Day 2 Indians Residential School TRC

My Auntie Terreance came out to the Forks to visit with my Dad. Terreance is the only living sister the Old Man has left. They both decided to go and give a video statement to the TRC-Truth & Reconciliation Commission for Indian Residential School Survivors. The general public does not realize the abuse that went on in those institutions.

My Auntie is like my Dad her name is not really Terreance it is Agnes. No one knows her as Agnes. I didn't know that until today at the TRC statement. My Dad's real name is not Henry either, it's Andrew. He was given his name Henry by his God Father's girls. Their brother Henry passed away the year my dad was born. So they adopted him as their brother. Henryrence is sort of like "little Henry".

The two them went into the statement room together. Their stories would be different as they didn't see each other in the school with the girls not allowed to see the boys. So my Dad didn't see his sisters. I couldn't listen too much to my Dad's statement. He has always been a private person so he would speak in generalities. If I stayed there he may not have been willing to speak about the school too much.
The Residential School era has left a big footprint on the Aboriginal population. It is akin to stepping on the Tundra. If you go back 10 years from now and look at the Tundra that foot print would still be there. Today we speak about the foot print people are leaving on the Earth. Thread softly not to damage the Earth. The same situation could be said about Indians. Canada (and the U.S.) have not thread lightly on the Indian. There is a lot of damage that has been done because of all that stomping. Some people will say get over it and go on with life. That is fine, but you have to remember there is a foot print on the Indian social fabric, never mind a foot print, a stomp print. After all something has to give if a whole government and a large religious organization tried with zeal to wipe you out. That is what they attempted. To get rid of the Indian. If not physically than with the killing of their Spirit. Look at all the places that had residential schools in Canada. People were ripped from their homes and sent to these schools.

Every Indian should give a statement. The school has affected more than an individual it has affected the psyche of a whole nation, including white people. You have to remember the negative views that have been aimed at Indians have also hit the ears, eyes and mind of the white person. So they too are affected by the message that Indians are no good and should be eliminated.