Revelstoke vigil to honour 215 children found at former residential school

The Aboriginal Friendship Society of Revelstoke is hosting a vigil at Queen Elizabeth Park to remember the 215 children found at the former Kamloops Residential School.

The event is scheduled for Queen Elizabeth Park on Tuesday, June 8 from 5:30–8:30 p.m.

A poster for the June 8 Honour and Remember event at Queen Elizabeth Park.

As of time of writing, 166 people have RSVPed to the event. The children will be remembered through tying ribbons, provided to attendees, to the Tree of Life. Those who cannot attend the event are encouraged to take a moment of silence to remember and mourn.

For Marlene Krug, chair of the Aboriginal Friendship Society of Revelstoke, the topic of residential schools hits close to home. Her mother was a part of the Sixties Scoop. Although seeing the community support is encouraging, she emphasizes that reconciliation relies on non-Indigenous people.

“It’s not Indigenous people that should be stepping up and doing something like this, like a vigil,” Krug says. “Reconciliation is not just us taking this step forward. It’s everybody taking this step forward.”

Since the discovery of the unmarked mass grave last week, reconciliation has been at the forefront of Canadian media. However, the federal government has received criticism over their handling of Indigenous relations. However, these issues extend beyond the government level.

“I grew up with a lot of racism and our people have been looked down upon for so long,” explains Krug. “I shouldn’t say the truths aren’t out there because they are more than out there. It’s just that something like this is bringing light to it. People are just starting to see it now. We’ve always known about it.”

Attendees are encouraged to read the Truth and Reconciliation Commissions Call to Action prior to the event, particularly numbers 71-76. These sections focus on missing children and burial information in regards to residential schools.

To read more about the vigil and COVID-19 protocols, visit the official Facebook event.