Inuit need a constructive forum, daughter of res-school survivor says

I would like to respond to Peter Irniq’s letter to the editor.

My response was too long to fit in the online comment section. I don’t mind if it’s only published online. My response is as follows:

My father, Marius Tungilik, had gone to residential school, and was actually one of the first to talk about Canadian residential schools publically. Peter Irniq, a long-time friend of my father, had supported my father in that cause, for which we are grateful.

The credit should include my mother, Johanne Coutu-Autut, who had encouraged my father to address it publically in the first place.

I was blessed with growing up with parents who loved me very much — and showed it — and encouraged me to stay in school. Although my dad had traumatic experiences at the residential school, he also got a good education out of it, and benefitted from it. In recognizing that, he encouraged me to get an education too.

In any case, I’ve seen and experienced how the traumatic events affected the survivors and everyone around them. I still see the effects today.

I believe that what happened to those survivors at residential school is the root cause of many of the social problems Inuit are facing today, such as alcoholism, drug abuse, physical-sexual abuse, suicide, poor parenting, and high school drop out rates.

Until the root cause is dealt with, none of these social problems will be effectively solved. Whole communities need to heal together and support each other.

In order to let go of the pain and shame of the past, it must be aired out, talked about. One good forum for that is provided by the residential school reunions.

I think the key is in forgiving those who abused them, and more importantly, forgiving themselves. Also, the children, friends and relatives need to forgive those survivors for any shortcomings that they were not able to deal with before.

Dad, if you didn’t know already, I have forgiven you. I am proud of how far you have come. I know it was and is still hard to deal with what has happened, but know that you have support.

I don’t share the view that there needs to be an Inuk in the current Truth and Reconciliation Commission, although I do agree with Peter that we need to create something like it of our own.

It’s important that the communities heal together and support each other. You know the saying “it takes a community to raise a child,” well the same goes with healing.

If that community support is not there, the survivors will not be inclined to talk about their experiences. If they don’t talk about it, the community may not understand where they are coming from, and know how to support them. The responsibility for the healing process lies with each and every one of the community members.

Those individuals include the professional medical community. Professional ongoing support is required to give the survivors and community some tools to cope and work through these problems.

Permanent psychologists and-or psychiatrists need to be available in all the communities. I know there is a worldwide shortage of medical professionals, but we need to address that somehow, think of ways to utilize what we do have. I would love to see Inuit in these professions too, though that may come in time.

Right now we need that community support, and a constructive forum to talk about the issues that have hurt us for far too long.

Tanya Tungilik
Yellowknife

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