Uncovering a Dark History
“They called it a school. But what kind of school has a graveyard?”
Long after the Kuper Island Residential School was torn down, the survivors are still haunted by what happened there. In an eight-part series, investigative journalist exposes buried police investigations, confronts perpetrators of abuse and witnesses a community trying to rebuild on top of the old school’s ruins and the unmarked graves of Indigenous children.
MDuncan McCue cCue, along with a dedicated production team including Martha Troian and Jodie Martinson, diligently worked on the Kuper Island podcast series since last August, taking time to develop relationships and to get to know the people of Kuper Island and their stories.
The first episode aired on May 17, and SAY Magazine was honoured to speak with McCue on launch day. “It’s been a project that we’ve been working on for almost a year now. I feel a huge responsibility to the people of Kuper Island, and the survivors, to do justice to their story,” said McCue.
All Canadians, and Indigenous Peoples, will remember last summer and the disturbing news that first started with Kamloops Residential School and the 215 unmarked graves found there.
“It just seemed like community after community was announcing that there were also unmarked graves at former residential school sites across this country. When Penelakut announced there were unmarked graves in their community as well, it caught my attention,” said McCue.
McCue has been a reporter in British Columbia for nearly 20 years, covering residential school stories for many years. He had heard a lot of really horrible things about the Kuper Island school. “It was a school where, in the first 30 years of its existence, nearly 40% of the children died,” he explained. “It was a school that survivors refer to as Alcatraz. So, for me, it was something we needed to look into.”
A very candid conversation with the former Chief of Penelakut revealed that the community had been dealing with spiritual unrest ever since the school was torn down in the early ’80s. “She [the former Chief] told me how the spirits of children had been reaching out to community members, literally touching them, peering in windows, crying, sometimes laughing, but she described it as the anguish of these children’s spirits,” said McCue. “Once she told me that story, I just thought this is something that Canadians need to know, and I think our Indigenous listeners will appreciate us exploring that spiritual side.”
The series specifically shares the stories of three children who survived the Kuper Island Residential School: Tony, James and Belvie. “It takes great courage to share their stories—to break the silence,” explained McCue. “It’s triggering and traumatizing for survivors to go back into that space and time. They spent many, many years trying to forget that experience and erase it from their minds.”
In doing this podcast series, the team recognized how difficult it would be for the survivors they were speaking with. “We were there to do an investigation about the number of deaths that
happened as well as the high rate of sexual abuse that occurred at Kuper Island School,” said McCue. “We did our best to be as transparent as possible and to make sure that the people we spoke with were cared for and had people to support them when they were sharing these stories.” The team also worked hard to make sure they took care of themselves when they heard these stories. “Vicarious trauma is real and we’ve heard some dark stories, and listeners are going to experience some of that as well,” explained McCue.
It’s no secret that these children were neglected in life, but even more troubling is that they were neglected in death as well. “That’s why the trauma has been so painful from last summer. It resurfaced that pain, certainly for survivors, but also for the families who don’t know how the children in their family died or where they’re buried. The deaths of children at residential schools are not just things of the past. It’s not just black and white archival photos from Canada’s history— these deaths have rippled through generations and continue to impact our Indigenous families today.”
I have a great deal of respect for the survivors who’ve shared their stories with us, and I hope that listeners appreciate the courage it takes for them to come forward and share their histories and truths.
Penelakut has been on the ground doing penetrating radar work for the past eight years. They were doing this long before it was in the headlines. “The lesson from Penelakut is that it is painful. It takes time to do this in a good way, and I hope that other communities will draw strength from Penelakut,” said McCue.
“These were children with names and hopes and dreams. This is something
Down-to-earth and hardworking, CreeMétis singer-songwriter Don Amero does not accept mediocrity as the norm. His steady, driving country beats and twang, intriguing and thoughtful lyrics, and flawlessly rich vocals have propelled him to the top of the charts, earning him multiple nominations each year, including the Manitoba Country Music Association (MCMA) Awards in 2021 where he not only hosted but took home three awards.
Tirelessly touring, performing and speaking across Canada for the last 10 years has been an opportunity to share his passion for music, reconciliation and inclusion. Beyond his considerable country music success, he has used his skills for advocacy work within many Indigenous communities. Amero has been a youth mentor for the Winnipeg Jets and has created the ‘Music Is Medicine’ workshop to help people heal both mentally and physically through the power of music. Now, as the first advisor and chair of the Canadian Country Music Association (CCMA) Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Committee, he is destined to leave change in his wake.
Amero’s latest EP Nothing is Meaningless is a joy to listen to and has sent talk show hosts scrambling to include him on their broadcasts, precipitating appearances on various shows such as The Marilyn Denis Show, ET Canada, Etalk, Your Morning, and the CCMA Awards National Broadcast. The singles “My Poor Mama” with its country twang and exquisite storytelling, and the duet featuring Raquel Cole “Let You” are leaving their mark on Canadian country radio everywhere.
Amero is a sparkling example of wise choices along a dark and difficult path. Choosing music and hard work has made him who he is today: an inspiration to heal, persevere and give back to the community.