Hay River Reserve (May 26/03) - For the first time, residential school survivors on the Hay River Reserve recently got together for a workshop to talk about their shared experiences.

"This is the first of its kind for the Hay River Dene Reserve," said Norman Yakeleya, the health manager with the Dene Nation, which sponsored the workshop along with K'atlodeeche First Nation.

The two-day Residential School Awareness and Sensitivity Workshop was held May 8 & 9. It attracted 28 participants, most of whom had experienced the childhood trauma of being taken from their parents and sent to residential schools.

Margaret Bouvier, one of the participants, said the workshop was a very healthy experience for the reserve and for herself personally.

Bouvier said people talked about deeply personal issues, and it brought back a lot of unpleasant memories for her. "Actually, I felt nauseated."

The workshop was very emotional for many people, she added. "I'm hoping and I'm praying that this is a start for people to deal with our issues and hurt."

Bouvier, 47, recalls her experience in residential school in Fort Simpson for a number of reasons - the strictness of the nuns, being taken away from her family at a young age, the unfamiliar food and Christian Brothers leering at the children.

She recalled one instance of nuns forcing her to eat a big bowl of cheese. "Today, you couldn't make me eat cheese."

Yakeleya, who attended residential school himself, says it is common for people at such workshops to "wake up" old memories and emotional experiences. Afterwards, some have trouble sleeping or eating.

The subtitle of the workshop was 'What was your number?' Yakeleya explained many boys and some girls were given numbers in residential schools. "When nuns and priests spoke to us, they would use your number."

The workshop focused on what happened to children at residential schools.

"It's part of the healing process," Yakeleya explained, noting it was the first time some of the participants talked about their experiences.

"At the end of the workshop, what we heard was that people were grateful the issue of residential schools is being dealt with on the reserve," he added.

Yakeleya said there may be another workshop in the future on how to heal the effects of the residential school system, which can range from alcohol and drug abuse to emotional and relationship problems.