Readers Comments

Hi Nancy and Dan, hope you are enjoying the Summer and perhaps are even ready beginning the prep for the Fall months incoming faster than expected.
I’m just dropping this email to say, chi-meegwetch for writing your book and for sharing it with us here at the LHF in advance of its release. I had initially begun reading it, then had to pause as announcements of unmarked graves began to hit the public. It’s an odd thing, to work on this issue everyday and though it can wear on the heart and Soul, it can be managed – but in seeing the public grieve, the Survivors reaching out, the wailing, screaming, and ceremony – i felt like a wild horse in chains with no escape and needed to put things aside and only focus on what i had to. That meant, I put your book down this whole time. Of course, I wouldn’t be doing this work if i wasn’t a strong person, i was raised by Residential School Survivors and myself, was forced to attend the Indian Day School system (segregation in canada with the same intent as RS). 
All that to say, I did finish your book and want to say chi-meegwetch (thank you) for writing it, and for reaching out to us at the LHF and sharing it with us. Reading your book brought forward many interesting thoughts about both the residential school and indian day schools systems. Knowing a bit more about what happened from the other perspective as a Survivor of the system, it was insightful to read your perspective as you saw it. As a small child, I always wondered what “white people” thought as they looked at me, wondering if they were going to hurt me – even if they were being nice, smiling, laughing – I was always on guard, worried, never trusting, even as I smiled and laughed with them. I saw myself in the young boys that spent time with you both. Just thought I would share that, I am sure other Survivors in reading your book will also revisit long forgotten memories and thoughts as I did. Healing comes in many forms and in many ways, so often we may not notice those many strands, but sometimes, we do!
Chi-meegwetch for writing your book, and for the Creator to have you walk the pathway you walked, and having that pathway touch mine (and ours). Wishing you the best, Irene

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Irene GoodwinManager of Exhibitions and Curatorial ProjectsLegacy of Hope Foundation1427 Ogilvie, Suite 4BGloucester, ON  K1J 8M7T:  613-237-4806  ext. 306Toll Free:  1-877-553-7177www.legacyofhope.ca