Sask. woman collects 215 pairs of shoes to hang on Muskoday bridge in honour of residential school children
A woman from Saskatchewan’s Muskoday First Nation marked National Indigenous Peoples’ Day with a tribute to those affected by residential schools.
Ronalda Vandale gathered 215 pairs of children’s shoes to hang on the Muskoday bridge on Monday. The shoes represent the remains of 215 children found last month at a former residential school site in Kamloops, B.C., but further ground radar searches have revealed many more unmarked graves.
Vandale’s mother was a residential school survivor.
“I often asked her about her experience at residential school, but she would never share it. She would always tell me the same thing, over and over again: ‘It was just school,’” she said.
“When my mom passed away in 2011, I never got an answer.”
Almost a year ago, Vandale’s son died of an opioid overdose in Vancouver. She joined the Canada-wide advocacy group Moms Stop the Harm.
The organization hung hundreds of shoes on a Vancouver overpass to remember victims of substance use, so Vandale decided to carry on that initiative to remember residential school students who never returned home.
It also helps people grieve those losses, she said, when many traditional Indigenous ceremonies have been held back due to COVID-19.
“When we don’t have those ceremonies, those spirits just wander around, the elders told us,” said Vandale.
“It’s through our ceremonies and through our traditions and through our elders that we have the ability to heal and to mourn and to carry on.”
The community held a pipe ceremony on Saturday to remember and honour residential school children.
Vandale brought two pairs of children’s moccasins for her and Muskoday Chief Ava Bear to hang on the bridge on Monday.
“You can see the impact that it makes. It was very emotional this morning tying the shoes because you think about all of those children who never made it home, all of the parents who probably never knew what happened to their children,” said Bear.
And, as much as it hurts, Bear said the truth behind residential schools is still being revealed through searches of former sites.
“Many people think this is just the tip of the iceberg – There will be more.”
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: 1-866-925-4419.
Additional mental-health support and resources for Indigenous people are available here.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Another suspect arrested in Toronto Pearson airport gold heist: police
Another suspect is in custody in connection with the gold heist at Toronto Pearson International Airport last year, police say.
Why these immigrants to Canada say they're thinking about leaving, or have already moved on
For some immigrants, their dreams of permanently settling in Canada have taken an unexpected twist.
Trump hush money trial: Play-by-play on Day 2 of Stormy Daniels testimony
Adult film star Stormy Daniels took the stand for a second time Thursday as former U.S. president Donald Trump's hush money case continues in Manhattan.
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.
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.
Miss Teen USA steps down just days after Miss USA's resignation
Miss Teen USA resigned Wednesday, sending further shock waves through the pageant community just days after Miss USA said she would relinquish her crown.
Cyclist strikes child crossing the street to catch school bus in Montreal
A video circulating on social media of a young girl being hit by a bike has some calling for better safety and more caution when designing bike lanes in the city. The video shows a four-year-old girl crossing Jeanne-Mance Street in Montreal's Plateau neighbourhood to get on a school bus stopped on the opposite side of the street
B.C. wildfires likely to spread with weekend temperatures expected to soar, province says
Wildfire and emergency management officials in British Columbia are urging residents to be prepared for increased fire activity as temperatures are expected to soar above 30 C in parts of the province this weekend.
Wilfrid Laurier football player drafted despite only playing 27 games in his entire life
A Listowel, Ont. man, drafted by the Hamilton Tigercats last week, is also getting looks from the NFL, despite only playing 27 games of football in his life.