As We Continue to Wipe the Tears: Sequels of the First Nation Boarding School System and Issues of Repatriation

Students in the University of Montana’s experimental course, Archaeology, Identity, and Social Justice Practicum put both classroom and theoretical learning into practice by observing and participating in a range of hands-on activities (2022–2023) in preparation for ever-changing cultural heritage fields, which increasingly require professionals to have relationship-building and diplomatic skills, nuanced understandings of tribal sovereignty, and cultural competence. Practicum activities revolved around such “real-world” challenges, including reconciliation and repatriation, to enrich the understanding of social justice issues and to contextualize student projects, including a pop-up exhibit at a Boarding School Symposium that focused on trauma-informed learning. The significance of the practicum demonstrated how heritage collections can help victims of social injustices continue to wipe tears on journeys of emotional healing. In this context, a boarding school survivor’s buckskin dress is a commemoration, having the power to educate, inspire, and cultivate awareness and compassion for the shameful realities of colonial history. Conclusions indicate needs for diligent attention by generations of cultural heritage practitioners who should be equipped with skills needed for reconciliation, relationship-building, grieving, and compassion for the victims of centuries-old human rights violations.