Campbell River is commemorating the 215 Indigenous children found buried at a former residential school in Kamloops, B.C.
Like many schools and government buildings around town, the Canadian flag at city hall has been lowered to half-mast.
And yesterday afternoon (Monday), Spirit Square was flooded with the colour orange as dozens gathered alongside the Laichwiltach Family Life Society. The vigil saw speeches from First Nation leaders, mixed in with traditional song and dance.
Shawn Decaire with the society was first to address the crowd, and when reflecting on the recent discovery in Kamloops, he said “this is why Indigenous people hurt.”
“This is why we have pain in our families, in our Nations, and our people. This is why division is here, and it’s not because of our own people. It’s not because of alcoholism or drugs. It’s because of the churches and the government that did this to our people,” Decaire said.
“This is why we cannot understand love, this is why we are not all one, and this is why we are trying to stand together today. This is only a small portion of the truth that Canada needs to see.”
Wei Wai Kum First Nation Chief Councillor Chris Roberts was amongst the attendees: “As an elected leader in my community and to learn about this event being planned, I just had to drop what I was doing and come down here,” he told Vista Radio.
“I didn’t really know what I was going to say when I got down here, I just that I knew I had to.”
Roberts believes people are feeling a lot of different emotions right now. With a discovery like this, he says it “smacks you right in the face as something so inhuman and cruel.”
“I don’t really have the words to describe it,” Roberts explains.
“I think there’s an awakening of those that might have wanted to continue to be ignorant and not have to face the harsh reality of what transpired in the residential school system.”
Roberts says it’s important people have a space to gather and grieve, while acknowledging the loss in “a proper way.” He notes it’s important to pay tribute and respect “to the spirits that are up there,” and “the souls that have been discovered… the remains of them.”
The Chief Councillor also thinks there will be a bunch of “other things” set in motion: Following these recent events, he’s expecting governments to “step up to the table without hesitation and without question,” while confirming the realities in so many other instances, “because I think we’re all sure that this isn’t the only case of this.”
