Did You See Us?
Reunion, Remembrance, and Reclamation at an Urban Indian Residential School – Survivors of the Assiniboia Indian Residential School
Stitching together memories of former students with a socio-historical reconstruction of the school and its position in both Winnipeg and the larger residential school system, Did You See Us? offers a glimpse of Assiniboia that is not available in the archival records. It illustrates that residential schools were spaces where forced assimilation and Indigenous resilience co-existed.
Published by the University of Manitoba Press in 2021
ISBN 978-0-88755-907-5
Reviews
“A thoughtful, community based project rooted in the needs of the Assiniboia Residential School community. This book is a must read for those working on the history of Residential Schools and those engaged in community based restorative justice projects.”
Krista McCracken, Arthur A. Wishart Library and Shingwauk Residential Schools Centre, Algoma University
“Did You See Us? was born out of a reunion, and readers are invited to the reverberations of this coming together. It offers multi-vocal perspectives primarily from survivors but also from non-Indigenous staff, archival documents, and settler community members. As the Truth and Reconciliation Commission begins to accumulate anniversaries, now more than ever the testimonies of residential school survivors are much needed.”
Jane Griffith, Assistant Professor School of Professional Communication, Ryerson University
“Did You See Us? is a thoughtfully constructed, well-informed, true historical narrative. This collection tells the stories of the survivors who lived at Assiniboia during the residential and hostel years, shares the perspectives of the school’s staff and the residents of neighbouring River Heights and presents relevant articles and artifacts alongside records from the school itself.”
Emily Unrau-Poetker, The Manitoban
“This book is an excellent example of people telling their truths and a community realizing the mistakes of the past, coming together, and moving towards reconciliation. Within these stories, there are lessons that we can all learn from and step towards reconciliation.”
Carrie MacKenzie, Anishinabek News
“Did You See Us? It’s the heartbreaking question any survivor of a residential school could ask. But in this case, it’s the title of a book that includes firsthand accounts from 12 survivors who attended the Assiniboia Indian Residential School located in an upscale neighbourhood in Winnipeg.”
Shari Narine, Windspeaker