Tariq Saddleback is a Cree man from Maskwacis First Nation in Alberta who has organized events like the Truth and Reconciliation Walk held in the Student Centre at North Campus last week.
Saddleback said he believes the stories carried down through the generations should be acknowledged, and not just covered by the media on special commemorative days.
Generational stories are needed ‘’to spread awareness,’’ he said.
‘’A lot of the history, all the facts, and just the whole topic of residential schools, tried to be suppressed and covered up, so it’s not easy to find out information,’’ Saddleback said.
He was a part of this event as he was introduced to those gathered in the student centre by his grandfather, Jason Seright, Humber’s Vice-President of Inclusion and Belonging.
Saddleback said Canadians think residential schools existed a long time ago and are more of a historical topic.
The last residential school closed “six years before I was born, so everyone thinks residential school was a long time ago,’’ he said. “It’s one of those things that carries through generations, and all the trauma that was experienced gets put onto their kids, so on and so forth.’’
The last federally-run residential school closed in the 1990s.
Saddleback said the topic of residential schools wasn’t acknowledged much in his personal experience, although it has more impact today.
‘’Years ago, reconciliation wasn't even a thing and half of the people I’ve met probably had no clue what happened, might have heard of a residential school, but didn't really mean much to them,’’ he said.
Saddleback said the stories have been passed down through generations and those stories still have a significant impact on Indigenous families.
‘’Well, there's 158,000 children that were taken from their homes involuntarily. You didn't have a choice if you got to go,’’ he said. “They'd come and take you from your house, your parents try to say no, and take you anyway, or they get thrown in jail for trying to stop you if you go in.’’
The power of Saddleback’s voice increased as he talked about the awful things that they did to children, and how the punishments “were beyond unjust.’’
“When you get there, they cut off your hair, shave your hair down so you weren't allowed to have long hair,’’ he said. “Just a few of the things that I heard would be if you spoke your language, you usually get slapped on the hand with a ruler, slapped with a ruler in general.
“Just the way that residential schools are, they’re built on one mission, which is to kill the Indian child,’’ he said.
Saddleback said ethnicity shouldn't determine how a person is treated.
“That’s just wrong for any person, it doesn’t matter if it’s First Nation, or any other kind of ethnicity,’’ he said.
Saddleback encourages everyone to take part in events by talking to people, sharing and listening to stories, and reflecting on the truth and the power of the stories of Indigenous people.
He said the more the community openly acknowledges the truth about Canada’s Indigenous people, the more understanding and awareness will increase.
“The more we spread awareness of truth in reconciliation, the history of Canada’s Indigenous people, the more knowledge there will be. In a short time, since it's become a big topic,’’ he said.
