Tsquelmucwilc : The Kamloops Indian Residential School – Resistance and a Reckoning
“In May 2021, the world was shocked by news of the detection of 215 unmarked graves on the grounds of the former Kamloops Indian Residential School (KIRS) in British Columbia, Canada. Ground-penetrating radar confirmed the deaths of students as young as three in the infamous residential school system, which systematically removed children from their families […]
Truth and Reconciliation in Canadian Schools
In this book, author Pamela Rose Toulouse provides current information, personal insights, authentic resources, interactive strategies and lesson plans that support Indigenous and non-Indigenous learners in the classroom. This book is for all teachers that are looking for ways to respectfully infuse residential school history, treaty education, Indigenous contributions, First Nation/Métis/Inuit perspectives and sacred circle […]
Thou Shalt not be an Indian
“Robert Kakakaway is from White Bear First Nations in SK. He lives on Whitecap Dakota First Nation near Saskatoon, SK. He is the founder of Kakakaway & Associates Consulting, an Indigenous organization that offers ceremonial teachings. He completed his B.G.S. degree at UBC in 1992. He also completed several post-secondary diploma programs.He attended Marieval Indian […]
They Came for the Children
“For over a century, generations of Aboriginal children were separated from their parents and raised in overcrowded, underfunded, and often unhealthy residential schools across Canada. They were commonly denied the right to speak their language and told their cultural beliefs were sinful. Some students did not see their parents for years. Others, the victims of […]
They Called me Number One: Secrets and Survival at Residential School
“Xat’sull Chief Bev Sellars spent her childhood in a church-run residential school whose aim it was to “civilize” Native children through Christian teachings, forced separation from family and culture, and discipline. In addition, beginning at the age of five, Sellars was isolated for two years at Coqualeetza Indian Tuberculosis Hospital in Sardis, British Columbia, nearly […]
The Witness Blanket: Truth, Art and Reconciliation
“Artist Carey Newman created the Witness Blanket to make sure that history is never forgotten. The Blanket is a living work of art—a collection of hundreds of objects from those schools. It includes everything from photos, bricks, hockey skates, graduation certificates, dolls and piano keys to braids of hair. Behind every piece is a story. […]
The Train
Ashley meets her great-uncle by the old train tracks near their community in Nova Scotia. When she sees his sadness, he shares with her the history of those tracks. Uncle tells her that during his childhood the train would bring their community supplies, but there came a day when the train took away with it […]
The Education of Augie Merasty A Residential School Memoir
“A courageous and intimate memoir, The Education of Augie Merasty is the story of a child who faced the dark heart of humanity, let loose by the cruel policies of a bigoted nation.A retired fisherman and trapper who sometimes lived rough on the streets, Augie Merasty was one of an estimated 150,000 First Nations, Inuit, […]
The Boy who Walked Backwards
“The Boy Who Walked Backwards is a moving story about a young Ojibway boy, Leo, and his family in Serpent River First Nation. Leo’s life turns to darkness when forced to attend residential school. Back home for Christmas, Leo uses inspiration from an Ojibway childhood game to deal with his struggles.” – Excerpt from Strong […]
Teacher’s Guide for Sugar Falls: Learning About the History and Legacy of Residential Schools in Grades 9–12
“Discuss the history and legacy of residential schools with your students using Sugar Falls and this accompanying teacher guide.” Excerpt from Good Minds