Healing begins when the wounding stops - Ward Churchill

[sabotabby]

On CBC right now, they're broadcasting a town hall in Regina about residential schools. It's some of the sickest shit I've ever heard, and I think I'm going to cry. I can't turn it off, though. I feel like it's my responsibility to hear this.

Comments

[stoneself.livejournal.com]

i wonder if the usa will ever get even this far.

i doubt it.

[rantipole6.livejournal.com]

We're just not that far evolved. Maybe if we elect Obama.

There is an Indian museum in Santa Fe where they have an ongoing exhibit on US residential schools and video interviews with former students. One of the women talked about having their hair forcibly doused with kerosene to make it seem more like "white" hair and later cut. There's something very reminiscent of Auschwitz about that.

[captainmushroom.livejournal.com]

I have fond memories of sitting on my friend's porch in Regina, drinking coffee and listening to his mother tell stories. Some of them were about the residential schools, many were about the abolition of the pow-wow and the challenges in bringing it back. She'd been an amazing dancer, I'm told, and did a lot to help new generations learn to dance.

I'm using the past tense because she died a couple years back, on a day when the rocks themselves seemed to weep. But for the rest of my life, part of me will be on that porch, listening.

[faithhopetricks.livejournal.com]

Ohhh man....I understand your feeling a need to witness, truly I do. But....maybe just at some point take a quick break from listening, yeah? (I was going to say "you're one of the good guys" but that's stupid because I don't think there really are "good guys," it's not possible. But inasfar as it is, you are def one.)