First Nations based motorcycle group from Alberta travels to pay respects in Kamloops
The National Indian Residential School Crisis Line has been set up to provide 24/7 support to residential school survivors and others who are affected. Call 1 (866) 925-4419.
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KAMLOOPS — The out-of-province tributes continue to poor in for Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc and the 215 children found at the former residential school site.
Redrum Motorcycle Club – a group with First Nations beliefs and that is focus on community and respect – had members from Alberta ride to Kamloops on Saturday (June 26) to pray and pay respects.
President of the Frog Lake Chapter Sheldon Saskatchewan said they planned the trip a month in advance when the discovery was made at the residential school site.
“Alberta has the most residential schools in Canada, so a lot of our people and family was affected by all this,” Saskatchewan said. “With us, it’s paying respect and healing in a way. It’s a way of showing we respect our other First Nations people in different parts of the country. We’re all one in our eyes. That’s why we come all this way to show we’re there for them and they’re not forgotten. I know there are more everywhere else, but this is where it all started in Kamloops.”
(Submitted photo/Sheldon Saskatchewan).More children have been found at residential school sites since Redrum Motorcycle Club planned their trip to Kamloops. With the largest discovery being 751 unmarked graves at Cowessess First Nation.
Saskatchewan said there have always been rumours and stories about what exactly transpired at residential schools, but the discovery of the children over the past month has taken Frog Lake First Nation – and others – by storm. He said Redrum Motorcycle Club chapters across the world partook in Black Lives Matter and pipeline protests, but nothing quite like the journey to Kamloops he and fellow members have been on.
“The awareness now that proceeds us is going to be dealt with, and to make people completely aware of what the situation was and how bad it was,” Saskatchewan said. “We’re doing this for children. We’re going to go there, pray for them, and come show our respect.”
There were some hiccups along the way, such as flat tires, broken wires, heat stroke, and a member wiping out, but the journey also had some positive pit stops. Including an elder at Enoch Cree Nation in Alberta blessing the cyclists’ bikes, lunch in Avola, rest at Blue River, and eventually the former Kamloops Indian Residential School to pay respects.
(Submitted photo/Sheldon Saskatchewan).Going forward, as more discoveries will be made at other residential school sites, Saskatchewan said the best thing the public can do is keep the conversation going.
“The more we learn about things, the more we’re informed and then we can make better decisions,” Saskatchewan said. “We know things aren’t going to be solved overnight, that’s life. But any time we can bring awareness and have a sit down with people, let them explain their side of things and you explain yours; any type of dialogue is positive. And it’s ongoing. As the public are more knowledgeable about things that were kept quiet, masked, or covered, it all helps.”
