01/01/2023
In 2022 I had the chance to visit Vancouver and I faced everywhere around town the shocking story of the indigenous children, who was forced into chatlioc resistendal schools and more than 10000 children got murdered in these instutuons with assisantece of the Canadian state. Even more shocking that it is not an ancient story from the era of discovering the American continent. It is a present, and contemporary. The last of these schools closed only when I was a high school student in 1996. It is a present story, a present pain in the indigenous community, and there is guilt everywhere painted on the walls of the city of Vancouver.
My project is about reconciliation. As the forests are renewing themselves over the body of the dead trees the nurse logs, the native culture and people are doing the same, after facing all the consecevences of the tragic events.
"The first piece of knowledge was a residential school, so google them. I was sitting by myself in front of google finding this information and having this in my history and in my truth. And imagining Mama being there, it was heartbreaking. I was 11 when the last residential school closed so my mother.. she never documented me as having because of fear they’ll take me as a child and putting me in there was so strong for her. I was not documented in the country where I was born until the age of 16 years old." Christaljoy, 34 years old.
Thanks for all these wonderful people to open up, and shared their story, for the brave hearts whom can face the past for a better future.
