Residential school site stewards explore potential of UNESCO World Heritage Site designation
Site stewards from former Canadian residential schools met in Brantford, Ontario, to begin the process of proposing these sites for UNESCO World Heritage designation, aiming to preserve cultural revitalization efforts and counter denialism. The initiative, led by Cody Groat of Six Nations of the Grand River, highlights the international significance of reclaiming these spaces for Indigenous communities and survivors.
Site stewards from former residential schools across Canada gathered at the Woodland Cultural Centre in Brantford, Ontario—formerly the Mohawk Institute residential school—to explore UNESCO World Heritage Site designation. The meeting, held last week, marks the start of a collaborative process to propose these sites for recognition under the UNESCO World Heritage Convention, which currently includes Canadian sites like Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump and Old Quebec City. Cody Groat, a Kanien'kehaka member of Six Nations of the Grand River and project lead, emphasized the dual importance of acknowledging the dark histories tied to these schools while celebrating Indigenous-led cultural revitalization. Groat, whose grandfather attended the Mohawk Institute, described the designation as a way to apply 'international peer pressure' to preserve the sites meaningfully. He cited examples like Robben Island in South Africa, where dark histories hold global significance for human rights struggles. Chief Rosanne Casimir of Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc Kúkpi7, steward for the former Kamloops Indian Residential School in British Columbia, called the shared discussions about residential school histories 'meaningful.' She noted the designation could combat denialism by educating the world about the legacy of these institutions, which remains under investigation at Kamloops. The site stewardship also involves complex record-gathering from Catholic church archives, hospitals, and federal institutions. Cynthia Desjarlais, chief of Muskowekwan First Nation in Saskatchewan and a survivor of Lebret Residential School, supported the proposal to highlight what survivors endured. The former Muscowequan Indian Residential School building is the last standing residential school in Saskatchewan, serving as a tangible reminder of the system’s impact. Desjarlais stressed the need to confront denialism, stating, 'It happened in our country and we have people that say that residential schools did not happen.' The process follows UNESCO guidelines, with Canada joining the World Heritage Convention in 1976 and currently hosting 22 designated sites. Groat framed the potential listing as a tool to preserve Indigenous rights and contrast the legacies of residential schools with ongoing cultural reclamation efforts.
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