Johnny Kiyawasew passed away at the age of 11 in a small northern Alberta hospital in 1943, far from his family in Sturgeon Lake Cree Nation. Sent to St. Francis Xavier Residential School in Calais, Alta., Johnny never returned home, leaving his family in the dark for years. His brother, Robert Kiyawasew, expressed frustration at the lack of communication from the church regarding Johnny’s passing, emphasizing the need for transparency.
After a lengthy search, Johnny’s gravesite was discovered by his sister Roseann with the help of a private investigator in 2013. Johnny died from pulmonary tuberculosis at a hospital in High Prairie, where he was laid to rest, miles away from the residential school. Presently, Sturgeon Lake Cree Nation and the University of Alberta are conducting thorough research to shed light on the stories of children like Johnny who attended residential schools but never returned home.
Chief Sheldon Sunshine of Sturgeon Lake Cree Nation revealed that research indicates many children at St. Francis Xavier succumbed to tuberculosis and malnutrition, highlighting the human toll of the school’s harsh living conditions. Robert Kiyawasew, grateful for his sister’s efforts in locating Johnny’s grave, now visits the site regularly to pay his respects to his lost brother.
Robert Kiyawasew, a survivor of a day school himself, shared his own experiences of mistreatment and language suppression, underscoring the importance of preserving Indigenous culture and heritage. The challenges of accessing residential school records were discussed by Raymond Frogner, emphasizing the disorganization and inconsistency of the documents, making it a daunting task to piece together the history.
Despite obstacles in obtaining records, Sturgeon Lake researchers are dedicated to unraveling the fates of children who attended St. Francis Xavier but never returned home. Chief Sunshine stressed the significance of finding closure for families and addressing intergenerational trauma linked to the residential school legacy.