CALGARY (660 NEWS) — Marilyn North Peigan says that she is personally struggling with the news of hundreds of Indigenous children’s remains discovered on the grounds of residential schools across Canada.
North Peigan is a health support worker with Alberta Counseling Services, working with those affected by the residential school system. She also works with those impacted by the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls crisis.
All four of her grandparents attended residential schools, and one of her grandfathers returned home missing fingers. This is just an example of the abuse suffered by Indigenous children in these institutions.
An estimated 150,000 Indigenous children were taken from their families and sent to residential schools. North Peigan says that one of the many things they were robbed of, is mothering.
“For me to be a mother with my daughter is a huge privilege, because we weren’t allowed to be mothers to our own children,” she said.
The discovery of the remains of hundreds of Indigenous children across Canada has sparked nationwide outrage. But North Peigan says it is not surprising to the Indigenous community.
“We knew this was happening,” she said.
“As an intergenerational person whose grandparents on both sides went these are stories that we were told growing up that did happen.”
North Peigan says that the removal of motherhood from the communities has led to intergenerational grief and trauma, as children who survived these schools were never taught to be mothers.
“We need to bring back basic skills,” she explained.
“How to look after your children, how to love your children. Because we were never told by our parents that we were loved.”
LISTEN: 660’s Devon Banfield speaks with Marilyn North Peigan of Alberta Counselling Services
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North Peigan explains that motherhood, and the bond between mother and child, are sacred in Metis, Inuit, and First Nations communities.
“Motherhood was central to everything to everything traditionally,” she said.
“Removing this has led to intergenerational sickness and trauma.”
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In order to recover from this tragedy, North Peigan says that mothers in Indigenous communities are healing themselves in order to heal their communities.
“When you start with yourself and you understand what your sickness is you can make efforts to change that direction for their children.”
Reconciliation Canada reports that residential schools first came into operation in 1870. Over 130 institutions operated nationwide, with the last closing in 1996.
