Work is complete on a gift that Prince Rupert students will be hand-delivered to the Government of Canada on June 13 as part of the National Day of Healing and Reconciliation, and on April 10 students and staff gathered for the blessing of the art.
In order to raise awareness of the impact of residential schools and to aid in the reconciliation process, students at Charles Hays Secondary created a tile mosaic honouring students who died in residential school to be put on display at a museum in the nation’s capital. In order to carry the tiles, students also created a bentwood box with a bear statue tethered to the top using cedar rope to signify the past, the presence and the strength of Aboriginal people to persevere.
During the blessing ceremony, conducted by Reverend Peter Nelson, residential school survivor Louisa Smith spoke to those in attendance that the impact of the experience cannot be understated.
“Even the survivors did not have any idea of the impact residential schools had on us at the time. The unfortunate thing is those of us who survived unknowingly and unwillingly passed it on to our children… Healing is a lifelong experience for me. Some of the things my mind doesn’t remember, my body does,” she said, adding how important it is for today’s generation to know about the past.
“A lot of comments when people talk about residential school is it is a word or a place Aboriginal people went. I think part of this project is going to allow people to feel part of what people in residential schools went through… The more we understand about history, the more we understand about who we are now as Aboriginal people.”
The box and tiles will be presented to the Government of Canada during a Day of Healing and Reconciliation by students Noah Allison, Marina Ponzini, Kimberly Aksidan and Thomas Lavigne, all who played a role in its creation.
“When you travel to Ottawa, you are travelling with all of us and we know you will do well as you share this gift from the Tsimshian territory,” said
aboriginal education principal Debbie Leighton-Stephens.
“These four students are going to witness a part of history. We will all be able to read about it in the future, but these four will get to experience it,” said CHSS principal Sheila Wells.
A second bear statue will be given to the BC Teacher’s Federation Vancouver office in recognition of their support of the project.
