Documentary tells story of Delmas residential school fire

“I had heard stories about the burning of 1948 over the years, as my late father was present that night,” he said. “I always had a curiosity.”

Favel decided it would be interesting to look into what actually happened the time of the fire, so he moved ahead and started working on the project last winter.

He previously wrote an article on the topic that appeared in the June 2016 issue of the Indigenous Times publication, so he had already conducted a great deal of research to use for creating the film.

Favel said he was pleased the film was able to be screened at the Montreal festival so more people could learn about the stories and history of the school. The documentary was featured as the opening night film at the Imperial Theatre in downtown Montreal. More recently it was shown at the imagineNATIVE Film Festival on Oct. 24.

Favel said many had never heard of the Delmas residential school, so he hopes the film helps more people learn about this part of Canada’s dark history.

“Ashes and Embers” was made last winter, before there was any discussion or public acknowledgement of unmarked graves at residential schools in Canada.

In the film, Favel said, the creators mentioned briefly the possibility of hidden unmarked graves at residential school sites.

“For us, that was a healing moment, that we could finally talk about this story in all its complexity, and with all the hidden chapters to it,” Favel said.

This film is one of the first to focus on the sensitive topic of unmarked graves, he said.

“Many of our people in the whole Battlefords area went to school there, many of our parents and grandparents,” Favel said.

He said for decades, the history of the residential school system, including the story of Delmas residential school, has been hidden, so he is glad to be able to cast a spotlight on the story.

“If you go by Delmas today, there is absolutely no sign that there was ever a residential school there,” he said. “It’s one of the hidden stories of the North Battleford area.”

In researching information for the film, Favel said he interviewed four other witnesses within Poundmaker Cree Nation and Little Pine First Nation who were present the night of the fire.

“We made this film during the time of the COVID restrictions,” he said. “So we were very limited as to who we could speak to.”

Favel also said he read the book, “Outside, the Women Cried,” by Jack Funk, which is about the removal of Thunderchild and Moosomin reserves from the Delmas area in 1909, about the same time the Delmas residential school was formed.

He also obtained some archival photos, including a picture of the fire itself.

“Our documentary is based on people who were present on Jan. 13, 1948,” he said.

Plans are now to publicly show “Ashes and Embers” in North Battleford sometime in November, when the details have been decided.

Favel said he would like to see the site of the former residential school at Delmas receive a provincial or national historical designation/marker, so people do not forget the past.

“It’s an important part of Saskatchewan history that school, and what happened that night it burned,” he said. “It’s an interesting history I would say.”

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Angela.Brown@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @battlefordsnow

by Angela Brown

Documentary tells story of Delmas residential school fire

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