Karen Wildcat spent three years at Ermineskin Residential School. She said she didn’t realize it was a bad experience until she heard about other experiences at a Truth and Reconciliation Commission event in Edmonton.
“All the people there telling their stories and putting out candles for all the uncelebrated birthdays. I was provoked by that.”
Wildcat thought about how she was separated from her family, even when they were close, in some cases in the same building.
“My two younger brothers were on the other side of the residential school dorm… it was split in two. I never realized… they were there, and we were like a hallway away.”
“That was one of my main triggers and my main healing that I needed to do… They just robbed me of that family life,” Wildcat said.
Wildcat struggled for years, and about 30 years ago he turned to the Catholic church to help work toward healing.
Read more:
Edmonton church prepares for Pope’s visit and grand reopening after 2020 fire
“I didn’t allow the creator into my life until I was 29 years old. He had a grudge against him ever since he was young.”
“I gave myself a choice, either I become an alcoholic or I follow you, because I had two daughters to think about,” she said.
The papal visit is bringing out many emotions. With an expected apology from Pope Francis for the church’s role in residential schools, it’s another step forward for Wildcat.
“It’s something really important to our children and grandchildren: We don’t want them to carry that anger.”
“This is a time of healing and reconciliation. We have an opportunity right now to be open to that and start that healing journey, if you haven’t already,” Wildcat said.
15,000 people are expected to be in Maskwacis on July 25 for the Pope’s visit. To help survivors who are struggling before the day, support workers organize a listening circle for survivors to share. Members of the local Catholic church are also invited to listen.
Read more:
Officials warn against buying resale tickets for the Papal Mass at Commonwealth Stadium
On the day the pope is in the community, 150 support workers will be on site to help anyone struggling.
“We are treating it as a trigger event. We don’t always know how people are going to respond and emotions can be strong, and we just want to support them as respectfully as possible,” said Peyasu Wuttunee, Maskwacis Advice and Support Services.
“Just being attentive to people’s needs and if they need mental health support or emotional support, we will provide it.”
Bruce Cutknife is a day school survivor. He remembers that the children were harshly punished.
“We were in first grade, and it was called the baby class and I used to wonder for years why they called it that,” Cutknife said.
“That’s when I realized it was because the children always cried in class.”
“It was brutal … getting slapped in the face, hair pulled, prodded or beaten up,” Cutknife said.
Remember a girl who was beaten with a garden pole. She said that the teacher broke the stick in half for her while she was beating her, took both halves of the stick and continued to beat her.
“The idea that the church has somehow beaten you down unless you are Christian and civilized, you are less than human.”
Cutknife doesn’t plan on going to see the Pope, but he hopes the apology is sincere.
“I hope he is sincere and sincere. It means a lot to come in and issue the apology because for a lot of our people that’s what they want because of the harm that was inflicted on them,” Cutknife said.
“It matters what happens after this apology is made and how the reconciliation will continue.”
© 2022 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.