In 1943, 11-year-old Johnny Kiyawasew passed away at a hospital in northern Alberta, far from his family at Sturgeon Lake Cree Nation. Having been sent to St. Francis Xavier Residential School in Calais, Alta., Johnny never returned home, leaving his relatives unaware of his fate until many years later.
Robert Kiyawasew, Johnny’s younger brother, expressed frustration over the lack of communication regarding Johnny’s death, criticizing the church for not informing their father about the tragic news. It wasn’t until 2013 that Johnny’s gravesite was located by his sister Roseann with the help of a private investigator.
The records indicate that Johnny succumbed to pulmonary tuberculosis at a hospital in High Prairie, where he was buried, a considerable distance from the residential school. Presently, Sturgeon Lake Cree Nation and the University of Alberta are conducting extensive research to unveil the stories of children like Johnny who attended residential schools but never returned home.
Sheldon Sunshine, chief of Sturgeon Lake Cree Nation, emphasized the heartbreaking reality that many children at St. Francis Xavier died due to tuberculosis and malnutrition, highlighting the personal tragedies behind the statistics. Robert Kiyawasew, grateful for finding Johnny’s grave, now visits it regularly, reflecting on the solitude of the resting place.
Robert Kiyawasew, a survivor of a day school himself, shared how he and his siblings faced similar hardships at St. Francis Xavier, enduring punishment for speaking their native language. He stressed the importance of preserving their culture and heritage.
The search for closure and truth continues as Sturgeon Lake Cree Nation aims to piece together the stories of children like Johnny who never made it back home from residential schools, addressing the intergenerational trauma caused by these historical injustices.