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	An Interview with Eric Large Healing and Spirituality January 14, 2010 http://jjromo.wordpress.com/ CANADA -- I first met Eric Large almost two years ago, when I visited Blue Quills College, in Alberta, Canada. I met many survivors of abuse from the Indian Residential Schools and learned about a history previously unknown to me. More info on the Indian Residential School Settlement Agreement is at: www.residentialschoolsettlement.ca and for the Truth and Reconciliation Commission at: www.trc.ca JR: You are a member of the Cree nation. I understand that you attended an Indian Residential School. For those readers who are unfamiliar with the Canadian experience, would you say a little about the First Nations involvement with sexual abuse and IRS? EL: Yes, I am a member of the Saddle Lake Cree Nation and I resided at the Blue Quills Indian Residential School from the 1952-53 school year to the 1964-65 school year consecutively. In my area, the first Blue Quills Residential School was located on the Saddle Lake Indian Reserve from about 1898. The federal government and clergy from a Roman Catholic entity had firm control over the education of the children. The federal government policy was to assimilate the Indian children through industrial/agricultural training and very basic education. This policy was pronounced in the 1920's as "to kill the Indian in the child". In 1931, a new residential school was built on federal crown land about 15 miles east of the Saddle Lake Reserve. The children were transported there by teams of horses and wagons and later by grain trucks and buses. The parents were put under duress to place their children in the residential school. Individual students suffered physical, sexual, and mental abuse from staff members. They also were separated from their parents, grandparents, siblings, extended family members and their First Nation COMMUNITY. The male students that were in residence prior to about 1952 worked manually on farm chores, feeding cattle, milking cows, cleaning barns, digging potatoes. The female students cleaned dishes, pots and pans, mended and sewed clothes, washed floors and other indoor tasks. Boys and girls were separated. There was a lot of routine, going to church, praying, and there was also play outdoors. But the academic teaching and encouragement was lacking. I suspect there were very few qualified teachers. JR: A year and a half ago, a Truth and Reconciliation Agreement was initiated with the Canadian government. What is it and how is it going? EL: The Truth and Reconciliation Commissioners had an official Kick-off at the Governor General's Office in Ottawa October 15, 2009 at which I was present as a support for a survivor and his extended great grandchild from Saddle Lake. Their work schedule is being waited on by everyone, especially the former students and their families. JR: When we first met, you were part of a team to interview survivors and help them file their claims of abuse in the T & R process. How has that been? EL: The abuse claims called "Independent Assessment Process" (IAP) applications are increasingly applied for. It is not part of the T&R as such. It is compensation, as specified in the Residential School Settlement Agreement, is for claims of physical, sexual, and psychological abuse, consequential harms, and for loss of opportunity and loss and loss of income suffered by a former Indian Residential School student. The instructions recommend that a claimant to obtain the services of a lawyer because of the legal issues involved and the obtaining of supporting documentation. JR: As with the Latino communities in Mexico and in the United States, I imagine there are some cultural issues that make it difficult for survivors to come forward and work directly on their healing process from religious authority sexual abuse. What cultural issues do you see that are important to understand with survivors from Indian Residential Schools? EL: That these students were taken from their parents, away from their home, relatives, and community who had their Indigenous and tribal customs of kinship, identity, livelihood, language, songs, recreation, ways of worship, that formed cohesive communities and provided stability and continuity. Much of this was lost and must be recovered. JR: On the other hand, what are some of the cultural resources that First Nation people can access that promote healing? EL: We still have some elders and carriers of cultural knowledge. We still have singers that can sing and drum ceremonial songs, pow-wow, and round-dance songs. There are still ceremonial practices that are held sacred and that can be passed on to younger First Nation people. One round-dance ceremony involves the commemoration of deceased relatives by family members carrying the photographs of deceased relatives in a circle in the room. The family members are encouraged to make amends (reconcile) with themselves personally, with their parents, grand-parents, their community, and with other people both Native and non-Native. JR: What's it like for you to hear the stories of so many survivors? How do you take care of yourself? EL: First it was difficult to hear the stories of abuse. There was anger, anxiety, distress, and tears. But I learned to listen to my fellow survivors. I try not to take this burden home. JR: What is going on at the national level with the T & R process? EL: On January 8, 2010, the Saddle Lake Cree Nation, Tribal Chiefs Ventures Incorporated, and Blue Quills First Nations College co-hosted the 2nd Annual Indian Residential School Information Workshop. It focused on the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. All three Commissioners attended (Honourable Justice Murray Sinclair, Chief Wilton Littlechild, and Marie Wilson. There were also representatives of the Roman Catholic Church, United Church, Presbyterian Church, and the Anglican Church. The Commission is going across the country to talk about their mandate and roles and responsibilities and trying to engage former IRS students to talk about their residential school experience. It's a slow process with a 5-year timeframe. It is not quite set-up yet. JR: How have you grown/ developed in this process? EL: I believe I have grown in patience and listening. I am challenged to show some leadership at my community, region, and the national level. There is still the challenge of adequately communicating the various aspects of the Indian Residential School Settlement Agreement to former students and families. It is complex, lengthy, and comprised of legal and bureaucratic language than can be intimidating. JR: I don't believe that any settlement in itself will bring healing to those abused by a religious authority. What do you think would bring healing to First Nation people? EL: Right, I believe financial compensation by itself will not bring healing. Each survivor, his/her family, community, and First Nation will need to consider the impact of residential schools and attempt to recover at their respective levels. Each survivor will need to consider his/her mental well-being, understand what happened, and bring balance to all aspects of their life, if possible. JR: Thank you for your witness and work in supporting survivors and preventing future abuse. I wish you well in the Truth and Reconciliation process. EL: Thank you.
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