Kwakiutl First Nation master carver Stan Hunt's Indian Residential School Memorial Monument has found its new home at the Canadian Museum of History in Gatineau, Quebec, where it will be seen by thousands each year.
The official inauguration ceremony was held on Sept. 30, the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, and the monument is now on display in the Four Seasons Hall at the museum.
Carved in the Port Hardy area, the monument is meant to:
1. Ensure that we uplift the history of residential school survivors.
2. Honour the spirit of the children who went missing or were murdered.
3. Honour the families and acknowledge the journey of losing a child and the pain and suffering that this trauma has inflicted.
"We will be forever grateful for the love and support we received during our journey," stated the Hunt family in a social media post. "From our little village of Tsakis, to the Canadian Museum of History, we hope this piece continues to offer healing to those in need and raises awareness about this [sombre] chapter in our nation's history. We aspire for reconciliation to remain a central focus."
You can watch the full inauguration ceremony at https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=pse9PahqoqI
