Falon Crosby's message scripted in Snuneymuxw First Nation's traditional Hul'q'umin'um language translates to 'Sacred children.' (Ian Holmes/NanaimoNewsNOW)

By Ian Holmes

Important gathering

Orange hearts decorate VIU campus on National Indigenous Peoples Day

Jun 21, 2021 | 3:33 PM

NANAIMO — A renowned First Nations Elder addressed VIU students more than 50 years after having a life-changing moment at Nanaimo’s old Malaspina College campus.

Barney Williams, 81,spoke at a National Indigenous Peoples Day gathering at VIU’s Nanaimo campus on Monday, June 21 where a growing collection of wooden orange hearts were written on and displayed outside the Student Affairs building off Fourth St.

Williams, who spent 13 years in residential school including at the Kamloops Indian Residential School, said his life-changing moment happened when he was an angry young person gripped with addiction and a lack of self confidence after being heavily abused in school.

By 28 he’d escaped substance abuse and was on a tour of the Malaspina College campus when an instructor’s simple but powerful words of encouragement changed his life.

“She could see I was really afraid, that I was thinking I couldn’t do it, and she said to me ‘Barney, you’re capable.’ I had never heard that, it was something that no one had ever said to me,” Williams said, who was accepted into Malaspina College.

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Williams, widely known as Uncle Barney, is a VIU Elder following his nearly 30 year career as a social worker, earning his degree from UVIC and learning specialized trauma training.

“There was not an understanding of residential schools, and I knew, I had this feeling, I was taking all of this training – there was something else I needed to learn.”

Williams said the discovery of what’s believed to be the remains of 215 children buried at his former high school devastated him and other residential school survivors he’s connected with.

While speaking about his own residential school abuse can be painful, Williams appreciates opportunities to share his story to students one year after a severe heart attack.

“My work’s not done yet.”

He said it’s important to provide context to the intergenerational trauma First Nations people deal with and for society as a whole to be educated in what transpired at residential schools.

Monday’s event was hosted by VIU’s Indigenous Education and Engagement department.

With traditional drumming echoing in the background, department director Sharon Hobenshield said people of all backgrounds wanted to come together in the wake of the discovery in Kamloops.

“I have been contacted by many colleagues and friends who are really struggling and really wanted to do something…Just creating this space for people to come and hear from our Elder and survivor, to share and educate while people are so keen to learn is so important,” Hobenshield said.

Hobenshield said hopefully 215 hearts created in collaboration with VIU campuses in Duncan and Powell River will eventually be featured in a public monument of some form.

Monday’s event was held outdoors in separate morning and afternoon sessions to comply with COVID-19 public health rules.

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ian@nanaimonewsnow.com

On Twitter: @reporterholmes