SHI-SHI-ETKO

In Shi-shi-etko, written by Nicola I. Campbell and illustrated by Kim LaFave, a young girl faces this very situation. With just a few days remaining before her forced departure, she moves through her home with mindfulness and gratitude, collecting memories of the land, her family, and their teachings. Campbell’s poetic storytelling and LaFave’s warm illustrations demonstrate the power and resilience found in remembrance.

Shi-shi-etko honours the children and families who struggled to preserve their cultures, lands, memories, and relationships. Between 1831 and 1996, more than 150,000 First Nations, Métis, and Inuit children were forcibly removed from their homes and placed in the Indian Residential School System in Canada.

Across the year and on September 30 in particular—Orange Shirt Day and the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation—we remember the children who never returned, honour Survivors and Intergenerational Survivors, and reflect on the enduring impacts of this system. Although Indian Residential and Day Schools have closed, their legacy of cultural loss, generational trauma, and systemic injustice continues to shape families and communities across Canada.

This StoryWalk is one of many opportunities at MacEwan and beyond to learn about the truths of colonialism. We invite learners to reflect, bear witness, and participate in reconciliation.