Indian Residential School Memorial unveiled a call for truth and reconciliation

Tashi Farmilo

On September 30, 2024, the Canadian Museum of History marked the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation with the unveiling of a monumental work by Kwaguʼł master carver Stanley C. Hunt. The Indian Residential School Memorial Monument stands as a profound testament to the Indigenous children who were forcibly taken from their families and sent to residential schools—many of whom never returned.

The monument was inspired by the harrowing discovery of unmarked graves at the site of the former Kamloops Indian Residential School in 2021, a moment that shocked the nation and exposed the long-buried horrors of Canada's colonial past. In response, Hunt created the monument to honour the lost children and their families, ensuring their stories are neither forgotten nor silenced.

"I will remember the day we heard about the children in Kamloops," Hunt said during his emotional address at the unveiling. "No words in any language could be put together to make this make sense. Now that time has passed, it will never make any sense to any of our people." He reflected on the incomprehensible pain of these tragedies, stating, "All those children came from loving families, from thousands and thousands of years of tradition. How could something like this have been hidden for so long?"

Carved from a single trunk of red cedar, the 5.5-meter (18-foot) tall monument features 130 unsmiling children's faces—an unsparing reminder of the lives lost and disrupted by the residential school system. A raven, a protector in many Indigenous cultures, perches above them, its wings symbolically outstretched to call the spirits of the children home. “The raven has the seed of life in its beak,” Hunt explained. “His wings are grown to call the little spirits home, to bring them back to their families. That’s where they deserve to be.”

The monument is not just a memorial, but a powerful call to action. Hunt made clear that while the discovery of the graves has opened a painful chapter in Canadian history, it is only the beginning. “Now that we know this is part of our history, as dark as it is, we cannot turn away. We shouldn’t be searching for these children anymore—they should bring the truth to us. Every child deserves to be found, named, and honoured.”

The symbolic elements of the monument are profound. Emblems such as the maple leaf and the initials of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) and North-West Mounted Police are carved upside down—a gesture that condemns the institutions complicit in the tragedies of residential schools. “It was never a school,” Hunt said. “If it were, there wouldn’t be graveyards. What kind of school has graveyards for its students?”

Hunt also touched on the deep scars left by these institutions, calling on Canada to truly embrace the process of reconciliation. “If Canada can understand that this is the truth, if we can face this together, then we can begin to heal. Reconciliation is often spoken of, but the truth must come first.” He urged those present to take responsibility for learning this history, emphasising that reconciliation is not just an abstract concept but a core value that must guide the nation forward.

The unveiling ceremony, attended by dignitaries, Indigenous leaders, and members of Hunt’s family, was a powerful moment of collective reflection. “I’m very proud to be here with so much of my family today,” Hunt said. “This monument is for our children—those who were taken and those who are still with us. We must lift them up.”

Hunt’s words resonated deeply with the audience, underscoring the importance of acknowledging the past while working toward a better future. “It’s painful to speak of these things,” he admitted, “but we need to. If we don’t, we’ll never heal. And healing is what this monument is for—for the children, for the families, for our people, and for all of Canada.”

The Indian Residential School Memorial Monument, now permanently installed in the Four Seasons Salon at the Canadian Museum of History, invites visitors to bear witness to this dark chapter in Canada's history. It stands as both a symbol of remembrance and a call for ongoing dialogue and education. As Hunt concluded, “One day, we’ll all learn more, and we’ll be better humans for what we’ve learned. That’s my hope—for healing, for reconciliation, and for a future where we honour the past but move forward together.”