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Page: Profile: Wren's Nest News Local
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Article: 15999
[Native]
Date Posted:
8/7/2006
10:33:20 am EDT
Wvox Stats
Views: 8,647
RSS: 21,828
Comments: 1
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Elders Gathering Brings Laughter, Tears
Author: David Wiwchar Source: Indian Country Today
Title: ELDERS GATHERING BRINGS LAUGHTER, TEARS
Elders from throughout British Columbia, Alberta and Washington state gathered in the small Vancouver Island city of Port Alberni in early August for the 30th Annual B.C. Elders Gathering.
For some, it was their first visit back to Port Alberni since their time as students at the Alberni Indian Residential School.
''I never wanted to see that place ever again,'' said 61-year-old Roselda Mussel. ''But when I heard the Elders Gathering was going to be in Port Alberni I figured it was time to face that place again.''
Taken from her home in Chilliwack, more than 100 miles and a ferry trip away, Roselda was only 5 years old when she was shipped to AIRS.
''The first week I was here, my mother died. They wouldn't let me or my brothers go home for the funeral. I wasn't allowed to talk to my brothers. I cried forever,'' she said.
Two dozen people made similar treks, many bringing grief and trauma counselors made available by the Nuu-chah-nulth Tribal Council, one of the First Nations organizations located on the site of the former residential school.
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Community Thoughts: There are 1 comments posted | Reverse Sort |
| Healing Opportunity. | Aug 7th. at 11:05:26 pm EDT
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J & V Enterprises (Sweetwater, Tennessee) - Email Me
It would be nice to see other of the First Nations have opportunities such as this for their people to be able to release some of the anger they have held from these boarding schools. The governments of both Canada and the United States conducted campaigns of ethnic cleansing, genocide, and cultural destruction against many people, including the Native American Tribes. While Canada is taking the appropriate path by addressing their national shame and crimes, the government of the United States still needs to do so.
Until these issues are addressed, the feelings that they have engendered will fester and rot the core of both the people that they were commited against and the United States. It is far past time to let the healing begin, it is far past time that the goverment of the United States took ownership of the pain and suffering it has caused, if is far past time for denial of the past and lies.
Bright Blessings,
Jason
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