Healing fire burning in Winnipeg to honour children found at former Kamloops residential school
A healing fire is now burning to honour the children whose remains were detected at a former residential school in Kamloops on Peguis First Nation land in Winnipeg.
It follows a previous fire at the legislative grounds in honour of those same children.
“We just felt that people are still feeling heavy hearted and that they need a place to be able to come say their prayers, put their tobacco in a fire, be eagle fanned down, ” said Eva Wilson-Fontaine, team lead of Anish Corporation.
Elder, health supports and information are also available.
The fire is hosted by the Indian Residential Schools Resolution Health Support Program, which serves to survivors of Canada’s residential school system and 60s scoop survivors.
Wilson-Fontaine said the discovery of the children’s graves has taken people to a deeper healing, impacting Indigenous and non-Indigenous people alike.
“These little children, we always say they are our greatest teachers and this what these little children are teaching us. That we to start walking together,” said Wilson-Fontaine. “This is what reconciliation looks like. Being together, consoling one another, caring for one another, loving one another because we all the same.”
Packages of support resources available in the Winnipeg area are be available, with Fontaine saying it is important for people to reach out if they are struggling.
The fire, lit on Tuesday, will burn Tuesdays thorough Thursdays from noon to 8 p.m. for the next four weeks. It is located at 1075 Portage Avenue.
“This is a loss survivors and intergenerational survivors feel every day, and this is only the beginning,” said Wilson-Fontaine. “We know the remains of more children will be discovered, and this tragedy has triggered a new wave of grief and crisis in our people and in our communities.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Western University researchers unlock potential 'cure' for ALS
New research out of London, Ont.'s Western University is shedding light on a potential cure for ALS, in which the targeting of the interaction between two proteins can halt or fully reverse the disease's progression.
Police release 3D images of young child found in an Ontario river two years ago
Police have released a three-dimensional image of a young child whose remains were discovered in the Grand River in Dunnville, Ont. almost two years ago.
B.C. brings in law on name changes on day that child killer's new identity revealed
The BC NDP have tabled legislation aimed at stopping people who have committed certain heinous acts from changing their names.
Kamala Harris drops F-bomb during White House live-stream
U.S. Vice-President Kamala Harris used a profanity on Monday while offering advice to young Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders about how to break through barriers.
B.C. man fighting for refund after finding someone living at Whistler vacation rental
Edwin Mostered spent thousands of dollars booking a vacation home in Whistler, B.C., for a group skiing trip earlier this year – or so he thought.
Avs forward Valeri Nichushkin suspended at least six months
Colorado Avalanche forward Valeri Nichushkin was suspended for at least six months without pay and placed in Stage 3 of the league's player assistance program.
Collapsed Baltimore bridge span comes down with a boom after crews set off chain of explosives
Crews conducted a controlled demolition Monday to break down the largest remaining span of the collapsed Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore.
Security video caught admitted serial killer disposing of bodies in Winnipeg garbage bins
Security video caught admitted serial killer Jeremy Skibicki on multiple late-night outings, disposing of body parts in nearby garbage bins and dumpsters in the middle of the night.
Mortgage companies could intensify the next recession, U.S. officials warn
U.S. officials worry the next recession could be intensified by a cascading series of failures in the mortgage industry caused by crashing home prices, frozen financial markets and soaring delinquencies.