Editor香蕉视频直播檚 note: The story below may trigger difficult or traumatic thoughts and memories. The Indian Residential School Survivors Society香蕉视频直播檚 24-hour crisis line is available at 1-866-925-4419.

By Rochelle Baker, Local Journalism Initiative ReporterCANADA香蕉视频直播橲 NATIONAL OBSERVER

Homalco Chief Darren Blaney has the tragic distinction of being a third-generation residential school survivor.

Like his father, and grandfather before him, Blaney was forced from his home, family, and culture in the small community of Church House in Bute Inlet along B.C.香蕉视频直播檚 remote central coast.

香蕉视频直播淢y great-grandfather was the first one from Homalco to go to residential school in 1875,香蕉视频直播� said Blaney.

Blaney香蕉视频直播檚 ancestor came home 12 years later, a victim to the cycle of violence, disconnection, and trauma associated with residential schools that would also ensnare his relatives and others of the Homalco Nation (named the 香蕉视频直播減eople of fast running waters香蕉视频直播� after the turbulent tides of their inlet).

香蕉视频直播淭here香蕉视频直播檚 been a lot of destruction from residential schools,香蕉视频直播� Blaney said. 香蕉视频直播淢y dad went, my brother went, and I went.香蕉视频直播�

When he sees archival photos of Indigenous children in dormitories packed with beds, Blaney recalls the isolation he felt in his early teens during his first year at Sechelt Residential School, and the next five years he spent even farther from home at St. Mary香蕉视频直播檚 Residential School in Mission, B.C.

香蕉视频直播淚n Sechelt, my bed ended up being by the windows. I remember looking out the window at night time and I could see the lights of Nanaimo across the water,香蕉视频直播� said Blaney.

But escape to the Vancouver Island city and possibly home was next to impossible because the only way out of Sechelt was by ferry, he said.

香蕉视频直播淵ou香蕉视频直播檙e really homesick in residential school. You count the days before you go home,香蕉视频直播� Blaney said. 香蕉视频直播淎nd when you come back, you count the days since you香蕉视频直播檝e been home.

香蕉视频直播淚t was just a lonely place.香蕉视频直播�

The Sechelt facility, also known as St. Augustine香蕉视频直播檚, was established in 1904, run by the Catholic Church, and funded by the federal government. Parents withdrew their children from the school in 1923 to protest the poor education, harsh discipline, and inadequate diet. Although funding at the school did increase, the facility did not ultimately close until 1975.

香蕉视频直播淭here香蕉视频直播檚 a whole generation of Homalco people (who) didn香蕉视频直播檛 come home from that residential school,香蕉视频直播� Blaney said. 香蕉视频直播淭hey香蕉视频直播檙e buried somewhere in Sechelt.香蕉视频直播�

Blaney thinks the first National Day for Truth and Reconciliation is a good opportunity to educate Canadians about the harms and pain residential schools caused Indigenous children and communities.

But it was confirmation of 215 children buried at a gravesite at a former residential school in Kamloops, B.C., in May that sparked a wider consciousness in Canadians about the issue, Blaney said.

There香蕉视频直播檚 a better understanding of what happened, he said, adding residential schools didn香蕉视频直播檛 only expose children to violence, sexual abuse, malnutrition, and disease, but set out to destroy Indigenous culture and identity.

香蕉视频直播淏efore (Kamloops) 香蕉视频直播� nobody took the genocide seriously,香蕉视频直播� Blaney said.

But, the new national day of commemoration and findings by the Tk香蕉视频直播檈mlups te Secwepemc band, followed by subsequent burial sites confirmed by other First Nations, are only an initial step toward reconciliation, he added.

香蕉视频直播淚 take a look at all these investments with the orange flags. Those are fine and bring educational attention to residential schools, but it香蕉视频直播檚 action that香蕉视频直播檚 needed. Nobody in government is dealing with the trauma.香蕉视频直播�

First Nations governments don香蕉视频直播檛 have and are denied the resources they need to establish long-term treatment and healing for members in their communities, he said.

Indigenous groups are always scrabbling to generate revenue, not solely for the sake of economic development, but to help their communities overcome the legacy of the schools, Blaney said.

香蕉视频直播淥ur economic development will only go as far as our healing,香蕉视频直播� he said.

香蕉视频直播淎s much as we香蕉视频直播檇 like to move forward, the instruments of residential schools are still tying us down.香蕉视频直播�

First Nations leadership is left to struggle to rebuild governance and capacity with little support from governments that have long monopolized the wealth of Indigenous people, he said.

香蕉视频直播淩esources in our territory have been stripped,香蕉视频直播� Blaney said, citing forestry as an example, an industry where even now, the province is only offering up a slightly bigger piece of a very small and diminishing pie.

香蕉视频直播淎ll our opportunities for revenues are gone and poverty is a weapon for the government,香蕉视频直播� he said. 香蕉视频直播淔irst Nations trying to defend their rights in court are easier to defeat if they don香蕉视频直播檛 have money.香蕉视频直播�

Regardless, Indigenous people are overcoming obstacles to provide better lives for their communities, he said.

The Homalco have invested in a number of tourism ventures and a radio station to build capacity and employment.

Funds from the non-profit station will go into cultural programming and healing for the community, especially to ensure youth don香蕉视频直播檛 become intergenerational victims, Blaney said.

香蕉视频直播淭he shadow of residential schools gets longer and longer, and the potential of our people is lost in alcohol and drugs from trauma,香蕉视频直播� he said.

香蕉视频直播淏ut we香蕉视频直播檙e working to shield people and give them a better chance,香蕉视频直播� Blaney added.

香蕉视频直播淓verybody wants to be useful, happy and whole.香蕉视频直播�