HEALING AND RECONCILIATION FOR COMMUNITIES AND FAMILIES
We Never Forget
For decades the land has stood silent. Homes abandoned, landmarks forgotten and a bustling community now desolate.
The Crooked Lake Métis Settlement near Marieval, Saskatchewan was once a vibrant place.
But generations of hardships, including loss of land, systemic trauma, displacement inflicted by day schools, and reduced access to necessary resources has forced people to leave behind their ancestral community.
But today, the descendants of the settlement refuse to let their ancestral home be erased. They are rebuilding their community’s heritage before it is lost forever. The Crooked Lake Métis Settlement History Project, led by Métis survivors and their families, is hosting a gathering to document their community’s past through oral storytelling, written histories, maps, photographs and video recordings. This project will braid the thread between generations, inspire pride in Métis identity and ensure the cultural memory of the settlement is passed on. It will further restore dignity, memory and identity to a community that colonial systems attempted to erase.
The Indigenous Reconciliation Fund (IRF) is contributing funding to support the planning committee in conducting interviews, gathering historic materials and ultimately preserving community stories and histories before they are lost. The IRF is committed to preserving the legacy of the community and to helping its survivors develop educational and cultural resources for current and future generations to learn about their roots and rich heritage.
Archdiocese of Regina
