About sellars life
Which First Nation is Bev Sellars from?
Xat'sull ( Soda Creek ) First Nation
When was her second child, Scott Matt, born?
May 13, 1975
Main goals of residential schools
assimilation and to erasure of Indigenous culture
What did Bev Sellars do that helped her start her healing process from residential school trauma?
She began her healing by writing about her experiences in They Called Me Number One and attending healing workshops for residential school survivors
Who is Mary Sellars
Bev Sellars grandmother
What were the main challenges Bev Sellars faced at the residential school?
She faced isolation, language suppression, and loss of cultural identity, which left emotional scars and confusion.
When did Bill and her meet for the first time?
June 1990
what are the mistreatments towards students in the residential school?
Physical abuse and emotional abuse
What helped Bev understand that her trauma was not her fault?
Attending healing workshops and hearing other survivors stories helped her realize the abuse she experienced was part of a system and not her fault.
why did her grandmother have a strong disapproval of alcohol?
It had harmful effects on Indigenous communities, for example it leads to addiction, violence and family breakdowns
How old was Bev Sellars when she went to the missionary residential school?
Bev Sellars was seven years old when she was sent to the St. Joseph Mission.
When did Dayton Mack fell into the Fraser River and his body was never found?
August 2005
what are the consequences of the emotional distance between Bev and her mother caused by the residential school
Bev inherited intergenerational trauma beacause her mother had emotional damage caused by the residential school system. She struggles to show affection towards her kids and that trauma had shaped how Bev Sellars coped with the world
How did sharing her story publicly contribute to Bev's healing?
Sharing her story helped Bev confront the past, break the silence, and empower others who experienced similar trauma to speak out.
what deeply affected Bev Sellars family?
Residential school affected her family, both emotionally and culturally.
what university did Bev attend as part of her journey in law and advocacy?
University of Victoria
When did she go to Vancouver for the first time?
Summer of 1967
At the Saint-Joseph Mission, her mother described her experience at her dorm, what was it like?
She had to sleep on a mattress full of straws in flour bags and it was also very cold at night
What action did Bev take to reclaim control over her life and identity after years of trauma?
She pursued higher education and became chief of the Xat'sull ( Soda Creek) First Nation , advocating for her people.
Bev Sellars mother had struggles caused by trauma from residential school, what was it?
The trauma led to struggles with parenting and emotional expression.
What does "Number One" stand for?
At the residential school, Bellav Sellars was assigned this number instead of her name, symbolizing the attempt to erase her identity.
When was her first time working at Wild Wood Elementary school?
September 1976
What did the priest and nuns do to the kids?
The students had to kneel to pray but it was difficult because the floor was hard that made Sellars knees and the others sore. If it was not respected, they would get punished. They also had to force the kids to give up their traditions and culture into a Catholic.
In They Called Me Number One, Bev reflects on the long- term psychological impacts of residential school. How does she describe the way these impacts affected her parenting, and what steps did she take to consciously break the cycle?
Made it difficult for her to show affection to her children. However , she recognized these patterns and took steps toward healing by seeking counseling, attending healings circles, and making intentional efforts to parent differently than her own mother.
What role did shame and trauma play in the loss of cultural identity within Indigenous community?
Shame: Residential school was forcing them to abandon their languages and cultural practices. This led to shame of their Indigenous heritage and attempted to distance themselves from it to avoid further discrimination.
Trauma: The forced removal of their native language caused disconnection from their communities and heritage.