UPEI and A.S.H. unveil memorial cabinet

On Thursday, June 27, the UPEI Campus Art Committee and the Aboriginal Survivors for Healing (A.S.H.) Inc. unveiled a memorial cabinet display that will be housed in UPEI's Robertson Library. The display pays tribute to the Shubenacadie residential school survivors living on PEI and memorializes former students who have since passed on.

'As part of our commemoration project, we wanted to produce something permanent to raise awareness about the legacy of the residential school system, and to acknowledge and honour former students,' said Tarry Hewitt, project coordinator at A.S.H. 'We also wanted to find the right place for this memorial cabinet, to ensure it became part of the history of the Island. We reached out to UPEI and they very graciously took us up on the offer, and that's why we're here today,' she added.

The memorial cabinet includes a quilt made by former Shubenacadie residential school students, a set of keys to the school's front door, a 1947 photograph of the staff and students, and a letter dated 2008 from Prime Minister Stephen Harper apologizing to the First Nations of Canada for the treatment endured by residential school students.

'We feel honoured to host these artifacts and it confirms our dedication to aboriginal affairs on Prince Edward Island,' said UPEI Manager of Webster Academic Services Treena Smith. 'It's endeavours like today's-one that shares the story of survivors through important artifacts-that helps UPEI to be a leader in delivering outstanding experiential learning opportunities for students. UPEI is eager to continue our working relationships and partnerships with our First Nations communities.'

Established in 2000, with funding from the Aboriginal Healing Foundation, A.S.H. provides traditional healing services for former students of the residential school system and their families living on the Prince Edward Island. The project that gave rise to the memorial cabinet was funded by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.

Event special guests and speakers included Elder Mr. Dale Sylliboy; Chief Brian Francis, Abegweit First Nation Band; Chief Matilda Ramjattan, Lennox Island Band; Mr. Darcy Sock, A.S.H. board vice-president; and Ms. Charlotte Morris, A.S.H. board secretary and Shubenacadie residential school survivor.