A shared residential school experience
18.05.12
Tyler Clarke
Daily Herald
"I'm not going to tell my story because I've heard my story a lot today," former residential school student Marlene Bear said, Thursday.
Bear was one of many former students and family members of former students to speak up during three days of sharing panels at the Prince Albert Indian Métis Friendship Centre this week. They gathered as part of the Canada-wide effort to uncover the truth of the residential school system, through the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada.
Bear's comment around a collective story rang true throughout the three days, with the same basic frame of a story told time and time again - a framework with distinctly unique experiences within.
"It's always the same story told in a different way," former student Leland McCallam explained.
The following are a series of quotes from this week's sharing panels, in an attempt to share the collective residential school story using the words of those affected by the system.
Source: Prince Albert Daily Herald