LIIDLII KUE/FORT SIMPSON
Laughter was used as the best medicine during a recent event that acknowledged the two residential school hostels that were once in Fort Simpson.

Comedian Howie Miller entertains the crowds at a residential school commemorative event that Liidlii Kue First Nation held in Fort Simpson March 26. - Roxanna Thompson/NNSL photo

Liidlii Kue First Nation (LKFN) held a community feast, comic show and drum dance March 26 as part of a Canada-wide initiative by the Assembly of First Nations and the Aboriginal Healing Foundation. LKFN received a grant to participate in the National Commemorative Marker Project.

The project's goal is to assist communities who want to put commemorative markers on the sites of the 139 former residential schools that are recognized by the Indian Residential School Settlement Agreement.

As part of the project, participating groups are encouraged to hold a commemorative community event.

LKFN decided to take a less typical approach and hold a light-hearted event to recognize Bompas Hall and Lapointe Hall.

"Everything is so serious when it comes to residential stuff," said Liza McPherson, the band's executive director.

"I wanted to bring some humour."

The First Nation wanted to include an aboriginal comedian and hired Howie Miller, who did a show after the community feast.

"I think a lot of people really enjoyed it," McPherson said.

"Humor does a lot of healing I find."

Approximately 120 people came to the event. The hope was that some former residential school students would attend and there were some in the audience, McPherson said.

Bompas and Lapointe Halls housed children from across the NWT and what is now Nunavut including Fort Smith, Hay River, Fort Providence and Cambridge Bay.

"There was quite a cross section of students that came into the community," she said.

So far, there are no formal plans for what LKFN will do with the commemorative markers.

McPherson said it's expected that input will be gathered from former students about what they would like done with the markers or where they should be placed.

The community event in Fort Simpson started off with a feast that approximately 30 volunteers helped to cook. LKFN staff and volunteers served the food.

The whitefish and moose meat were among the first to go, said McPherson.

After Miller's performance there was a drum dance with six drummers that lasted for about an hour and a half in the community hall.