By Thomas Smith
This year, from April 1 to June 25, Bakaan nake’ii ngii-izhi-gakinoo’amaagoomin / We Were Taught Differently: The Indian Residential School Experience exhibition will be on display in the Welch Room of the Minden Cultural Centre.
The exhibit was originally shown at the Lake of the Woods Museum in 2008. Initially, before it was shown, there were growing concerns by the local community as to whether or not the graphic content of the residential school system should be shown to the public.
“Discussions around the residential school experience were beginning to happen but were not as open as they are now,” said Braden Murray, director of the MUSE (Lake of the Woods Museum). “The We Were Taught Differently exhibit project was a way to help educate the community about what actually happened in local residential schools in Kenora. The project was led by IRS survivors, elders, and descendants of survivors in conjunction with the NeChee Friendship Centre and the Lake of the Woods Ojibway Cultural Centre and dealt with the residential school experience in a raw and truthful way that hadn’t been seen in the community, or anywhere else across Canada, at the time.”
“We live in a very different information environment in 2025 than we did in 2007,” said Murray. “That fear proved to be unfounded.”
Since its initial unveiling in 2008, the exhibit has travelled extensively across Canada and an additional second copy of the exhibit materials were made available to travel with the Grand Council Treaty #3 Wiisokotatiwin (IRS) unit to survivor events across the Treaty #3 area, says Murray.
Why is this exhibit relevant to Haliburton County?
Haliburton County is located on Treaty 20 Michi Saagiig territory and is a part of the traditional territory of the Michi Saagiig and Chippewa Nations, also known as the Williams Treaties First Nations.
“Indigenous peoples were the original stewards of the land and waters we now call home,” said Shannon Kelly, manager of cultural services. “Even though residential schools were not established in our area, we continue to feel their impact—through the intergenerational trauma experienced by Indigenous communities in the area, the gaps in public understanding, and the ongoing need for reconciliation.”
Orange Shirt Day was first celebrated in 2013, based on symbology inspired by the accounts of Phyllis Jack Webstad. In 2021, the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation was announced as a statutory holiday and set on November 30.
Municipalities across Canada, including Haliburton County, recognize this federal holiday as a Canadian day of remembrance and reflection, held annually to acknowledge the legacy of the Indian residential school system and honour both survivors and their families, says Kelly.
The goal of hosting this exhibit is to acknowledge this dark part of Canadian history, to promote awareness about the Indian residential schools and the long-term effect they have had on Indigenous Peoples and to honour families who have had their lives touched by the schools, says Kelly.
The exhibit utilizes first-hand accounts from people who attended the residential schools and those who have been affected by them.
“It is an exhibit for everyone,” said Kelly. “It was the hope of the original exhibit planning committee that this exhibit will play a part in the continuing process of personal and community healing and reconciliation between Indigenous and non-Indigenous people across Canada.”
After months of communication, the Minden Hills Cultural Centre team secured the exhibit at the end of 2024. With regular contact with Murray, the Director of the Lake of the Woods Museum, they have been advised on the use of their student-teacher guide, education teachers how to prepare students before viewing the exhibit.
The Minden Hills Cultural Centre has also reached out to Indigenous members of the local community, as well as the Indigenous Education Consultant for Trillium Lakelands District School Board while planning to host this exhibit.
“The history and legacy of residential schools are part of the Ontario school curriculum,” said Kelly. “There are almost 650 children and youth in the Trillium Lakelands District School Board who self-declare as Indigenous.”
In addition to hosting the exhibit, the Minden Hills Cultural Centre will also be showing documentaries each month, as part of their National Film Board documentary screenings. Cold Journey will be shown on April 3 and Finding Dawn will be playing on May 1.
The Minden Hills Cultural Centre will be hosting activities on June 21 in recognition of National Indigenous Peoples Day. They also plan to host school programs for local students.
