Johnny Kiyawasew passed away at the age of 11 in a small hospital in northern Alberta in 1943, far from his family in Sturgeon Lake Cree Nation. He was sent to St. Francis Xavier Residential School in Calais, Alta., where he never returned, and it took many years for his siblings to learn the fate that befell him.
Robert Kiyawasew, Johnny’s younger brother, expressed disappointment that their father was never informed about Johnny’s passing and that a death certificate was issued without his knowledge. After a prolonged search, Johnny’s gravesite was eventually discovered in 2013 with the help of a private investigator.
Johnny’s death, attributed to pulmonary tuberculosis according to official records, occurred in a hospital in High Prairie, where he was laid to rest, a considerable distance from the residential school. Presently, the Sturgeon Lake Cree Nation and the University of Alberta are engaged in comprehensive research to reveal the stories of children like Johnny and numerous relatives who attended residential schools but never returned home.
The Chief of Sturgeon Lake Cree Nation, Sheldon Sunshine, highlighted research findings indicating that many children at St. Francis Xavier succumbed to tuberculosis and malnutrition. He emphasized the human aspect of the data, underscoring the tragic experiences endured by Indigenous children due to poor living conditions at the school.
Robert Kiyawasew expressed gratitude that his sister located Johnny’s grave before her passing and now visits it regularly. As a survivor of a day school himself, Robert shared the challenges faced by his siblings at St. Francis Xavier and the punitive measures taken against them for speaking their native language.
The difficulty in accessing accurate records from residential schools was addressed by Raymond Frogner, emphasizing the disorganization and inconsistencies in the documentation maintained by different entities. Sunshine also highlighted the challenges faced by researchers in obtaining pertinent documents from church officials, hindering the investigation into the fate of missing students.
Despite these obstacles, the Sturgeon Lake Cree Nation remains committed to uncovering the stories of children like Johnny who never returned from residential schools. Sunshine stressed the importance of finding closure for families and addressing intergenerational trauma by piecing together the histories of these lost children.