The sum, which is just over NOK 20.5 billion, comes from a settlement in a lawsuit of 324 different indigenous communities. The money will be placed in an independent, non-commercial fund to “revitalize the education, culture and language of Indigenous peoples and help survivors connect with their cultural heritage,” a press release said.

From the late 1800s until the 1990s, Canadian authorities forcibly sent approximately 150,000 Indigenous children to 139 different boarding schools. They were mainly led by the Catholic Church and ensured that they lost contact with families, language and culture.

Many suffered sexual and physical abuse, and thousands are estimated to have died of disease, malnutrition and general neglect. A government-appointed commission called the system in 2015 “cultural genocide”.

In 2021, hundreds of unmarked graves began to be discovered around former school buildings, bringing the legacy of the system to light. Pope Francis visited Canada last year to apologize for the abuse, a move many survivors saw as a small step in the right direction.

– It has taken far too long for Canada to recognize the genocide they committed and the collective damage residential schools have done to our Indigenous nations. It is time for Canada to not only recognize this, but to change it with us. This colony is a good first step, says indigenous leader Garry Feschuk in a press release.

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