WE CALL THEM SURVIVORS.
Indigenous people who attended the schools in Canada’s residential school system are not called ‘former students’ or ‘attendees’ or ‘graduates.’
We call them survivors.
Like survivors of a disease or a pandemic — only in this case, they were not afflicted with the disease.
The disease is racism. They were victimized by it all the same.
We call them survivors like survivors of a disaster — a plane crash or an earthquake.
And it’s apt.
Only instead of happening in one fell swoop, the disaster unfolded over years and decades and generations.
We call them survivors like survivors of a war.
It was a battle fought over culture, over language, over a way of life.
They were dragged into the war against their will and they were given ineffectual weapons to fight their enemies.
We call them survivors because we know many did not survive.
The survivors tell their stories.
Stories of children who were abused, stories of children who were denied proper medical care, and many, many stories of children who simply disappeared, the survivors not knowing what became of them.
Of course we know people do not simply disappear — and because of the news this week, we will have more answers for their families.
For the rest of us, maybe there will be a deeper understanding of the trauma that resonates so strongly in our Indigenous hosts.
We call them survivors, but their wounds, deep and damaging, are painful for us all.
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The National Indian Residential School Crisis Line has been set up to provide 24/7 support to residential school survivors and others who are affected. Call 1 (866) 925-4419.
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Editor’s Note: This opinion piece reflects the views of its author, and does not necessarily represent the views of CFJC Today or the Jim Pattison Broadcast Group.
