of these Indigenous Children appears to have been too high. and that obtaining records of Residential School children through the government or the Catholic Church who ran the school have not been forthcoming. It is no longer just First Nations who are questioning what feels like a possible cover up, with unmarked gravesites but Canadians of all ethnic groups are asking questions.

First Nation bands all across Canada are now wanting all Residential School lands searched. They think this is the tip of the iceburg. Non First Nations like myself are reeling from this discovery. We are giving First Nations privacy to grieve, but we too are demanding answers from the government. Reports say that Catholic parishoners are demanding answers from the Catholic Church and some priests are also demanding answers from their higher ups including the Pope. Displays of support continue....petitions for action, go fund me’s ,donations of financial support to investigate every Residential school property across this country. Our Pharmacy today displayed a large orange cardboard sign it’s window covered with Children’s handprints. Truckers of every ethnic background from around the province decorated their semis with children’s handprints, children’s shoes or signs saying “ All children Matter” and did a rally to Kamloops today. The countries sentiment is that the government and churches must take action and get answers for the First Nations people is continuing to grow. No more commitees or panels, First Nation or not people of all ethnicities are demanding action and answers. None of us deserve to live with ugly secrets.

 

[LunaInvidia]

As a native person myself I think I'm... surprised, that so many people are shocked by this. We all knew. I knew, researching my genealogy in college, that finding that my great grandmother was a residential school survivor meant that there would be no further research to do on that line. She was taken from her family at age 6. My family tree on that side ends there. I will never know more. There are no more records. And she was lucky. All of the listed "family members" were the girls who shared her dorm. Many of them do not have further records. They existed, for a brief moment, scared and abused and alone, and then.... who knows.

I'm not Canadian First Nations, but I know people who are, and none of we natives are shocked or surprised. Just in pain, and angry. A festering wound, brought to light and never healed.

<modsnip: Fundraiser discussions not allowed. If we do it for one, we would have to do it for all.>

 

[dotr]

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ground-radar-technology-residential-school-remains-1.6049776
''In terms of technology, survey teams will use ground-penetrating radar devices to roll across the surface of the earth. GPR is much like a medical ultrasound, but instead, high-frequency radio waves penetrate into the ground to form an image of what may be below, according to B.C.-based GeoScan Subsurface Surveys.

The device, a box about 25 centimetres wide with wheels, is pushed or pulled by a technician who scans the land in lines in a process that looks somewhat like "mowing virtual grass," said Will Meredith, founding member and GPR specialist at GeoScan.

The device includes a radar-transmitting antenna that sends the high-frequency waves into the ground that will bounce back to the receiver if they hit anything that is different from the medium of the soil.''

''The device itself has to be able to touch the ground, which means before any work can be done, any brush, or tall grass must be cleared to get a good result, Clark said.

"I was just working on a project earlier this week on unmarked graves, and our team spent a lot of time clearing out the brambles and the underbrush and all of this stuff so that we could actually see the ground."

 

[Lexiintoronto]

I have a friend that is Indigenous, both his parents survived ‘residential schools’ in Nova Scotia. (there should be another name for them.)

I’d like to summarize his suggestions for us non-Indigenous people who would like to be allies and support them at this difficult time.

This is a summary of what he has said:

In order to support us and be our ally, please educate yourself on what the Residential School System was and please read about the Truth and Reconciliation Commission report, resources here: Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada (TRC)

Please keep the conversation going, and if you notice racism related to this topic, or Indigenous people in general, please speak up and shut it down.

The Indigenous people would like to take the lead and be heard at this time. They would appreciate it if people would chose to read resources written by their community. There are many being highlighted right now, and some are geared towards children. They’re concerned about how this news may impact all children.

This article also has a great list of suggestions and links to ways you can help and keep informed: How to support survivors of residential schools

 

[Richard]

Unfortunately, many orphanages, trade schools, reformatories, and hospitals in the early 20th century had cemeteries associated with them. Deaths occurred from a number of different causes - often from diseases that today would be curable or prevented with modern medications.

But in this case, the idea of over 215 graves seems excessive. There is an investigation underway and hopefully some definitive answers will be found.