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Resources for Truth and Reconciliation

This library guide lists educational and scholarly resources related to Truth and Reconciliation

Every Child Matters

This guide was originally developed in May 2021 in response to the remains of 215 children being found on the grounds of the former Kamloops Indian Residential School.  On May 27th, 2021 Kukpi7 (Chief) Rosanne Casimir of Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc released a heartfelt press release confirming that the remains of 215 children were found on the grounds of the former school using ground-penetrating radar.  Since the work at the Kamloops Indian Residential School, numerous other communities have begun the difficult work of investigating and locating the unmarked graves of other children who attended residential schools across Canada. To learn about the events since the discovery last May, read this timeline.

As of May 2022, unmarked graves have been found in relation to the following residential schools in British Columbia: St. Eugene Residential School: ʔaq̓am Press Release, Kuper Island Residential School: Penelakut Tribe Announcement, St. Joseph's Mission Residential School: Williams Lake First Nation

To learn more about the Kamloops Indian Residential School (IRS), the history of residential schools in Canada, and how you can start embracing truth and reconciliation within yourself, you may find the resources below helpful.  

 For further information about campus-wide initiatives regarding this topic, please also consult UVic's 215 website. 

The design above was created by UVic's Audain Professor of Contemporary Art Practice of the Pacific Northwest, Carey Hayalthkin'geme Newman : "This design was made to honour the children who died in residential school. The hearts express love for all those in unmarked graves and compassion for the families and communities who waited for them to be found. The small and colourful hands remind us of the uniqueness and beauty of every child. Taken together, they represent our commitment to listen to our hearts and use our hands, to do the work that needs to be done. The visceral confirmation of Survivor accounts that has come from locating these graves has affected many of us on an emotional level. It has changed the way that many people think and feel about our histories and current realities in Canada."

The Kamloops IRS and other residential schools on Vancouver Island

Press Conferences and Community Statements

Missing Children and Unmarked Graves and Burial Sites Associated with Indian Residential Schools

Non-governmental and governmental reports on the IRS system

Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada

 

Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples (1991)

Various historical reports:

UBC's Indian Residential School History and Dialogue Centre has published the following resources:

Every Child Matters and Orange Shirt Day

Learn more about The National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation's (NCTR) Every Child Matters 2020 Initiative.  Relatedly, you can learn more about Orange Shirt Day and Phyllis Webstad's story.  

Books at UVic

Many excellent books can support your learning about truth, reconciliation, and decolonization--here are a few suggestions to get you started.  Not a UVic student?  No problem--get your very own Community Borrower card to UVic Libraries!

Articles at UVic

There are many excellent scholarly articles on the histories of residential schools.  Here are some initial suggestions to get you started:

Video collections

There are many video collections on topics related to residential schools and the history of colonization in Canada.  To get started, below are a few examples of frequently referred to video series.

Short videos about the history residential schools in Canada

UVic Libraries has an entire library guide on the history of residential schools in Canada, check it out here.  Below are a few short videos to view if you are just starting to learn about this history. 

Organizations

There are many organizations focusing on remembering and addressing the legacies of IRSs, here are a few to get started:

Creative Commons License
This work by The University of Victoria Libraries is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License unless otherwise indicated when material has been used from other sources.