Residential school survivors returned to Meares Island on Thursday, Oct. 9 to witness the demolition of the former Christie Residential School.
Members of the Ahousaht First Nation leadership, along with a special research team invited those who attended the school to return to the Meares Island facility to witness the teardown of one of the few remaining structures of the school, a building that included a gymnasium. Nearly 200 people attended a special Healing Gathering at the site.
Former elected chief councillor Greg Louie attended the school as a six-year-old and says the gathering was years in the making.
”As I was walking up from the dock this morning thinking about the memories I had as a young boy, there was a lot of emotion,” Louie said.
He says the day was filled with a mixture of both good and bad feelings.
”The goodness is that we’re here today, we survived, so that’s a good thing; and yes there were a lot of bad memories here, a lot of bad atrocities that have happened here,” he said.
The Christie Residential School operated on Meares Island from 1900 to June of 1971, replaced by the Christie Student Residence in Tofino until its closure in 1983.
While the Government of Canada funded the school, the facility was operated by the Roman Catholic Church until 1969.
Bruce Lucas attended the school from 1965 to 1969 and was given the chance to help physically tear down the building by operating an excavator. He attended the day on behalf of his father and his older brothers and sisters, some of whom have died.
Like many who went here, Lucas has several painful memories of his time at the school.
”We couldn’t be kids, the Catholic people were really mean to us. When I hear that one of them died I just say it’s judgment day,” Lucas said.
He says he has since learned to forgive the Catholics that ran the school.
“I wish people would really understand what we went through and it’s very enlightening for me as a former student to help demolish the place. It will be nice when they burn it and get rid of it,” he said.
Prior to heavy equipment bringing the buildings down, former students were encouraged to tour the building and many helped release their feelings by breaking windows or taking crowbars, hammers or rocks to the walls of the structure.
Felix Harry spent ages five through 12 at Christie and while he didn’t re-visit the building he strongly believes it was right to demolish it.
”I think it’s better for it to be torn down for the spirits to go on their journey, that way we understand where everybody’s going to be healing in a proper manner and letting the spirits continue on without staying in a place like this.”
