Old Sun Chapel

This computer reconstruction approximates how the chapel at Old Sun would have appeared at Old Sun Indian Residential School. It was created using historic photos as well as descriptions provided by former students.

“We instill within them a pronounced distaste of the Indian way of life so that they will be humiliated when reminded of their origin. When they graduate from our institutions, the children have lost everything except their Native blood”. – Bishop Vital Grandin, 1875

3D Computer Reconstruction of Old Sun’s Chapel

Angie Ayoungman (front) and Gwendora Bear Chief (back) point out changes to be made to the virtual reconstruction. October 2021.

Computer science researcher Dr. Katayoon Etemad used historic photographs and survivors accounts to recreate the appearance of the chapel during the 1960’s. Etemad would provide members of the Old Sun Advisory Group with different versions of the model. Members would then suggest changes and send the model back to Etemad for revisions. This “back and forth” process eventually resulted in a closer approximation of how the chapel would have looked to staff and students.

The Prevalence of Religion at Indian Residential Schools

Residential School Survivors describe being indoctrinated with religion, being punished for speaking their language, and being mocked for practicing their culture. Felix Mukego who attended BQ IRS explained: “they try to indoctrinate you with religion. Pound in you a fear of God or whatever God is supposed to be. Made you pray maybe 7 times a day. Made you go to church every morning, whether you like it or not. On your hands and knees. On a cold cement floor to say your Catholic prayers” (Muskego, 2014).

This image gallery shows historic and modern photos of Old Sun College's library. Click on photos to expand and read their captions. If you have photos of that you would like to submit to this archive, please contact us at irsdocumentationproject@gmail.com.

Chapel of Old Sun ca. 1952. Shingwauk Residential Schools Centre, Algoma University

Canon Gibbon Stocken conducting service at Old Sun School. - [ca. 1949]. P75-103-S7-198 from The General Synod Archives, Anglican Church of Canada

Chapel interior, Old Sun Residential School. 1955-1957. NA-4817-65. Courtesy of Glenbow Archives .

Choir at Christmas, Old Sun School. Nativity scene in foreground. Possibly in the chapel. 1955-1957. NA-4817-28. Courtesy of Glenbow Archives .

Mrs. Water Chief (right) and Mrs. Gunny Crow (left) on the steps of Old Sun after leaving church held in the school chapel. 1955-1957. NA-4817-66. Courtesy of Glenbow Archives .

Women and children leaving Old Sun after church in the chapel. Despite community members attending services held in the Old Sun chapel, students were not allowed to speak with them. 1955-1957. NA-4817-67. Courtesy of Glenbow Archives .

Students in the chapel of Old Sun during the filming of a documentary, ca. 1952. Photo Source: Shingwauk Residential Schools Centre, Algoma University

Siksika community members in the chapel of Old Sun during the filming of a documentary, ca. 1952. Photo Source: Shingwauk Residential Schools Centre, Algoma University

Community members in chapel during filming of a movie. 1952. Shingwauk Residential Schools Centre, Algoma University.

Staff in chapel during filming of a movie. 1952. Shingwauk Residential Schools Centre, Algoma University.

Students outside standing in front of the school chapel. 1950s. Shingwauk Residential Schools Centre, Algoma University

Old Sun chapel 1952. Shingwauk Residential Schools Centre, Algoma University

Canon Gibbon Stocken and Chief Paul Little Walker at the front of Old Sun chapel [ca. 1949]. P75-103-S7-197 from The General Synod Archives, Anglican Church of Canada

Rita Jane Many Guns- I was Terrified of Her and I was Scared

I am Monoot’taki, Rita Many Guns. First of all, I just want to share when I first went to residential school, I didn’t know a word of English. And I used to be so scared to talk when the supervisors were around. I.. I never, I never spoke or said anything when they’re around cause if you get caught speaking your language you get into trouble, so it took a long time to for me to start learning to speak English.

Where I was taught, I was in Miss King’s classroom and there, that too… it’s from when I couldn’t speak English, we were being taught to say the colors and I couldn’t say yellow. “Yiyo” was what I said. Somehow, she, Miss King, I don’t know she noticed me, that I couldn’t pronounce yellow. She came my right to my desk telling me to say yellow but I couldn’t say it all I couldn’t say “umm”… [pause, speaker emotional].

I tried really hard to say yellow but I think because I was scared, I couldn’t say it. It seemed it just got worse. And I don’t know she must’ve been frustrated, or I don’t know. She started shaking me. And of course, I was terrified of her and I was scared, [pause, speaker emotional]. And I hated to go class and when I entered into Miss King’s classroom, I knew what was going to happen. That one day I think she was so frustrated with me because I couldn’t say she made me get up in front of the class to try say yellow but it just made it worse [pause, speaker emotional].

– Monoot’taki, Rita Jane Many Guns

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Notes:

Oral interview with Monoot’taki, Rita Jane Many Guns. Conducted, translated, and transcribed by Gwendora Bear Chief. Old Sun Community College, May 6, 2022.