b'RESIDENTIAL SCHOOLSEvery Child MattersBringing our relations homeMAY 23, 2021 WILL BE REMEMBERED After May 23, First Nations acrossknow that the children did all the work as a shocking day for the settlerCanada began their own emotionalto run the industrial school. In 1974, public. But for First Nations survivors,healing journeys to find their kin74 unmarked graves were discovered leaders, Knowledge Keepers and futurelost to the genocidal nature of theseon the industrial school grounds. generations, it will be rememberedschools. In Saskatchewan, multiple as the day the general public finallyFirst Nations have begun this process,Thunderchild (Delmas/St. witnessed what First Nations havewith some now further along Henri) Indian Residential School been telling them for decades. than others. (1901-1948)This was the day 215 bodies of FirstBattleford Indian IndustrialThe Thunderchild (Delmas/St. Nations children were discoveredResidential School (1883-1914) Henri) Indian Residential School in a mass grave on the site of theoperated from 1901 to 1948 at what former Kamloops Indian ResidentialBattleford Indian Industrial Residentialbecame Delmas, located west of the School. This was the day Tkemlps teSchool was located in Battleford, onThunderchild Reserve on Treaty Secwpemc leaders and communityTreaty 6 Territory. This school was6 land. In January 1901, Chief members showed the world what theyone the first three industrial schoolsThunderchild wrote on behalf of his had always known to be true.established; the federal governmentpeople to protest the building of a covered all costs associated withRoman Catholic school on his reserve: The grave site was found using ground- the operations of this school untilWe feel that, as a majority of the penetrating radar (GPR) technology.it was transferred to the per capitaIndians on the reserve are Protestant, After the Tkemlps te Secwpemcmodel in 1895. Industrial schoolsthere is no reason why it should be leadership announced their findings,operated under the half-time model,placed here. The Roman Catholic the search for mass grave sites andin which students spent half the daymission is situated immediately outside unmarked graves received a receiving classroom instruction andof the reserve, and we see no reason global push.the other half receiving farming orwhy the school should not be there. trades instruction. Out-of-classroom learning included, but was notIn 1929, the acting principal, a sister, limited to: carpentry, blacksmithing,advised the federal government that shoemaking, printing, farming andshe was strongly opposed to farming overall maintenance of the institutioninstruction and that parents were, for the boys, and housework, sewing,too. However, if directed to do so, the knitting, washing, ironing and cookingsisters would arrange for farming to be for the girls. Through oral stories, wetaught. The principal was told to take Group photo taken in front of Battleford Indian Industrial Residential School.Bottom left and right: Photos from Thunderbird Indian Residential School.38OUR PRIORITY Issue 12021/22'