It's hard to believe that just a week ago we where getting back from Pimicikamak Cree Nation/Cross Lake, Manitoba. Before we left Greg Halcrow was kind enough to show us where the Residential School used to stand. It was burned by arson in the 1970's shortly after the school was closed in 1969. The site sits near the towns airport, and was on the water across from town.
It was incredible that this week while looking for books to send to Mikisew School we came across Sugar Falls, A Residential School Story. This book is based on the true story of Betty Ross, Elder from Cross Lake First Nations.
It's hard to image those children sitting in that school looking across the water at their homes which would seem so close, but were so very far away. It was really sad seeing the location and standing where so much pain had happened.
Speaking to Downsview students about this graphic novel in her class, Ms. Prinn commenting about how many of the teens in Cross Lake wouldn't know about residential schools because the stories are too hard to re-tell. One Downsview student could relate to this as his mother is from El Salvador and fled during war times. This student has tried to ask his mother about her past, but she simply can't talk about it. It's to hard and mush too painful. The little he does know is extremely awful. She's seen things no one should every see, especially as a young girl. It was very interesting hearing him speak about this, and how he can understand what it must be like for the Survivors of residential school's children and grandchildren.
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