Featured collections
Survivor and witness statements
Over six years more than 7,000 Survivors, relatives and witnesses stepped forward to speak their truth on the subject of residential schools. They voiced their stories in national events, community sharing circles, and private statements. There is courage in these statements; they often refer to the darkest periods in their lives. There is also hope: after all that has happened to Survivors, their relatives and communities, they were still willing share their experiences hopeful that we will learn. This is an unprecedented collection of records. We owe it to those brave enough to share their stories to listen respectfully, to learn, and to never again judge a race, religion, or community unworthy of love and concern.
Expressions of Reconciliation
These materials gifted to the NCTR Archives are dynamic, animated with the spirit of the giver, and they demand engagement and dialogue. They express resistance to authority; they interrogate genocidal events, they are statements of identity and self-determination. Many of these gifts are artworks that offer the perspective of Survivors and relations. As honorary Survivor Patsy George observed, “the justified rage we all feel and share today must be turned into instruments of transformation of our hearts and our souls, clearing the ground for respect, love, honesty, humility, wisdom and truth.” These items are not donations they are gifts, presented in ceremony to the Bentwood Box, the living embodiment of the NCTR. It is a disruption of traditional archives; they represent the expressions of perseverance and hope for a new society.
Red Black and School (RBS) Records
This collection primarily consists of textual documents, with a small amount of photographs and maps. These records cover a number of subjects, such as admissions and dischatges, geneal administration, and buildings and manitenance. They are most often used for research into student enrollment.
TRC Mini-docs
The TRC produced more than 100 mini documentaries, or mini-docs, that recap key moments from the national events and regional hearings conducted by the TRC.
Historical Photographs
Residential school staff introduced photography to many Indigenous communities. It was a technology used to document and control school children’s lives. It became another record of school operations. Teachers and administrators also used photos to create a positive message of the school experience. The photographer was often a staff member; rights or permission for photos were not an issue and never arranged for. The governing institution, the government or church order, usually holds ownership of the photos under Copyright. These copies have been collected and are preserved at the NCTR under direction of the Indian Residential Schools Settlement Agreement.
Contemporary Photographs
These photos document the TRC’s activities holding public events and hearings to record the legacy of residential schools. The TRC held over 200 community events and seven national events during its lifetime. The TRC welcomed Survivors, their relatives and community members to these events. They also held Education Days as part of Regional events where local schools were encouraged to participate in Days of Learning. Over 15,000 students gave presentations, participated in cultural performances and other educational events across the country. Teachers and Tradtional Knowledge Keepers also participated in these events.