The Truth and Reconciliation Commission has begun hearing testimony from Residential School Survivors in the Fort Qu’Appelle area.
The Treaty Four Governance Centre is the setting for the event which runs through today and tomorrow.
Colin Starblanket is a youth representative with the tribal council.
He feels young people can learn a lot from the residential school experience.
He says understanding what went on there and the mistakes that were made can help pave the way for a brighter future:
“The sacred lodges, the sweat lodges, even talking circles — it all helps. We regain that strength of who we are, that sense of identity. It’ll come back, it didn’t leave, we just have to take it.”
Organizers of today’s session are encouraging survivors to bring whatever photographs or other material they may have collected during their time at Residential School.