(tw for dehumanization, child death, racism, anti-indigenous violence, genocide, cultural genocide)
the remains of 215 children were recently uncovered in a mass grave on the site of a former residential school in kamloops, bc. the Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc First Nation conducted this survey on the grounds of the kamloops indian residential school. some of the children whose bodies were found were as young as three years old. the school operated as a residential school from 1893 to 1977 under the control of the catholic church and, later, the canadian government. neither the church nor the government can currently be held legally accountable for this, as one of the conditions of the TRC agreement between them and survivors.
here are some easily-found resources for self-educating and to support indigenous peoples and communities - please feel free to add more & to seek information for yourself:
- 11 indigenous organizations to support (elle canada); i encourage people to do their own research, but these are good places to start
- canadian charities helping indigenous communities in canada (true north aid); see above caveat
- reconciliation canada - get involved ; options to volunteer, donate, and learn
- twitter thread of indigenous-owned businesses
- twitter thread of links in support of the no more stolen sisters movement (focusing on justice for and prevention of missing & murdered indigenous women and girls)
it’s been three weeks since the kamloops discovery and:
- multiple indigenous communities are now undertaking scans of the sites of former residential schools for unmarked graves, in light of the kamloops discovery.
- the Sioux Valley Dakota Nation has found up to 104 potential graves at brandon residential school, only 78 of which were accounted for in school records.
- the Cowessess First Nation has found an estimated 751 unmarked graves near the former marieval residential school, which only closed in 1997. this school has been closed for less than 25 years. let it sink in.
(via ambidisastrous)
