The remaining buildings of a former residential college on an island off the west coast of Vancouver Island have been demolished.
Survivors of the Christie Indian Residential College had been invited to witness the demolition on Meares Island, off the coast of Tofino.
“The planning has been happening for fairly a while now,” Greg Louie, former elected chief councillor of the Ahousaht Nation instructed World Information.
“I can say that it’s been within the within the universe for a few years. That’s that’s how I really feel about it. It’s been most likely since we had been all younger individuals. That sooner or later this was gonna come, sooner or later this was gonna occur, and it’s it was only a matter of when and having the suitable time.”
Based on the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation, the Christie Indian Residential College opened in 1900 and operated underneath the Order of St. Benedict and the Mission Oblates of Mary Immaculate till 1969. The federal authorities then took over operation of the varsity, and in June 1971, the Meares Island location closed. In October 1971, the Christie Scholar Residence opened in Tofino.
In September 1974, the West Coast District Council of Indian Chiefs led and operated the varsity as a scholar residence completely till it closed in 1983.
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“Once I was strolling up this morning from the dock there, eager about once I was a younger boy, once I got here right here once I was six years previous and having recollections of strolling up that highway and the hills and and simply a number of emotion additionally,” Louie stated on the demolition on Thursday.
Felix Harry attended the varsity from 1965 to 1972.
“I believe it’s, you understand, higher for it to get torn down, for the spirits to go on their journey now and stuff,” he stated.
“You already know, that means we perceive the place you understand, the place everyone’s gonna be therapeutic in a correct method of letting the spirits proceed on with out them staying in a spot like this.”
Louie stated they need individuals to have a look at this demolition as a brand new chapter for the previous college students, their households and their therapeutic journeys.
“Nicely, this can be a new chapter,” he stated. “It’s a brand new chapter, a brand new web page in our therapeutic and coming collectively and being sturdy and letting the world know that we’re nonetheless right here.
“We’re not going anyplace, we’re resilient individuals. We’re sturdy, we’re warriors.”
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