U of W Collegiate students thank residential school survivors with the lessons they’ve learned
It’s become a back-to-school tradition for teachers to invite Indigenous elders to their classrooms to share first-hand accounts about the ongoing impacts of Canada’s residential school system. This fall, the […]
Back-to-school traditions in Winnipeg involve teachers inviting Indigenous elders to classrooms to share personal experiences about the impact of Canada's residential school system. This year, the University of Winnipeg Collegiate joined the trend, hosting a day to thank residential school survivors for their courage in sharing their stories.
The event was organized by Christine M'Lot, a Grade 9 truth and reconciliation course instructor, who wanted to offer a different way to express gratitude. Instead of the usual emotional and draining experience for survivors, M'Lot encouraged students who had taken her course in previous years to demonstrate what they had learned.
These students, now in high school, presented their projects exploring the long-term effects of colonization, intergenerational trauma, and the reconciliation movement. The school has mandated a two-month course for Grade 9 students since 2017, and introduced the requirement for undergraduate students in 2016. Projects ranged from researching the epigenetic impacts of chronic stress on descendants of survivors to creating quilts as a form of healing and cultural revitalization.
One student, Swasti Kumar, crafted a quilt with 12 squares, symbolizing the duality of trauma and resilience. The quilt featured muted colors representing colonization, residential schools, and the MMIWG2S+ crisis, alongside vibrant patches showcasing cultural revitalization symbols. M'Lot expressed her gratitude to all survivors willing to share their experiences, while also acknowledging the recent challenges they face from residential school denialists.
The event aimed to provide a space where survivors could feel understood, empathized with, and honored by the student community.
Written by urgent.news from Winnipeg Free Press's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
