Monday was a historic day for Canada’s indigenous peoples, when Pope Francis asked for forgiveness from Canadians of indigenous background who were abused at Catholic boarding schools.
It was during a visit to one of the aforementioned, former boarding schools in Alberta, that the Pope brought up forced assimilation, and what he referred to as “cultural destruction”.
– I humbly ask for forgiveness for the evil committed by so many Christians against the indigenous people, said the Pope.
He has previously apologized for the abuses, but this is the first time the Pope has made the same message on Canadian soil. In the speech, he condemned the policy of assimilation which for several decades deprived children from the indigenous population of language, culture and identity.
According to those present, the speech made a strong impression. People must have both cried and applauded.
– I have waited 50 years for this apology, and today I finally got it, said Evelyn Korkmaz, who herself was a student at one of the Catholic boarding schools.
Afterwards, the session received a more mixed reception. Several representatives of various indigenous organizations have referred to the school visit as “easy”, “false” and “unfortunate”, writes the news agency AP.
FLAUSE: Huge nonsense for Pope Francis. Video: Ingebjørg Iversen / Se og Hør sea view
–
Criticized for headgear
Much of the criticism is aimed at the fact that the Pope was given a traditional colorful headgear after the speech. The feather ornament was, according to AP, given to the Pope by Chief Wilton Littlechild. Littlechild himself attended one of the notorious boarding schools.
The headdress has historically been a symbol of respect, worn by warlords and warriors.
In recent times, a number of non-Indigenous peoples have been criticized for treating the headdress as a costume.
Not everyone was therefore impressed by the chief’s choice to give this to the Pope, and pointed out that this did not correspond to the Catholic Church’s role in the church-owned boarding schools that Pope Francis complained about.
– It seems that in Alberta everyone gets headgear, whether they deserve it or not, writes Russ Diabo Twitter.
He belongs to the Canadian Kahnawake Mohawk tribe, and is an Indigenous activist and political analyst.
Along with the Twitter message, he has attached a number of photos of well-known profiles wearing the traditional headgear, including Pope Francis and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
Activist Jennifer Wolf also reacts.
– Apologies to anyone who is activated by these images. Some of us laugh at the absurd when we are bored, she writes and attaches an edited photo of the Pope with the headdress.
– Far too early
Several have also used the hashtag #fauxpology in the discussion of the speech.
– I have a lot to say about this, and it’s all negative, writes Joe Horse Capture, vice president of native collections and curator of Native American history and culture at the Autry Museum of the American West in Los Angeles.
Maka Black Elk, executive director of Truth and Healing at Red Cloud Indian School in Pine Ridge, South Dakota, calls the moment “way too soon” and “difficult.”
He emphasizes that the Pope was given the headdress without asking for it.
– It is not his fault, but it is also clear that the donors did not consider how it would make other interpreters feel, writes Black Elk.
STRONG CASES: Pope Francis is struggling with pain in his knee. During a meeting with a group of Mexican priests, the Pope mentioned a well-known Mexican “wind cure”. Video: NTB, Tiktok. Reporter: Håvard TL Knutsen sea view
–
Defending the chief
Littlechild has so far not commented on the criticism. He is nevertheless taken in defense by several teams.
In a post on Facebook, the chief’s grandson, Keeshon Littlechild, commented on the criticism:
– It hurts me to see that people criticize my grandfather, and I understand how much respect is needed to be able to receive the headdress. At the same time, it was he who showed the Pope respect for coming all the way here to apologize, writes the grandson.
Jon Crier, who attended the ceremony, said at a press conference after the speech that the headdress symbolized the tribal leaders’ embrace of the pope as a leader in the local community.
– It is in honor of the man, it is in honor of the work he has done. It is also a recognition of this is a man who belongs in our tribe, Crier said.
Grim findings
The background for the Pope’s visit to Canada is that in April he was visited by a delegation from Canada’s indigenous population in the Vatican.
The extent of the abuses during the assimilation policy has become known after around 1,300 unmarked graves have been found in closed Catholic boarding schools since May 2021. The graves belonged to children who lived in the schools. Many of them were physically and sexually abused by teachers and principals at the schools. Several thousand are believed to have died from disease, malnutrition and neglect.
The abuses were both “physical, verbal, psychological and spiritual”, the Pope emphasized in his speech on Monday.
– I want to establish this myself, with shame and unequivocally, he said.
