This article contains descriptions of abuse that may be triggering. Support for survivors and their families is available. Call the Indian Residential School Survivors Society at 1-800-721-0066, or 1-866-925-4419 for the 24-7 crisis line.

ItB次元官网网址檚 a still morning. The early sun is just beginning to warm up the air, but thereB次元官网网址檚 a coolness washing in from the ocean.

The water is like a mirror, frozen in time as if in a painting. The little cove is tucked into a sheltered part of Saanichton Bay, protected from the strength of the ocean by the Cordova Spit and then James Island. ItB次元官网网址檚 quiet apart from the occasional heron call or a lone motor boat cruising off in the distance. Everything is peaceful at his home on the Tsawout First Nation, as if the world is holding its breath and waiting to hear what Victor Underwood has to say.

Underwood is a quiet man. He speaks softly but deliberately. HeB次元官网网址檚 kept these stories inside for a long time, telling very few people about his experiences.

He speaks with a slight lisp, his lips pursed together.

Underwood has no teeth. ThatB次元官网网址檚 because when he was in residential school, Underwood was used for practice by a student dentist. With little to no anesthesia, the dentist ripped the teeth from his mouth.

B次元官网网址淭hey said, B次元官网网址�121 report to the gym,B次元官网网址� B次元官网网址� when I was there they called me 121, they didnB次元官网网址檛 use our names B次元官网网址� B次元官网网址�121 go to the gym.B次元官网网址� On Monday he pulled half of them and Tuesday I had to go back and he pulled the other half.

B次元官网网址淲hen I got home my mom was super mad, she took us to our regular dentist in Sidney and he exploded. He said you can sue these guys, IB次元官网网址檝e got your sonB次元官网网址檚 dental records. Of course, my mom didnB次元官网网址檛 know the word sue so we never did nothing.B次元官网网址�

Many children Underwood knew had their teeth pulled. He went to St. MaryB次元官网网址檚 Indian Residential School in Mission, 150 miles from his Saanich Peninsula home. His two younger sisters went to Kuper Island, 70 miles away from their home. His older brother was sent to a residential school in Kamloops, 300 miles away.

B次元官网网址淭he older you got, the farther away they sent you,B次元官网网址� he said.

Throughout his time in residential school, Underwood suffered physical abuse. There were beatings and forced labour, with the B次元官网网址渄irtiest workB次元官网网址� being dolled out to students as punishment, which they often had to do without being given any cleaning supplies. To this day Underwood refuses to wear a tie because of the painful memories the tightness around his neck brings back B次元官网网址� he was knocked unconscious twice in residential school by the teachers swinging him around by his tie and flinging him to the ground.

Some children were specifically targeted for punishment. As a student Underwood showed leadership qualities B次元官网网址� he was also a star athlete, playing on a school soccer team that beat the provincial champions 7-0 B次元官网网址� and as a result, was punished especially hard. Underwood was made an example of in front of the other students B次元官网网址� one time he was beaten in front of all the other students in his class.

But he had to endure it all because there was no escape.

B次元官网网址淚f we ran away, theyB次元官网网址檇 put our parents in jail. So thatB次元官网网址檚 why none of us ever ran away. We werenB次元官网网址檛 allowed to speak, we werenB次元官网网址檛 allowed to say anything, or weB次元官网网址檇 get punished. That was always the way.

B次元官网网址淚n residential school the kids who ran away, we thought they were lucky, that they made it maybe. But when they found those bodies B次元官网网址� maybe they didnB次元官网网址檛, because some of them we never ever seen again.B次元官网网址�

Kamloops, where UnderwoodB次元官网网址檚 brother attended, was the first site where evidence of a mass burial site at a residential school was found in Canada, triggering a nationwide shockwave that prompted the federal government to recognize Orange Shirt Day B次元官网网址� now officially the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation B次元官网网址� as a day of remembrance.

The Sto:lo Nation is working on an investigation to locate unmarked graves of Indigenous children who died at Fraser Valley residential schools. Surveying for the old site for St. MaryB次元官网网址檚 Indian Residential School in Mission started last month on Aug. 24.

The radar work will take place over a period of time extending into next year, according to Mike Younie, MissionB次元官网网址檚 chief administrative officer.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 going to take a long time,B次元官网网址� Younie said. B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檙e just trying to facilitate it as best we can for them, and they will take the time that they need to get it done.B次元官网网址�

The Sto:lo Nation Chiefs Council said they will not be providing information until a later date.

B次元官网网址淓very time we talk about residential schools it always opens all the pains IB次元官网网址檝e been carrying,B次元官网网址� said Underwood. B次元官网网址淣ow it hurts B次元官网网址� when they found those bodies, it hurt even more.B次元官网网址�

Talking about residential school experiences was not common when Underwood was younger. His grandfather, father and mother went to residential school B次元官网网址� Underwood didnB次元官网网址檛 know his parents were involved in the system at all for much of his life.

B次元官网网址淢ost of the people back then, or even our generation today, we will not talk about it or they wonB次元官网网址檛 talk about it. WeB次元官网网址檙e getting very few people that can talk about it right now. Almost all my classmates are gone now. So a lot of them did take their stories to the grave with them. Because itB次元官网网址檚 really painful, too hurtful. Some of our people are so scared to talk because weB次元官网网址檙e so scared to get punished.B次元官网网址�

Part of UnderwoodB次元官网网址檚 reluctance is because he hasnB次元官网网址檛 been believed in the past. When he was applying for compensation as part of then prime minister Stephen HarperB次元官网网址檚 governmentB次元官网网址檚 common experience program, Underwood was told he wouldnB次元官网网址檛 be paid any money for his Grade 9 year in residential schools.

B次元官网网址淚 told him, IB次元官网网址檇 done Grade 9 and 10 in the same residential school. So howB次元官网网址檇 I get into Grade 10 without Grade 9 records? And they said (the record) said I went to six different schools and none of them are residential schools. When we checked it out, none of those schools existed in those days.B次元官网网址�

In an attempt to fight the decision, Underwood compiled records of his time in residential school during his Grade 9 year. He still has the binder, thick with stacks of records, 319 of them he said, that prove he attended residential school in Grade 9.

B次元官网网址淚 did everything they told me to but they still said no. The boys from our area, they all lost out. They didnB次元官网网址檛 fight because it was too painful.B次元官网网址�

Since his retirement, Underwood has been working to help others through that pain as an elder-in-residence at Camosun College and later at the University of Victoria. Through his work, Underwood said heB次元官网网址檚 seeing more Indigenous students graduating and more Indigenous elected representatives in government, which heartens him. HeB次元官网网址檚 lived on the piece of land overlooking Saanichton Bay since he was born, in a house that stands just feet away from the cabin where he was born. Though the water behind him seems calm and fixed, he said things are changing slowly.

B次元官网网址淚t took me many, many years before I could trust anybody. Our people donB次元官网网址檛 trust and now weB次元官网网址檙e learning how to trust again because that trust was never there. Ever.

B次元官网网址淲e need to get people to listen to the stories that our people share B次元官网网址� itB次元官网网址檚 all weB次元官网网址檙e asking. This way theyB次元官网网址檒l have an understanding of why we are the way we are. We share our stories. WeB次元官网网址檙e not asking you for special privileges. WeB次元官网网址檙e just asking to be treated fairly. When that happens, we can make it.B次元官网网址�

This is part one in a special series prepared by Black Press Media. You can find more of the series and other articles on truth and reconciliation online here.

READ MORE: Stories about truth and reconciliation

bailey.moreton@goldstreamgazette.com
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