Nova Scotia high school students commemorate victims of residential institutions

A group of students dubbed “Cheetahs For Change” at Charles P. Allen High School in Bedford, N.S., engaged in difficult yet meaningful conversations about Truth and Reconciliation on Wednesday.

It’s a topic that many of them have only heard about in recent years.

Nathan Chao says he was encouraged to be around people who are like-minded and passionate about creating change.

“During the conversations that we’ve had, I changed my opinions a couple of times. I’ve changed my view ’cause I learned, ‘Oh, I didn’t know this. This person is bringing new light to this topic I didn’t know.’ I got to work to understand it better than before,” he said.

The club had invited members of their student council to attend a small ceremony hosted outside to commemorate the lives lost in the residential school system. The event was held on the eve of the first-ever National Day for Truth and Reconciliation in Canada.

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“Our message for today was just spreading a little bit of awareness and hopefully making everybody feel a little more comfortable talking about the situation,” said Grade 12 student Cameron Brown.

The students gathered around a weeping willow tree, which they had planted earlier in the year to pay their respects, and stood in a moment of silence.

2:03 More work needed to address impact of residential schools: Mi’kmaw educator

The members of the group said the tree represents Mother Earth weeping for her lost children.

“I’m only in Grade 12. I can’t do much. I’m not an MP. I’m not a politician. I can’t get them back their land. But what I can do is make their voices heard so this is my best way of giving back to them,” said Loulou Chater.

The tree was surrounded by painted rocks — 139 in total — with each representing one of the residential schools in Canada.

Each rock has the name of the school and the number of children who vanished. Some of the rocks are painted with red dresses to honour missing and murdered Indigenous women. Others were painted with orange T-shirts.

“Each one of those represents a life — a life of someone potentially my age, the age of my younger brother, being essentially tortured to death by these institutions,” said Chao

Group member Sophie Doucette said it is empowering for younger people to have a voice and implement change for the future.

“It’s not up to me or to people who are non-Indigenous to decide what happens. We have to listen to what they think we should do,” she said.

The Indian Residential Schools Crisis Line (1-866-925-4419) is available 24 hours a day for anyone experiencing pain or distress as a result of their residential school experience.