An authentic voice from the Syilx Okanagan 

If you’re on a  journey towards learning then join us as Anona shares her own family story about Indian Residential School (IRS). IRS were government-funded, church-run facilities where Indigenous children had to go to “Kill the Indian in the Child”, as stated by the Canadian government. A form of assimilation and cultural genocide, it was mandatory for all Indigenous children to attend. If parents tried to keep their children out of these schools, they were arrested and the children were taken anyway. While at these schools, students were forbidden to speak their language, and practice their culture, were segregated from their siblings, neglected and suffered all forms of abuse. In fact, some children never made it home because they died there. Participants can expect to feel anger and sadness when learning about Canada’s shameful history. We will have a check-in at the end of this presentation to take care of any strong feelings.

This program is supported by the United Church of Canada’s Justice and Reconciliation Fund