Third in a series of first-hand accounts from the children of Sons of Freedom Doukhobors that were forcibly removed from their families and confined at the New Denver School. Approximately 200 children were interned at the school between 1953 and 1959.
Nellie Makortoff never stepped a foot inside of the New Denver School, but the 84-year-old still carries the weight of trauma from spending much of her childhood hiding from the authorities that wanted to put her there.
Nellie was the child of Doukhobor parents with strong Sons of Freedom convictions.
Before she was born, both of her parents had spent time in the Freedomite penal colony on Piers Island, where the government of the day sent more than 500 men, women and children convicted primarily of public nudity.
The family was always on the lookout for outsiders and police, even before the government began removing children from their homes to be interned at the school in New Denver in the 1950s.
B次元官网网址淚 spent my whole childhood hiding,B次元官网网址� Nellie told the Castlegar B次元官网网址 in an interview shortly after the B.C. government issued an to the Sons of Freedom for the detention of approximately 200 children between 1953 and 1959.
NellieB次元官网网址檚 family lived in Slocan Park growing their own food and selling butter.
She says her father was well known as a healer, mending animals and humans and even delivering several babies. He was considered a B次元官网网址渘atural chiropractorB次元官网网址� and spent a lot of time in the Freedomite camps.
NellieB次元官网网址檚 aunt was B次元官网网址淏ig FannyB次元官网网址� Storgeoff, who in 1962 led a group of about 1,000 Sons of Freedom adherents in a year-long trek to the specially constructed prison at Agassiz where more than 70 Sons of Freedom prisoners were being held. The group set up camp outside the prison and remained there for years.
With these family connections, Nellie says she felt that the Sons of Freedom community was always behind her.
That support extended her ability to hide from the authorities, but Nellie isnB次元官网网址檛 sure that it was actually for the best.
She recalls being a small, skinny child and at times she simply hid behind trees to escape detection.
On one occasion, when a policeman knocked on their door and there was no way to leave the house, Nellie hid behind some household items and wasnB次元官网网址檛 noticed.
She also recalls watching while police plunged pitchforks into hay piles looking for her.
B次元官网网址淪ome of them had hearts, and some of them didnB次元官网网址檛,B次元官网网址� said Nellie.
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She is unsure if it had anything to do with her short stint on the school attendance rolls or if it was just coincidental.
Nellie continued to live at home during her teen years, taking small jobs for things like assisting seniors with housework.
But it wasnB次元官网网址檛 long before she had a house of her own to manage after marrying at age 17. She then had three children of her own.
Nellie eventually returned to the workforce as a domestic helper.
She says she wishes she had received a better education.
B次元官网网址淚 donB次元官网网址檛 know how to spell, I donB次元官网网址檛 know how to write properly. I donB次元官网网址檛 know commas in Russian or English.B次元官网网址�
She says her childhood just didnB次元官网网址檛 lend itself to learning.
B次元官网网址淵ou were traumatized and so you didnB次元官网网址檛 want to learn. You didnB次元官网网址檛 know what was what or what was right.B次元官网网址�
Nellie acknowledges that the things she went through during those years werenB次元官网网址檛 as bad as what some of the New Denver survivors experienced.
B次元官网网址淐omparing that to what I went through, I think I was OK,B次元官网网址� says Nellie. B次元官网网址淏ut the constant stress of being in hiding, that fear stays with you forever.B次元官网网址�
She says the stirred up many old memories.
B次元官网网址淎fter the apology, I was like a zombie, going back in my mind to where I was at 11 years old,B次元官网网址� said Nellie.
Even though she was nervous about telling her story and any potential repercussions, Nellie decided to share with the hope of encouraging others.
B次元官网网址淚 hope it will be helpful for people,B次元官网网址� said Nellie. B次元官网网址淭hat people that may be afraid to come out will also share their stories.B次元官网网址�
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