Sen. Murkowski, Native communities react to Catholic Church’s apology for involvement in Indian boarding schools

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (KTUU) - The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops recently issued a formal apology to Indigenous people for the church’s involvement with Indian boarding schools and the trauma inflicted.

According to the Associated Press, a “first-of-its-kind federal study” of Native American boarding schools identified more than 500 student deaths at the institutions but expected to grow as research continues.

On Tuesday, U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski along with a member of the Alaska Native Heritage Center, said the Catholic Church’s apology is a good first step, but more may be needed.

Ben Jacuk of the Alaska Native Heritage Center says his grandfather attended an Indian boarding school, and he does not like to talk about what he experienced at the school.

“That’s a very common thing. Because there is that fear of passing things on to the next generation,” Jacuk said.

In Indian boarding schools, assimilation was forced upon Indigenous children — forcing them to abandon their traditional languages, dress and customs, Jacuk said.

Taking that into context, he says he appreciates the apology, but says “repentance in action” is the next step.

“Giving land back to these communities that had been taken for things like resource extraction throughout the entirety of the boarding school era,” Jacuk said.

On Tuesday, Murkowski also commended the Catholic Church for issuing a formal apology.

“While it may not be the end all and be all, in terms of how those who have suffered greatly over the years, it is the beginning of a path towards healing,” Murkowski said.

As far as healing, Murkowski says the Indian Affairs Committee in the Senate is working to advance legislation that would provide for a truth and healing commission on Indian boarding schools.

“Address some of the abuses and some of the wrongs that had historically been directed towards Indigenous peoples,” Murkowski said.

Murkowski didn’t go into detail if reparations would be considered by the committee, but Jacuk agrees with the senator that healing is needed. At the Native Heritage Center, he is putting together a research project on Indian boarding schools in Alaska.

“Something my grandfather always said is the only way that you can be able to know what healing looks like — and to eventually heal — is to know what you need healing from,” Jacuk said.

In opposition to the apology, Lauren Peters, who is an enrolled member of the Aleut Community of Saint Paul Island, said in an email her first reaction is that the language in the apology is too soft, and there is “no talk of restitution.”

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