Our Stories, Our Strength: A Collection from the Legacy of Hope Foundation

The Legacy of Hope Foundation describes “Our Stories, Our Strength”, poignantly as “a silenced voice now speaking”. In order to hear these voices, the Legacy of Hope Foundation traveled across Canada recording the stories of residential school Survivors. Together the entire Our Stories Our Strength collection is quite powerful and moving and all of these stories; “began as a courageous whisper through pent up tears”.

These Our Stories, Our Strength residential school Survivor stories were recorded in various communities across Canada, between 2004 and 2008. A selection of Survivor stories from this collection have been made available here to view and to listen to through a partnership with the Legacy of Hope Foundation.

James Leon Sheldon – Lower Post Indian Residential School, Lower Post, British Columbia

Alfred Solonas – Lejac Indian Residential School, Fraser Lake, British Columbia

Lucille Mattess – Lejac Indian Residential School, Fraser Lake, British Columbia

Aggie George - Lejac Indian Residential School, Fraser Lake, British Columbia

Basil Ambers – St. Michael's Indian Residential School, Alert Bay, British Columbia

Cecile Ketlo – Lejac and Kamloops Residential Schools, British Columbia

20 more

Beverly Albrecht – Mohawk Institute, Brantford, Ontario

Blanche Hill-Easton – Mohawk Institute, Brantford, Ontario

Ed Bitternose – Gordon's, Muscowequan and Lebret Residential Schools, Saskatchewan

Patricia Lewis – Shubenacadie Indian Residential School, Nova Scotia

William McLean – Morley and Edmonton Residential Schools, Alberta

Percy Ballantyne – Birtle Residential School, Birtle, Manitoba

Rev. Mary Battaja – Carcross Residential School, Carcross, Yukon