This article contains descriptions of abuse and trauma that may be triggering. Support for survivors and their families is available. Call the Indian Residential School Survivors Society at 1-800-721-0066, or 1-866-925-4419 for the 24-7 crisis line.
When John Prevost sails into his hometown on Cormorant Island, a short trip from northern Vancouver Island town of Port McNeill, a blank space in the streetscape where a four-storey brick building once loomed brings him joy.
香蕉视频直播淎s soon as the ferry came into Alert Bay, there was the residential school and I香蕉视频直播檇 always be angry inside.香蕉视频直播�
Prevost, 62, is a survivor of St. Michael香蕉视频直播檚 Indian Residential School.
The facility was built by the federal government in 1929 and was run by the Anglican church until it closed in 1975. But it loomed over the bay for nearly a century, becoming a dark reminder of colonial relations with Canada香蕉视频直播檚 Aboriginal peoples.
When the Namgis Nation razed the building in 2015, demolition was marked with a healing ceremony attended by First Nations leaders, church leaders, politicians and former students.
Prevost was not there but he does remember the first time it didn香蕉视频直播檛 loom over his arrival. He香蕉视频直播檇 brought a couple of friends up. 香蕉视频直播淲hen we came around the corner I was crying my eyes out 香蕉视频直播� 香蕉视频直播榣ook it香蕉视频直播檚 not there香蕉视频直播� 香蕉视频直播� it made my heart lighter.香蕉视频直播�
The space serves as a reminder, but much like that emptiness, his individual memories of the school and subsequent day schools, foster homes and group homes are shrouded in what he calls emotional blackout. Many memories are told to him. What he does remember is violence and alcohol abuse at home. Followed by abuse and violence at residential school, day school and foster care.
Prevost香蕉视频直播檚 Saanich studio apartment is now his nest and safe place, but Alert Bay is home.
What he knows of his family and childhood is learned second- and third-hand, sometimes from family in Alert Bay or family found over decades in the prison system.
He does remember being drunk at five, then the police came and took the five youngest boys, separating them into schools and foster homes.
香蕉视频直播淚 was in St. Mike香蕉视频直播檚 on the fourth floor 香蕉视频直播� just awful,香蕉视频直播� Prevost recalled. It was two or three years of whipping, slapping and avoiding. A couple of his older brothers were there, and they looked after him as best they could. They advised him if someone said 香蕉视频直播渃ome here香蕉视频直播� you run.
香蕉视频直播淚 did a lot of running.香蕉视频直播�
Two or three years later, he was moved to Vancouver, further removed from his roots, into a life of foster and group homes. It wasn香蕉视频直播檛 long after that he began his decades-long dance with incarceration.
By 11 or 12, Prevost recalled gathering the gumption to try and protect himself. For Prevost, foster home life included more slapping and being thrown down stairs. He reported the abuse to his social worker, telling the man they were beating him and not feeding him. The social worker believed the adults over the child.
香蕉视频直播淎s soon as he left, boom, down the stairs,香蕉视频直播� Prevost said. 香蕉视频直播淭hat香蕉视频直播檚 when I burnt their house down. I threw all this newspaper they had on their pool table and I lit it. I walked away, went back to my room, and I was hoping somebody would wake up so I wouldn香蕉视频直播檛 die with them.香蕉视频直播�
No one died in the fire.
Prevost got six months in a juvenille detention centre. 香蕉视频直播淪ix months turned into a year. I became a part of the furniture in the prison system up to, I don香蕉视频直播檛 know, 10 years ago.香蕉视频直播�
Prevost felt safe there. He discovered additional ways to numb the pain of his past 香蕉视频直播� cocaine and heroin among them. 香蕉视频直播淎nything to keep me from not looking at myself.香蕉视频直播�
Despite the haze of his growing addiction, he remembers a comfort in being surrounded by people like him 香蕉视频直播� people who felt anger and rage at the system. It香蕉视频直播檚 also where he met much of his family.
Removed from home at five he had to fight to return for his mother香蕉视频直播檚 funeral when he was 11. At 16, the system shifted Prevost to adult court and he wound up at Oakalla Prison (closed in 1979) on the Lower Mainland and surprisingly enough, that香蕉视频直播檚 where he ran into his brother Jeff. It香蕉视频直播檚 also where a guard remembered his dad, thrown in jail for speaking his own language, Prevost recalled.
While incarcerated he learned about Alcoholics Anonymous. The first time, Prevost was a teen looking to get out of his cell for a bit. 香蕉视频直播淚 went to a meeting and this old man was telling my story,香蕉视频直播� he said. 香蕉视频直播淲e all have similar stories in our disease.香蕉视频直播�
Meetings also helped him get out early. While he wasn香蕉视频直播檛 yet ready for healing, Prevost learned treatment existed and was an option 香蕉视频直播� one he eventually pursued.
While he still bears the marks of intravenous drug use, it香蕉视频直播檚 been 20 years since his last overdose. 香蕉视频直播淚 shouldn香蕉视频直播檛 be alive with all the addiction I went through.香蕉视频直播� Of 17 siblings (two sisters died at birth), four brothers remain. The others are dead of addiction, Prevost said, none of them would take treatment because of the associated stigma.
He also turned to family about three decades ago when he started doing a lot of doodling. While in Alert Bay for treatment, and with a little trepidation, he showed the drawings to his cousins. They were impressed with his early attempts and offered him tips and gave him pieces of their own work with the advice of 香蕉视频直播渃opy ours until you find yours.香蕉视频直播�
香蕉视频直播淪o I did, for two or three years I was copying theirs and all of a sudden I started seeing my own art,香蕉视频直播� Prevost said. Decades later it remains a tool for healing 香蕉视频直播� taming triggers that lurk every day.
Now an artist and a healer himself, Prevost has become a mainstay in places designed to help lift others. He香蕉视频直播檚 an active volunteer at AVI Health and Community Services and Our Place Society, leading a healing circle and sharing his experience.
While his work adorns walls across the region, it香蕉视频直播檚 just one approach to wellness. What has proved most helpful, and he looks forward to participating again, is a retreat for residential school survivors.
香蕉视频直播淭he first one I did was overwhelming,香蕉视频直播� Prevost admitted. 香蕉视频直播淭hirty-five of us in total, we all had our armour on when we first went there. They showed us this room where we香蕉视频直播檙e going to be doing our healing.香蕉视频直播�
Three big buckets stood in the middle of the room. He learned later they were for the tissues for their tears.
香蕉视频直播淩ight from the get-go, nonstop crying 香蕉视频直播� nonstop cried our eyes out. It香蕉视频直播檚 a good feeling,香蕉视频直播� he said. 香蕉视频直播淚t helped me go forward. 香蕉视频直播淚f I didn香蕉视频直播檛 do this treatment I香蕉视频直播檇 be with my brothers or I香蕉视频直播檇 be dead.香蕉视频直播�
Happily settled into his Saanich nest for the last four years, Prevost香蕉视频直播檚 walls are covered in art 香蕉视频直播� his and others香蕉视频直播� 香蕉视频直播� and photos. One piece is a portrait created for him by a friend. Crafted of smaller images, residential school and other dark times dominate the bottom corner of the work, slowly lightening as it crosses the face stretching into brightness at the other far corner. It香蕉视频直播檚 an image he uses to help explain residential schools to those who don香蕉视频直播檛 understand. He started life in that dark corner and works every day to maintain the light.
This is part five in a special series prepared by Black Press Media. You can find more of the series and other articles on truth and reconciliation
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