Speakers series addresses legacy of Canada's Indian Residential Schools at 7 Generations
Speakers series addresses legacy of Canada's Indian Residential Schools
Friday, May 16, 2014
Residential school survivor Garnet Angeconeb.
Residential school survivor Garnet Angeconeb related the importance of engaging in meaningful dialogue as individuals and a community to acknowledge past mistakes and move forward on healing and cultural reconciliation during his presentation at Manidoo Baawaatig (Seven Generations Education Institute, the former Lakewood School) on Wednesday, May 14.
The evening also featured the short film Garnet's Journey. Angeconeb was awarded the Order of Canada in 2013 for his lifelong dedication to community and country.
Angeconeb was the first in a series of guest speakers on the Indian Residential School Experience scheduled during May. The series of programs is hosted by Lake of the Woods Museum to complement its award winning exhibit Bakaan nake'ii ngii-izhi-gakinoo'amaagoomin: We Were Taught Differently: The Indian Residential School Experience in the main gallery until May 31.
The film Where The Spirit Lives is the next event in the series on May 20 at 7 pm. The showing of the film is the second in a series of programs presented to complement the Museum's current exhibit, We Were Taught Differently and will be presented at Manidoo Baawaatig (Seven Generations, the former Lakewood School).
The 1990 film tells the story of a First Nations girl, Ashtoh-Komi, who is taken with other children from her village to a residential school where she is forced to abandon her cultural ways to adopt those of the European-Canadian culture. This is a balanced depiction of the school system which, for over seven generations, removed aboriginal children from their homes and communities in order to assimilate them into the majority culture.
The award-winning actress who played Ashtoh-Komi, Michelle St. John, is now a producing partner in Frog Girl Films. She is a playwright, musician and documentarian who is currently working on a documentary about colonization roads which brings her to this area. While St. John won't be in attendance at the film showing, she will be introducing the film via video.
Partnering with the museum on this presentation is Manidoo Baawatig and Grand Council Treaty 3's Indian Residential School Health Support Program. Health support workers will be in attendance.
Path Towards Reconciliation follows on Wednesday, May 28, at 7 p.m. with guest speaker Justice Murray Sinclair.
All speakers series events will take place at Manidoo Baawaatig (Seven Generations, the former Lakewood School).