RESIDENTIAL SCHOOL SURVIVORS: NOEL AND RITA SMITH

(Updated Feb. 11/16 at 12: 06 PM)

While pointing out how her family wove baskets, Lorraine Smith-Collins of Glooscap First Nation, related her recent family history at the January meeting of the Hantsport And Area Historical Society.

Lorraine Smith-Collins.

Traditional regalia worn for ceremonial occasions. (Note: Long feathered headdresses were favoured
 by the Plains nations and featured in Hollywood movies. )

Noel and Rita Smith, Lorraine's parents, were compelled to attend the Shubenacadie Residential School. The biggest loss they felt was being forbidden to speak the their language.

During WW II, Noel served in the Canadian Army driving supplies to troops in France, Germany, and Belgium. After the war, he supported his family in the traditional family craft - weaving and selling baskets. He and Rita had three boys and six girls.

Weaving and selling baskets: a family business.

According to the Indian Act, agents rounded up children and placed them in Residential Schools. In 1958, Rita refused to allow her last three children to be taken from her. She asked Hantsport School to enroll the children. After Principal Alister Clark enrolled them, Rita with two sisters attended the school.  

Years later Lorraine learned that her schoolmates thought the Smith family was wealthy because the girls came to school in a taxi. It was, however, a matter of federal and provincial regulations.

Making baskets was a family business for the daughters. Lorraine recalled that she was allowed to go to town only after she had worked on the baskets.

The family sold baskets in the Hantsport area and in Halifax. Today Lorraine is often able to identify who made which basket.

Fabulous!

Nesting baskets. 

A jewel.

Some of the tools used in basket-making.

Noel and Rita, however, did not want their children to make baskets to support themselves. They were determined that the children get an education. As a result of this emphasis on education,  Lorraine taught at Eskasoni and worked as well for the NS Department of Education for 13 years.

Rita was a determined woman. She was instrumental in the formation of the Horton Reserve. Cambridge Reserve was originally made up of three pieces of land - Cambridge, Bishopville, and Panuke. She lobbied the Federal Government to break away from Cambridge Reserve and create a separate reserve known as Horton Reserve.

Only the land in Bishopville became Horton Reserve in 1984, under the leadership of Chief Rita Smith and Council. Rita was Chief from 1984-1989. Horton Reserve changed its name to Glooscap First Nation under a later Chief and Council.

The Panuke land remains to this day a part of Cambridge Reserve, now known as Annapolis Valley First Nation. Panuke was not and is not co-managed. It falls under the governance of Annapolis Valley First Nation.

Although Noel and Rita and others at the Residential School were denied access to their language, today Mi'kmaq is being taught at the Glooscap hall.