Kwakiutl First Nation master carver Stan Hunt鈥檚 in remembrance of all the Indigenous children who were abused, murdered, and died while attending residential schools has taken shape and is nearly ready to be painted.

鈥淲e鈥檙e in the planning stages now of how this will roll out to the public, and we鈥檙e working with several people from the private industry, as well as with support from the Canadian Coast Guard and other government agencies,鈥� Hunt said.

鈥淲e鈥檙e working on a communication strategy to get the word out to tell the story, and we鈥檙e planning the logistics of the tour and visiting key areas for the monument to stop for families that have been affected by residential schools.鈥�

Based in Fort Rupert on northern Vancouver Island, Hunt confirmed the monument will be traveling a long distances before settling in at an as-yet-undisclosed permanent location.

鈥�(It will be) moved about the 18th of June so it will be in Victoria June 21 for National Aboriginal Day, and then we want to be in our destination on Sept. 30 for Truth and Reconciliation Day, where it will be unloaded and then placed where it should be.鈥�

The 18-foot tall, four-feet in diameter monument features a giant raven on top of it that has the seed of life in its beak, and there are traditionally carved children鈥檚 faces going all the way to the bottom. The monument will only have two stark colours, black and orange.

Hunt noted the raven holds special meaning to Indigenous people.

鈥淚t鈥檚 our creator, and this raven is on top of these children because he鈥檚 asking for these children鈥檚 spirits to come home - they belong at home and they need to be found.鈥�

Hunt said he is hopeful that all of the children鈥檚 remains are not just found, but that they鈥檙e all able to be named as well.

鈥淭hey have to have names,鈥� he said, his voice breaking as he pointed out there should be a special memorial park created for all of the Indigenous lives that were lost.

Above all else, Hunt wants everyone to know that this monument will 鈥渢ell the truth about what happened, and as soon as you get to see it when it鈥檚 finished, you鈥檒l recognize what it鈥檚 for 鈥� This is for the residential school kids.鈥�

- with file from Megyn Williams

editor@northislandgazette.com
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