Reflection for May 23: Only the Truth and Faith in Indigenous peoples will Keep us on the Path to Reconciliation: Discovery of Unmarked Graves of Indigenous Children in Canada
In 2016 the Truth and Reconciliation Commission released its report with valid indicators that there are unmarked graves of residential school students with over 3000 student graves, yet to be uncovered, confirmed across Canada. That estimated number has grown substantially since 2016.
On May 23, 2024, the third anniversary of the discovery of 200 unmarked graves in Kamloops, B.C. was commemorated in a day of reflection by Tk'emlúps te Secwépemc First Nation. This discovery in May 2021 was a rallying call around the world and resulted in a cross-Canada campaign marked by the mantra, “Every Child Matters.” The discovery also reinforced that the truth must be recognized and that each grave represents a child who was torn away from their community and is still mourned. In June 2021, Chief Cadmus Delorme, Cowessess First Nation, where an additional 771 unmarked graves were discovered, said “All we ask of all of you listening is that you stand by us as we heal and get stronger. We all must put down our ignorance and accidental racism of not addressing the truth that this country has with Indigenous people. We are not asking for pity, but we are asking for understanding.”
As of February 2024, more than 1700 unmarked graves have been discovered near the former sites of seven Canadian Indian residential schools in the Northwest Territories as well as in the provinces of Manitoba, British Columbia, and Saskatchewan. To put these discovery sites into perspective, click on the website below, then check the legend at the top to identify individual circumstances. Each school site has its own narrative. The number of sites is likely to increase as additional unmarked graves across Canada are discovered according to statements https://pathstoreconciliation.canadiangeographic.ca/unmarked-graves-and-burial-sites/#mainmap
In my opinion and that of growing numbers of non-Indigenous people, the path to reconciliation does not lie solely with Indigenous peoples. As a first step, non-Indigenous people in Canada have a responsibility to seek out and understand the true history of the complex relationships with Indigenous peoples and the tragic effects of historical prejudices and cultural genocide on them. Equally important is to agree that we have all benefited from colonialism at the expense of the First people on this land. In fact, as settlers, it is our responsibility to learn about and acknowledge our colonial history and the ways in which we may continue to perpetuate it. Finally, since we are people of faith working for justice, we are called to discern how we are to respond to the Calls to Action of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission and how we can support Indigenous Peoples across this land we know as Canada. As Catholics, we are fortunate to have the encyclical, Fratelli Tutti from Pope Francis readily available as our guide to living in harmony.