Indian Residential School by Alex Janvier

“Indian Residential School”
Alex Janvier
Acrylic on canvas, painted 2007
72 in x 48 in

Indian Residential School is a painting by Alex Janvier that was commissioned for the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. Of Dene Suline and Saulteaux descent, Alex Janvier is the recipient of the 2008 Governor General’s Award in Visual and Media Arts. He provided the following description of the painting.

This painting is about my years (1943-1953) at Blue Quills Indian Residential School, near St. Paul, Alberta.

The doorway to the school is laid with a bed of roses, promises of a wonderful change. It didn’t take long to realize the school was not providing what our parents thought we were to get by attending this establishment. Immediately upon arrival there were nuns all over the place and two or three priests. The world changed more and more. Everyone and anyone was shaved bald-headed, thrown into hot showers, and were bent over to inspect our rear-ends. On the way out our heads were oiled with some solution, then known as lice oil. Then there were new clothes and we looked exactly the same. We were also given numbers. My first number was seventy-two.

A large “x” is painted across the school. A bed of roses led to the school doorway. There are boys and girls crying at the top windows. Crying out of fear and loneliness. Never knowing what is coming next.
It was to be the same on a daily basis. There was absolute routine and strict obedience. Straps and whips were common practice. Understood or not, the whip was final.

Living at the school involved praying several times a day.

In the top background is God of most kids’ understanding, our version of Creator tribally.

An angel is taking a child’s spirit to Our Creator. When a child died, they were sent home in a small casket and accompanied by a note to the parents. Hand-written words read, “Your child died like an angel.”

The children who lived on to become adults have failed to grow-up in a natural way, depleted of personal and tribal culture. Our mother tongue was forbidden to be used. Only English was spoken, mixed with French. There are many, many stories that have never been told. All who did not speak up carried their silence to their graves.

Only the survivors are the ones who live to tell about this saga of greater harm than good. The rest are in early graveyards. But the painting depicts an angel bringing the young soul back home to God.

All is sad but true, as I recall those days. Those who lived have scars forever into eternity, the silenced ones. In spite of all, many of us survived; to live on in the best way that we could live.

In those days and even today “Our Creator” looked after us all. For that, I am grateful just to be alive – to be alive and tell about it.

Alex Janvier, CM, RCA
August 20, 2008