From left: Chief Ava Bear and Ronalda Vandale pose in front of the Muskoday Bridge after hanging the final pair of shoes. (Dawson Thompson/paNOW Staff)

By Dawson Thompson

The 215

Muskoday First Nation honors residential school children with emotional and powerful tribute

Jun 21, 2021 | 5:00 PM

To remember and honor the 215 children whose remains were found at a residential school at Kamloops B.C., Muskoday First Nation tied children’s shoes to the Highway 3 bridge on National Indigenous Peoples Day.

There are more than 215 shoes tied along the bridge fence. The footwear was attached throughout the morning and early afternoon before a ceremony at 2:15 p.m.

Muskoday Bridge on Monday June, 21. The bridge has over 215 shoes on it to recognize the children that are still being found at former residential school sites across the country. (Dawson Thompson/paNOW Staff)

“This initiative was brought up by one our community members. It was her idea to tie 215 pairs of shoes to the bridge so you can see the impact it makes,” Ava Bear, chief of Muskoday First Nation said. “It was very emotional this morning tying the shoes because you think about all the children who never made it home and all the parents who probably never knew what happened to their children.”

Many members of the community attended and helped out with the initiative to the surprise of the organizers.

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“Many community members came together and hung shoes this morning, starting at about 11:00 a.m. Some were already hung prior to this morning’s start. There was a lot of community participation today, and it didn’t take long to finish hanging those shoes today. It was a very emotional time,” Bear said.

Ronalda Vandale, organizer of the event said the idea came from an organization called Mom’s Stop the Harm. It put up hundreds of shoes on an overpass in Vancouver.

“I had always heard stories that there were children at residential schools but there was never anything concrete. When they found those children in that unmarked grave, I just knew I had to do something,” Vandale said.

Vandale was impressed with the support they received.

“I made a small post on my personal Facebook page, I thought I would be the only one out here, and the response was phenomenal,” she said.

Each pair of shoes was blessed by an Elder. The shoes will be tied to the bridge until June 24th.

Muskoday Bridge on June, 21. Over two hundred shoes were tied to the bridge to recognize children who are found at residential schools across the country. (Dawson Thompson/paNOW Staff)

Dawson.thompson@pattisonmedia.com

On twitter: dawsonthompson8