Survivor Shares Journey from Pain to Healing at Residential School Museum

The former Portage la Prairie Residential School, which closed fifty years ago, has been transformed into the National Indigenous Residential School Museum of Canada. This significant shift allows survivors and their families to reflect on the painful history of residential schools while fostering healing and reconciliation. Lorraine Daniels, the museum’s executive director and a residential school survivor, shares her deeply personal experiences and highlights the importance of memorializing this history.

Standing on the third floor of the museum, Daniels looks over the grounds where countless children once stood. She emphasizes the need to remember the stories of those who suffered in institutions like the one in Portage la Prairie. Although Daniels did not attend this particular school, her parents did, and she herself was a student at several others, including the Birtle Residential School.

The impact of these experiences was profound. Daniels recalls how her time at residential schools stripped her of her language, culture, and connection to family. The environment at Birtle, in particular, was marked by neglect and fear. “I remember being very sick and begging for help,” she states. “They didn’t care enough to find out what was wrong.” Such experiences underline the emotional and physical toll these institutions took on Indigenous children.

Yet, amidst the darkness, there were moments of solace. Daniels fondly recalls escaping to a nearby stream, where she could momentarily experience the joys of childhood. “For a few minutes, we could just be kids. Free,” she reflects. This connection to nature provided a brief respite from the harsh realities of the school, a place where identity was often erased.

As the museum works to preserve the history of residential schools, it also serves as a site of healing. Daniels is encouraged by recent funding aimed at establishing a permanent home for the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation. “Every investment in truth and reconciliation lifts us all,” she affirms, emphasizing the collective responsibility to confront this painful history.

Visitors to the museum can walk through the same dormitories and climb the same stairs as the children who attended the school. The emotional weight of these surroundings often leads visitors to tears before tours even commence. “The truth lives in these walls,” Daniels explains, noting the profound impact on survivors and families who come to pay their respects.

While the museum acknowledges the sorrow tied to its history, it also strives to be a beacon of hope. “It’s about turning a place of hurt into a place of healing,” Daniels states, highlighting the need to share these stories for future generations. She invites everyone to witness the truth firsthand and to understand the significance of these narratives.

On the upcoming National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, the museum will host Phyllis Webstad, the founder of Orange Shirt Day, who will share her story alongside the narratives of many other survivors. Daniels encourages all to participate in this important day, whether at the museum or through events across Manitoba.

Reconciliation cannot exist without truth, and it is through the stories of survivors that this truth is preserved. As Lorraine Daniels puts it, “We are still here, doing the hard work of reconciliation.” The museum serves as a testament to resilience and the ongoing journey toward healing, inviting all to engage with this significant chapter of history.