EditorSA国际影视传媒檚 note: This story contains details that may be disturbing to some readers.
SA国际影视传媒淲e were dragged right onto the planeSA国际影视传媒� you could hear your mom and your grandmothersSA国际影视传媒� and your little brothers and sisters crying when they see you going on that little float plane.SA国际影视传媒�
Those were among the jarring recollections that Navalik Tologanak shared about her residential school experience during the National Gathering on Unmarked Burials: Northern Voices conference held Jan. 30-Feb. 1 at the Aqsarniit Hotel in Iqaluit.
It was the sixth in a series of national conferences over two years by the Office of the Special Interlocutor for SA国际影视传媒渁n important gathering where individual and community experiences will be shared about the sacred work of searching for the disappeared children,SA国际影视传媒� said Kimberly Murray, independent special interlocutor for Missing Children and Unmarked Graves and Burial Sites. SA国际影视传媒淭hroughout the gathering, we will listen to survivors, and be guided by Indigenous knowledge and ceremonies.SA国际影视传媒�
After opening comments, the first panel comprised three Elders who recounted their painful experiences at residential schools: Tologanak from Cambridge Bay, Alexia Kublu from Iglulik and Elsie Cardinal of the Fort Chipewyan Metis in Alberta.
In addition to the Elders and co-chairs Sylvia Cloutier and Naomi Tatty, an empty chair was present to invite the spirits of the missing children to join, as well as various sacred items from various communities. Small packages of tissues were given to attendees at the beginning of the conference.
SA国际影视传媒淚 am able to tell my story because ISA国际影视传媒檓 one of these people who can talk,SA国际影视传媒� said Tologanak. SA国际影视传媒淭here are so many people out thereSA国际影视传媒� they start telling their story and it stops. So many stories do not come outSA国际影视传媒� for someSA国际影视传媒� the pain is too deep.
SA国际影视传媒淔irst of all, I went to residential school from [Inuvik] to [Cambridge Bay]. We were sent on those DC-3 planes, and at that time, there wasnSA国际影视传媒檛 really a community [in] Cambridge Bay. Most of us that age were born out on the land, and lived out on the land, but those little little float planes still found us. They landed at our parents and our grandparentsSA国际影视传媒� camps. And they still found us and took us,SA国际影视传媒� she recalled, her voice tinged with emotion. SA国际影视传媒淏ut we had to go.
SA国际影视传媒淲e stayed 10 months out there. Long weekend in September we were picked up, or grabbed. And then weSA国际影视传媒檇 be home end of June. And that was the favourite day of the whole year SA国际影视传媒� of our whole livesSA国际影视传媒� the day we fly home to our parents, our siblings, our hometown. And to this day SA国际影视传媒� ISA国际影视传媒檓 almost 70 years old SA国际影视传媒� and I still celebrate end of June [despite] how old I am. So letSA国际影视传媒檚 celebrate our children who donSA国际影视传媒檛 go to residential school anymoreSA国际影视传媒o one will ever take my grandchildren again, ever, like they did me. Never.
SA国际影视传媒淚t was hard, we had to live [with] abuse, and be scared all the time growing upSA国际影视传媒� We couldnSA国际影视传媒檛 even eat country food, of courseSA国际影视传媒� We werenSA国际影视传媒檛 tasting seal meat and caribou.SA国际影视传媒�
Remembering the dead
SA国际影视传媒淲hen I was three years old, I was sent to Edmonton to the Charles Camsell Hospital to the TB sanitariumSA国际影视传媒� I donSA国际影视传媒檛 remember much, but there were lots of Inuit,SA国际影视传媒� said Tologanak.
She then tells of how her great-grandfatherSA国际影视传媒檚 body was never returned to Cambridge Bay from an Alberta sanatorium, where he died. The same thing also happened to her great-grandmother, who died in Alberta and was buried in an unmarked grave.
SA国际影视传媒淲hereSA国际影视传媒檚 my great-grandmother?SA国际影视传媒� asks Tologanak. SA国际影视传媒淚SA国际影视传媒檝e never seen her picture. WhereSA国际影视传媒檚 my great-grandfather?SA国际影视传媒here are they? I want to find them, and I want to put a memorial on their graves, but I canSA国际影视传媒檛 because I donSA国际影视传媒檛 know where they are. So let us work together to find all our family, and put names on the graves, or send them home. I donSA国际影视传媒檛 know. But letSA国际影视传媒檚 work together to do this and make this work. And also for all the children who never made it home. LetSA国际影视传媒檚 bring them home, and if we canSA国际影视传媒檛 bring them home, letSA国际影视传媒檚 go to them, and have ceremonies and show our children or family members. LetSA国际影视传媒檚 make it work, because itSA国际影视传媒檚 awful when you canSA国际影视传媒檛 find your grandparentsSA国际影视传媒� graves.SA国际影视传媒�
Tologanak then called on government leaders and Nunavut Tunngavik Incorporated to work together SA国际影视传媒渢o get this resolved to be part of our healing and get on with our lives. And teach our children, the younger generation, thatSA国际影视传媒檚 going through so much right now, and to heal themSA国际影视传媒� and to teach the world and the rest of Canada what weSA国际影视传媒檝e been through. We are strong. We are here. We are survivors.
SA国际影视传媒淲e girls had it easier because the pedophiles in that school went after the boys more,SA国际影视传媒� she recalls. SA国际影视传媒淚tSA国际影视传媒檚 that untold anger thatSA国际影视传媒� gets swallowed [and expressed] in anger and drink. Those of us who can talk about it need to be their voice.SA国际影视传媒�
More gatherings for Inuit proposed
The theme of buried trauma and the continued need for its expression was at the forefront of discussion throughout the three-day conference, the first in the North, which had a quarter of the countrySA国际影视传媒檚 residential schools, but currently only receives four per cent of government funding to address the trauma.
Murray, a Mohawk, emphasized that sheSA国际影视传媒檚 getting towards the end of her two-year mandate and funding for these conferences.
SA国际影视传媒淚tSA国际影视传媒檚 so important to hear from survivors, and thank you for raising the issue of not having enough survivors at this gathering, and I will work with leadership to make sure there are further gatherings for InuitSA国际影视传媒� as we begin these conversations for the ongoing search for children and unmarked burialsSA国际影视传媒� [Elders] have shown the courage and leadership it takes in sharing the truth about the burials.
SA国际影视传媒淭he truths of the atrocities that Canada has committed against the Inuit, First Nations and Metis peopleSA国际影视传媒� We have to thank the survivors for their words this morning. ThereSA国际影视传媒檚 so much that we have to learn from you, and we need to continue to listen to your truths as you share at the gatherings, with the world, and with the country. So nakurmiik, thank you.SA国际影视传媒�
