Last week the world learned that 215 bodies of Indigenous children were found in an unmarked mass grave on the property of the former Kamloops Residential School. This is a horrific reminder of a time in Canada's history that saw children torn from their families and placed in the residential school system. There are thousands of children still unaccounted for from this time. While we may be tempted to say this is in the past, over 7 generations of Indigenous people continue to feel indescribable effects of personal and intergenerational trauma to this day. This is not just a historical issue; it is a current issue.
Speaking as a descendant of settlers, we need to sit with the discomfort of our country's actions, that though we might not be directly responsible, we still greatly benefit from colonization in Canada. The discovery of the bodies of lost souls underscores the need for us to begin the work of understanding and reconciliation.
Our May Noon Zoom featuring John Currie ED of HIP (Honouring Indigenous Peoples), and Clay Melnike District 6330 HIP Co-ordinator was a first step in what will be a journey through some dark places on the way to enlightenment and unity.
Here is the link in case you missed it; https://youtu.be/T5EqxoiqxNQ
To honour the lives and spirits of those 215 children, I encourage you to wear orange this week.
If you are able to, please take a moment to pause @ 2:15pm and remember the children that never returned to their families and communities.
Yours in Rotary,
David Elliott
District Governor 2020-21