Calling my Spirit Back (and Other Crimes)
How colonial institutions carry on the legacy of residential schools
Reprinted from the Supporting Parents issue of Visions Journal, 2021, 17 (1), pp. 26-28



My story, I believe, is a reflection of what life is like for an Indigenous person growing up with the ongoing impacts of the colonization experience in Canada. My name is Saa Hiil Thut, aka Gerry Oldman. I am St'át'imc, from Shalalth, BC.
Reconciliation comes from truth and understanding, from acknowledging the past and present in order to build a more just and equitable future. Mental health is at play everywhere and in everything: in past traumas and current unjust policies, in racism and stereotypes, in opportunities and service delivery. Despite the challenges, people can and are healing, through culture and community, family and balance.
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