Tk'emlups te Secwepemc prepare to mark one year since confirmation of evidence of unmarked graves
It has been almost exactly one year since the Tk'emlúps te Secwépemc confirmed evidence of what elders and residential school survivors had been saying for years about missing children being buried on the grounds of the former Kamloops Indian Residential School.
The First Nation made the announcement to the world on May 27, four days after ground penetrating radar showed 215 possible unmarked graves at the site.
“When I first shared the news, it was devastating for many of our community members,” said Kúkpi7 Roseanne Casimir, Chief of the Tk'emlúps te Secwépemc. “It’s something that shook everyone to the core, and you know, it shook me to the core.”
On Monday, the First Nation will mark the sombre anniversary with a day of ceremony and solemn reflection.
“The memorial is going to be open to the public. We’re going to be welcoming everyone to come and participate and to be a part of the ceremony as well,” Casimir said.
The confirmation of the 215 potential graves in Kamloops served as a catalyst for a series of events across the country over the last 12 months.
Other First Nations began using ground penetrating radar to search for unmarked graves at the sites of other former residential schools and hundreds have been found.
Just one month after the Kamloops announcement, Cowessess First Nation in Saskatchewan confirmed it located 751 suspected unmarked graves.
On Wednesday, Saddle Lake First Nation called on the federal government to provide funding for a thorough search after finding unmarked graves near the former Blue Quills Indian Residential School.
NATIONAL DAY FOR TRUTH AND RECONCILIATION
In the weeks leading up to July 1, grief and sorrow turned to anger for many Canadians.
Several Canada Day celebrations were replaced by marches and sombre ceremonies to honour residential school survivors and the children who never made it home.
“When I reflect from the day I had to share with the world the findings of the unmarked graves, and knowing that it has not only impacted myself, the community, those that live here, but has impacted the world,” said Casimir. “It just goes to show how connected and interconnected all of us are.”
In September, the federal government announced that September 30 would be a new national holiday called Truth and Reconciliation Day.
Casimir sent two invitations to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to visit the community to take part in a day of ceremony and sombre reflection on that day.
Trudeau did not respond to those requests, and instead flew over Kamloops on his way to Tofino for a family beach vacation.
The Prime Minister was very contrite on a hastily arranged visit three weeks later when he said he deeply regretted his decision.
“But I am here today to take the hand extended by the Tk'emlúps te Secwepemc and so many Indigenous Canadians across the country who have every reason in the world to feel pessimistic, and bleak about the future,” he said at the time.
PAPAL APOLOGY, VISIT
In April, a delegation of Indigenous, Métis and Inuit leaders visited the Vatican for a historic apology from Pope Francis.
“With all my heart, I am very sorry,” the Pope said, while promising to visit Canada.
He is widely expected to repeat his apology when he makes the trip in July. A stop in Kamloops is not on his itinerary. He is not scheduled to visit B.C. at all.
All of these events over the last 12 months can be traced back to the announcement of the 215 unmarked children’s graves in Kamloops.
“It was the children. It was children that brought us together. And that we mourn together and we grieve together,” said Casimir. “For many this is about our collective history and it’s about those meaningful steps moving forward.”
Further steps for the Tk'emlúps te Secwépemc could include exhuming the remains so the missing children can be returned to their home communities with dignity.
If you are a former residential school student in distress, or have been affected by the residential school system and need help, you can contact the 24-hour Indian Residential Schools Crisis Line at 1-866-925-4419, or the Indian Residential School Survivors Society toll free line at 1-800-721-0066.
Additional mental-health support and resources for Indigenous people are available here.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
From outer space? Sask. farmers baffled after discovering strange wreckage in field
A family of fifth generation farmers from Ituna, Sask. are trying to find answers after discovering several strange objects lying on their land.
Broadcaster and commentator Rex Murphy dead at 77: National Post
The National Post is reporting that Rex Murphy, the pundit and columnist who hosted a national call-in radio show for decades, has died.
Pearson gold heist suspect arrested after flying into Toronto from India
Another suspect is in custody in connection with the gold heist at Toronto Pearson International Airport last year, police say.
Millions of cyberattacks per hour as B.C. government investigates multiple breaches
Careful attention to government statements and legislation is required to get a handle on the level of risk British Columbians’ information is under, as investigators probe multiple breaches under a continued barrage of attacks.
Ontario family receives massive hospital bill as part of LTC law, refuses to pay
A southwestern Ontario woman has received an $8,400 bill from a hospital in Windsor, Ont., after she refused to put her mother in a nursing home she hated -- and she says she has no intention of paying it.
Debate on abortion rights erupts on Parliament Hill, Poilievre vows he won't legislate
A Conservative government led by Pierre Poilievre would not legislate on, nor use the notwithstanding clause, on abortion, his office says, as anti-abortion protesters gather on Parliament Hill.
Justin and Hailey Bieber are expecting their first child together
Hailey and Justin Bieber are going to be parents. The couple announced the news on Thursday on Instagram, both sharing a video that showcases Hailey Bieber's growing belly.
Here are the ultraprocessed foods you most need to avoid, according to a 30-year study
Studies have shown that ultraprocessed foods can have a detrimental impact on health. But 30 years of research show they don’t all have the same impact.
New 'Lord of the Rings' film coming in 2026
The Oscar-winning team behind the nearly US$6 billion blockbuster 'Lord of the Rings' and 'The Hobbit' trilogies is reuniting to produce two new films.