Witness Blanket stands as monument to residential school survivors

A monument to residential school survivors will be on display at the University of Regina’s RIC Atrium until Feb. 27. The Witness Blanket, created by BC Kwagiulth†artist Carey Newman, whose father is residential school survivor, is a wood-based art installation incorporating more than 800 items connected to residential school experiences across Canada. “The Witness Blanket serves as a living testament to the survivors of residential schooling – and more importantly to those young people who never made it home again from this state-sanctioned required experience,” said Dr. Shauneen Pete, associate professor and executive lead on Indigenization at the U of R. One of the artifacts included on the blanket was donated by Dr. Blair Stonechild, professor of Indigenous studies at First Nations University of Canada and residential school student at Lebret. “But you look at things like door knobs there, signs and different pieces of buildings. It makes me think of the facility itself which was a giant red brick structure. It makes me think of the fences, the discipline, the regiment and all that type of thing,” said Stonechild.