In 1986, at Alkali Lake, British Columbia, we opened up the Canadian Residential School issue with our film, Healing the Hurts, directed by our late brother, Choctaw Film Maker, Phil Lucas.
At the time we were very severely criticized by some of our own Indigenous leaders. They said this was over and should be forgotten.
Of course, later in the healing process, we found those attacking us were older Indigenous children who had been sexually abused by those in authority, and then these older children sexually abused younger children.
As tough as it is, the physical, emotional, cultural, spiritual, and sexual abuse of Indigenous children, women, and peoples by other Indigenous peoples, that are a result of Residential Schools need to be addressed.
Lateral violence and internalized oppression are alive and happening in our communities! It needs to be addressed and until this is addressed and healed we will not fulfill the Sacred Prophecies given to our Indigenous peoples!