Camosun College Builds Multi-User VR Space for Witness Blanket
New collaborative virtual reality tools let Indigenous Elders and survivors guide shared journeys through the digital memorial.
Camosun Innovates has partnered with Indigenous artist Carey Newman and the Canadian Museum for Human Rights (CMHR) to develop a multi-user virtual reality environment for the Virtual Reality Witness Blanket, transforming a solo experience into a shared space for reflection and dialogue.
New Tools for Shared Experience
The project introduces two key enhancements: a multi-user interface allowing simultaneous interaction among participants, and a narrative designer tool enabling Elders, survivors, and educators to create customized guided pathways and audio narratives through the digital installation.
This shift from individual to collaborative VR marks a significant evolution in how audiences engage with the Witness Blanket, a national monument recognizing the atrocities of the Indian Residential School era and symbolizing reconciliation.
"It's exciting to work with this new technology to engage audiences with the history and legacy of residential schools in a new way, while supporting meaningful dialogue and continuing education," Newman said in a statement reported by VIC News.
A Living Memorial
The Witness Blanket comprises over 800 items from 77 communities, including fragments from former residential school sites. The physical artwork was first displayed at the CMHR in 2015 and has since traveled to museums and schools across Canada.
The VR version extends public access to survivor stories and provides a healing tool for communities unable to visit the physical installation. The experience incorporates sounds of culture and language collected from Indigenous community members, adding an auditory layer to the visual memorial.
Richard Gale, Director of Camosun Innovates, said the project "will break new ground in the world of Virtual/Extended Reality technologies while expanding the impact of this Indigenous artwork on communities and individuals around the world," according to Camosun College.
Indigenous-Led Storytelling
The narrative designer tool represents more than a technical upgrade—it shifts agency to Indigenous Elders and survivors, allowing them to curate the educational journey and ensure storytelling remains Indigenous-led. This approach aligns with broader efforts to center Indigenous voices in reconciliation work and digital heritage projects.
By enabling groups to experience the artwork together in virtual space, the project fosters shared reflection and dialogue that mirrors the communal nature of healing and remembrance in Indigenous traditions.
The Digital Witness Blanket was developed as a collaborative effort involving Media One and Animikii Indigenous Technology in addition to Camosun College and CMHR, according to Animikii's case study of the project.