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Orange Shirt Day raises awareness about residential schools

Participants walked from City Hall to the former St. Joseph's Indian Residential School Friday to honour those who did not return from residential schools.

THUNDER BAY -- Morris Shapwayaesic’s traumatic childhood memories have not faded.

Shapwayaesic was removed from his home at six-years-old. Taken away from his family, he was deprived of his ancestral language and exposed to many forms of abuse.

“My experience at the boarding school was pretty horrific,” Shapwayaesic said during the Every Child Matters Walk for Healing Indian Residential School Awareness Walk Friday.

“I remember getting beatings as a six-year-old, my hair cut as a six-year-old and everything was against my will.”

What stuck close to Shapwayaesic was how he was treated, and how he was forced to go to church.

“That’s why I didn’t like Christianity when I was younger, I didn’t believe in that kind of stuff till I got much older than I had a different point of view on my whole situation,” he said.

“I realized that I was just a child, I was helpless, and I wasn’t in control.”

Shapwayaesic was too young to know what was happening to him was wrong, but he knew one thing, no one should have to go through that abuse in their lifetime.

He said after residential school he became quite defiant toward Christianity and authority.

“Once I became 12-years-old I became more outspoken about it,” Shapwayaesic said.

“Like you can tell me what to do when I’m a child, but now that I’m more able to stand in my own power I realize at 12-years-old my voice was no longer silent.”

Shapwayaesic added that he is walking to honour the children who never made it home to their families, and to bring that message to this generation that every child matters.

Nishnawbe Aski Nation deputy grand chief Anna Betty Achneepineskum said the legacy of residential schools have been crippling our communities and our citizens for many years.

“There’s been so many people that I have met who are survivors, whose parents are survivors, and I see how many of them will continue to live in trauma because of that horrific experience in their lives,” Achneepineskum said.

“It’s very important to honour our residential school survivors and especially those who are not here anymore with us.”

Achneepineskum said there are many survivors who have overcome trauma and are successful, so it’s important to acknowledge the healing these people have made.

 



Nicole Dixon

About the Author: Nicole Dixon

Born and raised in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, Nicole moved to Thunder Bay, Ontario in 2008 to pursue a career in journalism. Nicole joined Tbnewswatch.com in 2015 as a multimedia producer, content developer and reporter.
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