Abstract
In September 2020, the Canadian federal government designated the residential school system as an event of national historic significance and two former residential school buildings as national historic sites. They joined over 2,150 other places, people, and events that have been certified as part of Canada’s official historical narrative – the majority of which celebrate the nation’s imperialist history and silence Indigenous peoples. However, public representations of historic injustices that honour victims have the power to disrupt laudatory versions of the past and foster reconciliation. This paper will examine the history of Canada’s commemorative efforts and its effect on the nation’s collective memory, before exploring how the heritage designation framework can be decolonized in a way that respects the needs and desires of Indigenous peoples.
Highlights
In September 2020, the Canadian federal government designated the residential school system as an event of national historic significance and two former residential school buildings as national historic sites
IJournal, Vol 6, No 2, Introduction In September 2020, the Canadian federal government designated the country’s residential school system as an event of national historic significance, and two former residential school buildings as national historic sites (Stefanovich, 2020). These commemorations occurred five years after the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) published a report that summarized information gathered during six years of conversations with residential school Survivors
The TRC report concluded with 94 Calls to Action that redress the legacy of the residential school system and advance reconciliation efforts, and Call to Action #79 calls for collaboration with Indigenous peoples in developing a reconciliation framework for heritage and commemoration (TRC, 2015, p. 292)
Summary
Abstract : In September 2020, the Canadian federal government designated the residential school system as an event of national historic significance and two former residential school buildings as national historic sites. In September 2020, the Canadian federal government designated the country’s residential school system as an event of national historic significance, and two former residential school buildings as national historic sites (Stefanovich, 2020) These commemorations occurred five years after the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) published a report that summarized information gathered during six years of conversations with residential school Survivors. This paper will explore the role that commemoration can play in reconciliation, first by assessing how Canada’s ‘official’ commemorations have shaped Canadians’ understanding of Indigenous peoples and their history, and by examining the value of public displays that recognize Indigenous ways of knowing, multiple versions from the past, and the harms caused by colonial practices
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