Recent news in Northern BC among the Nadleh Whut’en First Nation begs us to pause and consider the work we are doing once again on Truth, Reconciliation and healing as a collective in Canada. Located in north-central British Columbia, the Nadleh Whut’en First Nation announced preliminary findings of the ongoing search for unmarked graves at the former site of the Lejac Indian Residential School. The name they have chosen for this work is:
“Nez Keh Hubuk’uznootah” | “Let’s look for our children”
The report released this past weekend indicates a finding of 23 markers for potential burial sites located in an area surrounding the school. These sites were located through survivors sharing their stories. There was a known burial ground at the school previously but based on survivor identified locations on site, the ground penetrating radar technicians were able to search over 142,500 square feet and match the potential markers of grave sites with archival records.
Lejac Indian Residential School operated from 1922 until 1976 and records indicate that approximately 7,850 children were kept at the school from well over 70 Nations. Most notably, the story that first drew attention to Lejac was the tragic end to an escape attempt of four young boys aged 7-10 whose bodies were found on New Years Day in 1932 when they tried to return home by crossing Fraser Lake.
Special Interlocutor Kimberly Murray shared the following in the First Volume of the Upholding Sacred Obligations Report:
“The horrific truths about the missing and disappeared children and unmarked burials associated with Indian Residential Schools are well known within Indigenous families and communities. Starting in the 1960s, Survivors, Indigenous families, and communities in various parts of Canada have been working to locate, recover, and commemorate the missing and disappeared children and their unmarked burials. In the absence of the much-needed funding and other supports, Survivors, Indigenous families, and communities have shouldered this Sacred work on their own.”
This is a reminder to us within the CNC community of our responsibility to Truth and Reconciliation. This includes how learning our collective colonial history as students, faculty, staff, and leadership at CNC is a step to healing for everyone. I encourage you to stand with one another and with Nadleh Whut'en for what the coming days will bring us. Reach out to wellness supports available to you as part of the CNC community and check on one another.
Snachalhuya.
Counselling and support services:
- The Indian Residential School Survivors Society (IRSSS): 1-800-721-0066.
- A national Indian Residential School Crisis Line offering emotional and crisis referral services: 1-866-925-4419.
- Within B.C., the KUU-US Crisis Line Society, a First Nations and Indigenous-specific crisis line at 1-800-588-8717.
- CNC Wellness Coaching and Counselling.
- Here2Talk by the Government of British Columbia, a confidential support for students 24 hours a day. Call 1-604-642-5212, toll free 1-877-857-3397, visit the website, or use the Here2Talk app via Google Play and the App store.
- For CNC staff members, the employee and family assistance program via Homewood Health. Please call 1-800-663-1142, via TTY at 1-888-384-1152, or visit their website. All calls are completely confidential.