uniquelyindigenous

[uniquelyindigenous]

[uniquelyindigenous]

215 - Kamloops, BC

104 - Brandon, MB

38 - Regina, SK

35 - The Mission at Muskowekwan, SK

180 - Carlisle, PA

751 - Cowessess First Nation, SK

182 - Ktunaxa Nation, Cranbrook, BC

160 + - Penelakut Tribe, BC

We will not stop until we find every single one of the children.

*these are estimates. Brace yourselves, there will be more.*

They are coming home ❤️🪶

#BringThemHome

[uniquelyindigenous]

so can we start hunting down white liberals now or what

[uniquelyindigenous]

It’s amazing to see people of Canada come together in solidarity in this difficult time of reconciliation and healing 🧡🧡🧡

#everychildmatters

[uniquelyindigenous]

As a Canadian and a historian, I’m going to explain some of the key facts you need to know about the Residential School graves making international headlines.

Written by Jessica O'Neil

I see lots of comments from people around the world who either a) think this is an overstated and politicised 'woke Liberal' story or b) had zero idea about this part of Canadian history. Some are wondering why there's talk of 'cancelling Canada Day.' So, let's talk about it.

I want to start by saying that for Indigenous people, this topic is incredibly distressing. The gaslighting in comment sections is equally disturbing. If you are Indigenous and are struggling with this news, you can call the National Indian Residential School Crisis Line: 1-866-925-4419. If you are Indigenous and think I have misrepresented any of the following information, please let me know.

For the rest of us, let me explain a few things. Canadian and unsure about the history of Residential Schools? Non-Canadian and not sure what's going on? This is for you.

In Canada, the term Indigenous comprises First Nations, Inuit, and Métis people. 1876's Indian Act gave the Federal Government full control over most aspects of Indigenous life. Much of the Indian Act is still in place today.

Residential Schools were a government-mandated policy officially enacted in 1880 with the passage of the Residential Schools Act. (However, French missionaries' efforts to isolate and 'educate' First Nations children date back to the late 18th century.)

These schools were designed to 'kill the Indian in the child." Laws dictated that families must send Indigenous children as young as four to these boarding schools. There were no exceptions. RCMP officers forcibly removed children from families who would not comply.

The schools were often in isolated areas or on islands, as otherwise, children would constantly try to escape and go back to their families. If geographically possible, parents would camp near schools to catch a glimpse of their children and would be driven away by RCMP under threat of violence.

The schools were operated by churches. Approximately 50% were Catholic, and the remainder were Protestant denominations, including Anglican, Methodist, Presbyterian, United, and Baptist. Children were not allowed to speak their language or practice any of their cultural traditions under threat of beating. Religion was used as just one form of abuse.

The schools were overcrowded and often unheated. Children were underfed due to budgetary constraints, and also as a form of both control and punishment. Sexual assault was sickeningly commonplace and often doled out as punishment. Many otherwise healthy children wasted away from depression and homesickness. Some drowned trying to swim home. Others froze to death as they tried to walk home.

In 1907, the Department of Indian Affairs' 'Bryce Report' documented a 40-60% mortality rate at these institutions, mainly from tuberculosis. The same report showed that 90 - 100% of children suffered severe physical, emotional, and sexual abuse. Despite this information, the schools remained open for another 90 years.

Again - this is all documented fact. None of this is up for debate. Even the most right-wing Canadian understands this as fact.

The graveyards we are finding are unmarked. Some of them include mass graves, in which more than one body was buried at the same time. This is not new information. Residential School survivors have been telling us they're there for generations.

From 2008 - 2015, Canada engaged in one of the largest Truth and Reconciliation Commission processes ever undertaken. It concluded with 94 calls to action, most of which have not been actioned, further eroding Indigenous people's trust in Canada. Many rightfully believe that the TRC was lip service.

Call to Action 75 states: "We call upon the federal government to work with provincial, territorial, and municipal governments, churches, Aboriginal communities, former residential school students, and current landowners to develop and implement strategies and procedures for the ongoing identification, documentation, maintenance, commemoration, and protection of residential school cemeteries or other sites at which residential school children were buried. This is to include the provision of Calls to Action| 9 appropriate memorial ceremonies and commemorative markers to honour the deceased children."

See, they were telling us those graves were there. I learned about residential school cemeteries in the early '00s in journal articles. The information has been readily available. No one was listening.

On May 27, 2021, the Tk’emlups te Secwépemc Nation hired the services of a ground-penetrating radar team and confirmed what was already known. The remains of 215 children lay beneath the soil. "We had a knowing in our community that we were able to verify. To our knowledge, these missing children are undocumented deaths,” stated Kukpi7 Rosanne Casimir. “Some were as young as three years old."

On June 4, 104 potential graves were discovered by the Sioux Valley Dakota Nation at Brandon Indian Residential School in Manitoba. Of these, 78 may be accounted for (but that does not mean that those children were not also abused and/or died of preventable disease). Chief Jennifer Bone says, “We must honour the memory of the children that never made it home by holding the Government of Canada, Churches and all responsible parties accountable for their inhumane actions.”

And most recently, as many as 751 unmarked graves were located near the former site of Marieval Indian Residential School in Saskatchewan, associated with the Cowessess First Nation. Again, some of these may be accounted for. That does not diminish the horror. “This was a crime against humanity, an assault on First Nations,” says Chief Bobby Cameron of the Federation of Sovereign Indigenous First Nations in Saskatchewan.

I'm not qualified to speak at length about the generational trauma that has ravaged Indigenous communities. Generations of people are struggling with substance abuse as a direct result of the Residential Schools Act, and yet many other Canadians don't cut them much slack.

For the non-Canadians reading this, you should know that open racism towards Indigenous people in Canada is common and often socially acceptable. (I know this goes against our international reputation.)

Finally, you will see people arguing that these graves are the result of sickness and disease, as if that's somehow okay. You'll even see some people arguing that the number of graves isn't all that high, as life expectancy 'was lower back then.'

Yes, tuberculosis and childhood diseases do account for many of these deaths. But these diseases were allowed to run rampant through filthy and overcrowded institutions. Little malnourished, homesick bodies couldn't fend off the disease. So, they died alone, crying for their mothers.

And then they were buried in the place they hated most, with no record of their death. Some parents were never actually told what happened to their children. They just never came home.

To counter these bad-faith arguments about disease and ‘the number of graves not actually being that high’, we can again look to contemporary sources, such as The Bryce Report. 90 – 100% of children were abused. The schools had a documented mortality rate of 40 – 60%.

Of course, the childhood mortality rate in Canada in 1907 was high, around 25% - 30%. However, these figures include infant mortality, which is much higher, therefore skewing the data. A very conservative estimate puts the mortality rate from TB at Residential Schools (children aged 4 - 18) around three to four times higher than the general population.

Also, remember that these graves do not represent all of the children who died at Residential Schools. We have many oral reports of priests, nuns, and teachers incinerating bodies (especially of those beaten or abused to death) in furnaces, or disposing of them in other ways.

You need to know that these discoveries will continue. There were 139 residential schools in Canada, and nearly 150,000 children attended them over the course of 117+ years. But the graves are not the only horror. The true horror is the fact that we've known about all of this for generations, and that we allowed it to happen until 1997. The shame is the ‘schools’ themselves. The graves are just a physical record of what happened.

This is not about ‘left’ or ‘right.’ Nothing I have written here is disputed. These are facts. The Federal Government, RCMP, local police forces, the courts, and many churches worked together to systematically abuse and eradicate entire generations of kids.

If you feel bad, that’s normal. But sitting around feeling guilty helps no one, especially not Indigenous people. Instead, consistently challenge these comments about ‘short 19th-century life expectancies' and ‘that’s not a mass grave.’ Challenge the people in your life who use racial slurs or anti-Indigenous rhetoric.

If you’re Canadian, write to your MP and demand that they action the 94 TRC Calls to Action. Share and amplify posts by Indigenous people, and include the Survivors' hotline. Listen to what local Indigenous people are asking for, and then help in any way you can – that includes donating generously to Residential School survivors. https://www.ctvnews.ca/canada/how-to-support-survivors-of-residential-schools-1.5453277

And at least for this year, consider skipping Canada Day 'celebrations.’ But whether you celebrate or not is less important than insisting on systemic change, donating to survivors, and advocating for the 94 TRC Calls to Action.

[uniquelyindigenous]

NO PRIDE IN GENOCIDE!

CancelKKKanadaDay

[uniquelyindigenous]

Do you know the definition of GENOCIDE? It is “the deliberate killing of a large amount of people from a particular nation or ethnic group with the aim of destroying that nation or group”

“It’s genocide, and it’s sick how Canada tried so hard to cover up their liability by calling it “cultural genocide”.

So many politicians are still pushing the narrative that it was disease and sickness that killed all of our children in these schools,

when they were intentionally massacred.”

-Andre Bear

[uniquelyindigenous]

The initial shock and horror of the 215 bodies of children found in unmarked graves at former residential schools hit hard. Social media reacted, politicians reacted, a country hung its head low in shame, thoughts and prayers were given... but then media cycles move on and the general public usually does too.

The number of bodies found is now at 572. That's closing in on tripling that first number. That's five schools of the 139 that were once open. And this is still the tippy, tippy top of a gigantic iceberg that the church and the government really doesn't want to keep revealing itself.

Keep talking about it, keep educating yourself, and keep letting the politicians and Catholic/Christian churches know that we're not moving on.

🧡🧡🧡🧡🧡

[uniquelyindigenous]

With the news that’s coming tomorrow please do not forget to take care of your mental health 🧡

[uniquelyindigenous]

Artist: Robert Lazore

[uniquelyindigenous]

[uniquelyindigenous]

Starved to death

First Nations starved to death by the Canadian government to make way for the railroad following the loss of the Buffalo Nations

"...Indeed, prime minister John A. Macdonald is quoted as saying, “We are doing all we can, by refusing food until the Indians are on the verge of starvation, to reduce the expense.”

Food spoiled in dominion warehouses while native people starved and sickened (one federal agent even called all the starving people of his reserve to the storehouse to hand out food, then sent them home as he laughed, calling it an April Fool’s joke), women prostituted themselves for food and government ministers blithely claimed that so long as First Nations people expected food, they would remain helpless, or, as Daschuk quotes, “it was not intended that the Indian should become self-supporting. He was only to be kept quiet till the country filled up when his ill will could be ignored.”

~ Image. - “Native residents on Crow's Nest Pass Line Railway”, British Columbia Library and Archives Canada/Travers Coleman collection © Public Domain.

[uniquelyindigenous]

This is a list of All the residential schools in Canada.

GENOCIDE ~ List of Residential Schools - not including, Newfoundland & Labrador or, sanitoriums.

Alberta:

Assumption (Hay Lakes), Assumption, Alberta

Blue Quills (Saddle Lake, Sacred Heart, formerly Lac la Biche), St. Paul, Alberta

Crowfoot (St. Joseph's, Ste. Trinité), Cluny, Alberta

Desmarais (St. Martin's, Wabasca Roman Catholic), Desmarais-Wabasca, Alberta

Edmonton (formerly Red Deer Industrial), St. Albert, Alberta

Ermineskin, Hobbema, Alberta

Fort Vermilion (St. Henry's), Fort Vermilion, Alberta

Grouard (St. Bernard's, Lesser Slave Lake Roman Catholic), Grouard , Alberta

Holy Angels (Fort Chipewyan, École des Saints-Anges), Fort Chipewyan, Alberta

Joussard (St. Bruno's), Joussard, Alberta

Lac la Biche (Notre Dame des Victoire, predecessor to Blue Quills) from 1893 to 1898, Lac la Biche, Alberta

Lesser Slave Lake (St. Peter's), Lesser Slave Lake, Alberta

Morley (Stony), Morley, Alberta

Old Sun, Gleichen, Alberta

Sacred Heart, Brocket, Alberta

St. Albert (Youville), Youville, Alberta

St. Augustine (Smoky River) from 1900 to 1907, Smoky River, Alberta

St. Cyprian's (Queen Victoria's Jubilee Home), Brocket, Peigan Reserve, Alberta

St. Joseph's (Dunbow), High River, Alberta

St. Mary's (Blood, Immaculate Conception), Cardston, Alberta

St. Paul's (Blood, Anglican/Church of England), Cardston, Alberta

Sarcee (St. Barnabas), T'suu Tina, Alberta

Sturgeon Lake (St. Francis Xavier), Calais, Alberta

St. John's (Wabasca Anglican/Church of England), Wabasca, Alberta

Whitefish Lake (St. Andrew's), Whitefish Lake, Alberta

British Columbia Residential Schools:

Ahousaht, Ahousaht, British Columbia

Alberni, Port Alberni, British Columbia

Cariboo (St. Joseph's, Williams Lake), Williams Lake, British Columbia

Christie (Clayoquot, Kakawis), Tofino, British Columbia

Coqualeetza from 1924 to 1940, Chilliwack / Sardis, British Columbia

Cranbrook (St. Eugene's, Kootenay), Cranbrook, British Columbia

Kamloops, Kamloops, British Columbia

Kitimaat, Kitimaat, British Columbia

Kuper Island, Kuper Island, British Columbia

Lejac (Fraser Lake), Fraser Lake, British Columbia

Lower Post, Lower Post, British Columbia

Port Simpson (Crosby Home for Girls), Port Simpson, British Columbia

St. George's (Lytton), Lytton, British Columbia

St. Mary's (Mission), Mission, British Columbia

St. Michael's (Alert Bay Girls' Home, Alert Bay Boys' Home), Alert Bay, British Columbia

Sechelt, Sechelt, British Columbia

St. Paul's (Squamish, North Vancouver), North Vancouver, British Columbia

Anahim Lake Dormitory (September 1968 to June 1977), Anahim Lake, British Columbia

Manitoba Residential Schools:

Assiniboia (Winnipeg), Winnipeg, Manitoba

Birtle, Birtle, Manitoba

Brandon, Brandon, Manitoba

Churchill Vocational Centre, Churchill, Manitoba

Cross Lake (St. Joseph's, Jack River Annex - predecessor to Notre Dame Hostel), Cross Lake, Manitoba

Dauphin (McKay), The Pas / Dauphin, Manitoba

Elkhorn (Washakada), Elkhorn, Manitoba

Fort Alexander (Pine Falls), Fort Alexander, Manitoba

Guy Hill (Clearwater, The Pas, formerly Sturgeon Landing, SK), The Pas, Manitoba

Norway House United Church, Norway House, Manitoba

Notre Dame Hostel (Norway House Roman Catholic, Jack River Hostel, replaced Jack River Annex at Cross Lake), Norway House, Manitoba

Pine Creek (Camperville), Camperville, Manitoba

Portage la Prairie, Portage la Prairie, Manitoba

Sandy Bay, Marius, Manitoba

Northwest Territories Residential Schools:

Immaculate Conception (Aklavik Roman Catholic), Aklavik, NWT

All Saints (Aklavik Anglican), Aklavik, NWT

Fleming Hall (Fort McPherson), Fort McPherson, NWT

Sacred Heart (Fort Providence), Fort Providence, NWT

St. Joseph's (Fort Resolution), Fort Resolution, NWT

Bompas Hall (Fort Simpson Anglican), Fort Simpson, NWT

Lapointe Hall (Fort Simpson Roman Catholic), Fort Simpson, NWT

Breynat Hall (Fort Smith), Fort Smith, NWT

Grandin College, Fort Smith, NWT

Hay River (St. Peter's), Hay River, NWT

Grollier Hall (Inuvik Roman Catholic), Inuvik, NWT

Stringer Hall (Inuvik Anglican Hostel), Inuvik, NWT

Akaitcho Hall (Yellowknife), Yellowknife, NWT

Federal Hostel at Fort Franklin, Déline, NWT

Nova Scotia Residential Schools:

Shubenacadie, Shubenacadie, Nova Scotia

Nunavut Residential Schools:

Chesterfield Inlet (Turquetil Hall), Chesterfield Inlet, Nunavut

Federal Tent Hostel at Coppermine, Coppermine, Nunavut

Federal Hostel at Baker Lake, Qamani'tuaq, Qamanittuaq, Nunavut

Federal Hostel at Belcher Islands, Sanikiluaq, Nunavut

Federal Hostel at Broughton Island, Qikiqtarjuaq, Nunavut

Federal Hostel at Cambridge Bay, Cambridge Bay, Nunavut

Federal Hostel at Cape Dorset, Kinngait, Nunavut

Federal Hostel at Eskimo Point, Arviat, Nunavut

Federal Hostel at Frobisher Bay (Ukkivik), Iqaluit , Nunavut

Federal Hostel at Igloolik, Igloolik/Iglulik, Nunavut

Federal Hostel at Lake Harbour, Kimmirut, Nunavut

Federal Hostel at Pangnirtung (Pangnirtang), Pangnirtung / Panniqtuuq, Nunavut

Federal Hostel at Pond Inlet, Mittimatalik, Nunavut

Ontario Residential Schools:

Bishop Horden Hall (Moose Fort, Moose Factory), Moose Island, Ontario

Cecilia Jeffrey (Kenora, Shoal Lake), Kenora, Ontario

Chapleau (St. John's), Chapleau, Ontario

Cristal Lake High School (September 1, 1976 to June 30, 1986)

Fort Frances (St. Margaret's), Fort Frances, Ontario

Fort William (St. Joseph's), Fort William, Ontario

McIntosh, McIntosh, Ontario

Mohawk Institute, Brantford, Ontario

Mount Elgin (Muncey, St. Thomas), Munceytown, Ontario

Pelican Lake (Pelican Falls), Sioux Lookout, Ontario

Poplar Hill, Poplar Hill, Ontario

St. Anne's (Fort Albany), Fort Albany, Ontario

St. Mary's (Kenora, St. Anthony's), Kenora, Ontario

Shingwauk (Wawanosh Home), Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario

Spanish Boys School (Charles Garnier, St. Joseph's, formerly Wikwemikong Industrial), Spanish, Ontario

Spanish Girls School (St. Joseph's, St. Peter's, St. Anne's formerly Wikwemikong Industrial), Spanish, Ontario

Stirland Lake High School/Wahbon Bay Academy (September 1, 1971 to June 30, 1991)

Wawanosh Home (January 1, 1879 to August 5, 1892), Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario

Québec Residential Schools:

Amos (Saint-Marc-de-Figuery), Amos, Québec

Pointe Bleue, Pointe Bleue, Québec

La Tuque, La Tuque, Québec

Fort George (St. Philip's), Fort George, Québec

Fort George (St. Joseph's Mission, Résidence Couture, Sainte-Thérèse-de-l'Enfant-Jésus), Fort George, Québec

Sept-Îles (Notre-Dame, Maliotenam), Sept-Îles, Québec

Federal Hostel at George River, Kangirsualujjuaq, Québec

Federal Hostel at Great Whale River (Poste-de-la-Baleine), Kuujjuaraapik / Whapmagoostui, Québec

Federal Hostel at Payne Bay (Bellin), Kangirsuk, Québec

Federal Hostel at Port Harrison (Inoucdjouac, Innoucdouac), Inukjuak, Québec

Fort George Hostels (September 1, 1975 to June 30, 1978), Fort George, Québec

NEW Mistassini Hostels (September 1, 1971 to June 30, 1978)

Saskatchewan Residential Schools:

Beauval (Lac la Plonge), Beauval, Saskatchewan

Crowstand, Kamsack, Saskatchewan

File Hills, Balcarres, Saskatchewan

Fort Pelly, Fort Pelly, Saskatchewan

Gordon's, Gordon's Reserve, Punnichy, Saskatchewan

Lebret (Qu'Appelle, Whitecalf, St. Paul's High School), Lebret, Saskatchewan

Marieval (Cowesess, Crooked Lake), Grayson, Saskatchewan

Muscowequan (Lestock, Touchwood), Lestock, Saskatchewan

Prince Albert (Onion Lake Church of England, St. Alban's, All Saints, St. Barnabas, Lac La Ronge), Prince Albert, Saskatchewan

Regina, Regina, Saskatchewan

Round Lake, Stockholm, Saskatchewan

St. Anthony's (Onion Lake Roman Catholic), Onion Lake, Saskatchewan

St. Michael's (Duck Lake), Duck Lake, Saskatchewan

St. Philip's, Kamsack, Saskatchewan

Sturgeon Landing (Predecessor to Guy Hill, MB), Sturgeon Landing, Saskatchewan

Thunderchild (Delmas, St. Henri), Delmas, Saskatchewan

Cote Improved Federal Day School (September 1928 to June 1940), Kamsack, Saskatchewan

Battleford Industrial School (December 1883 to May 1914), Battleford, Saskatchewan

Yukon Residential Schools:

Carcross (Chooutla), Carcross, Yukon

Coudert Hall (Whitehorse Hostel/Student Residence - Predecessor to Yukon Hall), Whitehorse, Yukon

Shingle Point (Predecessor to All Saints, Aklavik), Shingle Point, Yukon

Whitehorse Baptist, Whitehorse, Yukon

Yukon Hall (Whitehorse/Protestant Hostel), Whitehorse, Yukon

St. Paul's Hostel (September 1920 to June 1943), Dawson City, Yukon.

~ Early map showing diocesan boundaries and Indian and Inuit Residential Schools of the Church of England in Canada” 1952. 3.½ x 5in.

[uniquelyindigenous]

[uniquelyindigenous]

[uniquelyindigenous]

FACT: The last Residential School closed in 1996!!!!

[uniquelyindigenous]

Pray, this is going to be a hard one ❤️

I’m sorry I’ve been silent for awhile, I’ve been going through a lot.

But I’m back ❤️