Residential memories unleash tears of anger and forgiveness
WINNIPEG, MB--The wounds left by residential schools are "like a nail stuck on your back, festering," said Elijah Harper, through tears. "But when you remove it, you know what true forgiveness is."
Harper, who lived through residential schools to become an advocate for his people in Parliament, spoke to hundreds of assembled guests, church leaders and residential school survivors on March 10, the last evening of a cross-Canada tour church leaders are making to bring attention to the Truth and Reconcilliation Commission.
Mark MacDonald, the Anglican Church of Canada's indigenous bishop says the "miraculous expressions of
reconciliation" he has witnessed on the tour have "knocked people's socks off."
He can only describe it as the work of God. "We never expected it," he says.
Heads of all four of the denominations involved in residential schools, the Anglican, Roman Catholic, Presbyterian and United Churches, as well as leaders of the Assembly of First Nations spoke in Ottawa, Vancouver, Saskatoon and Winnipeg.
The Truth and Reconciliation Commission is a body the government has promised to appoint to hear and record the stories of residential school survivors as part of a $1.9 billion settlement the federal government agreed to in 2007.
"Forgiveness is a painful journey we have to take if we want to have peace," said Grand Chief of the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs, Ron Evans.
But the road is a long and painful.
Clutching a feather, Nancy Morrisson stood up in the audience, interrupting the presentations to express her own lingering pain. As a seven-year-old she was beaten at residential school. "We went through hell, if you don't mind the language," she said. "I will forgive, but I will never forget."
"Our people are at different stages of healing," emcee Belinda Vandenbroek reminded the audience. "Some are very angry. But they have the right to be where they are."
"We took their clothes, we cut off their hair, we tried to remake them in our image," said Fred Hiltz, primate of the Anglican Church of Canada. "Some of our staff-too many-abused them physically, emotionally, spiritually. The Anglican Church in Canada has so much for which to be so ashamed and so sorry."
Another bittersweet note for Aboriginal people is the glaring fact that Canada's government has not formally apologized for the abuse of residential schools. The Presybterian, Anglican and United churches and various Roman Catholic bodies extended formal apologies in the 1980s and 1990s.
"I believe the prime minister will apologize," Harper said. "And when he does, how many are willing to take that apology and accept it and begin a process of healing?
"Moses went before Pharaoh and said 'release my people.' This is what I'm telling the prime minister-release my people so they can heal."
Ted Quewezance, executive director of the National Residential School Survivors' Society, responded to the confessions of the church leaders, urging his people to forgive.
"You could give every survivor a million dollars and I tell you it's not going to make us forget what they did to us as little boys and little girls," said Quewezance. He and his siblings were sexually abused by residential school staff.
But seeing church leaders express their grief during this tour with his own eyes is utterly different from reading an apology, Quewezance said. "I tell you, the sincerity is there because if sincerity isn't there, you don't shed tears, and I shed tears at every city."
Dear Readers:
ChristianWeek relies on your generous support. please take a minute and donate to help give voice to stories that inform, encourage and inspire.
Donations of $20 or more will receive a charitable receipt.Thank you, from Christianweek.
