Winnipeg students make art installation to commemorate residential schools survivors

A collaboration of more than 50 students from Winnipeg’s Children of the Earth High School created an art installation that will hang at the Lower Fort Garry historic site to commemorate residential schools survivors.

The piece, called “Family,” was an initiative by Parks Canada, and seeks to tell a story about reflection and reconciliation. Hailey Dshaies was one of the students who worked on the piece. She said it was super exciting to be involved.

“I really like to go hands-on for projects and stuff. Helping with the painting, was really one of my favourite parts of the project and just the entirety of the beginning of it, was really fun,” explained Hailey Dshaies, a student involved in art piece. “I’ve never done anything this significant before.”

Dshaies’ has a personal connection to the artwork, as her grandma went to residential school, but says she never discussed it with her family.

“Just growing up for me, I didn’t even know my history. I just found out recently. Knowing about the residential schools and everything, it just opened everyone’s eyes I guess,” she explained.

Art installation to commemorate residential schools survivors. (Photo Credit: Alex Karpa, CityNews)

Children of the Earth art teacher Cynthia Flett says this was a great opportunity for students like Dshaies to learn about what happened to Indigenous people.

“There were tears shed, there was lots of learning. The students had to think about residential schools. What happened to Indigenous first nations, Metis and Inuit peoples in Canada and they did that through watching films, writing poetry,” said Flett.

Flett says there was a lot of healing for the students involved in the project and it opened conversations with their families.

Art installation to commemorate residential schools survivors. (Photo Credit: Alex Karpa, CityNews)

“That piece is very bright and bold and stands out in that space. But then against the blues, the purples, the cool colours, is these orange hands that carries a lot of meaning for the kids, First Nations, Metis, and Inuit people.”

Carly Walsh with Parks Canada, says it’s important for federal historic sites, like Lower Fort Garry, to have spaces that reflect all aspects of Canadian history.

“This really gorgeous art piece provides an opportunity for visitors to come and contemplate the legacy of residential school and reflect on what reconciliation means to them.”

The piece will be on display at the Lower Fort Garry for at least one year. Dshaies says this is just the beginning of pieces such as the Family art installation.

“This is just one of many pieces that are to come for residential school and truth and reconciliation.”