Before the Indian Act most of the young members of the First Nations followed the traditions and beliefs of previous generations, however, this changed with the introduction of Residential schools through the Indian Act. By 1948, there were 78 schools operating with nearly 10,000 students enrolled. This education network was established by the government but was controlled by the Catholic, Anglican and Presbyterian churches. The objective of this school system was to teach young aboriginals how to integrate themselves into the “normal” Canadian life. In other words, this whole system was a major cultural genocide. Many Native children were taken by forced from their families and were submitted for a long time into residential schools. It was
The Indian children were also being taken away from their home. I did some research and found an article titled, “Assimilation, Relocation, Genocide”. In this article, it mentions how the Indians were given three choices, which really weren’t choices. The three choices given were assimilation, relocation, and genocide. As you have seen from the horrors of slaughtering
The perception was that Native American adults had a limited ability to learn new skills and concepts. Later in the report, it is expressed that children learn little at day school, causing their “tastes to be fashioned at home, and [their] inherited aversion to toil is in no way combated. ”11 Davin recommended that similar industrial boarding schools should be built in Canada, which would attempt to assimilate Native children into the European culture.12 Nicholas Flood Davin’s research and advances about the industrial schools in America, was important in the creation and developing of the Residential school system in
In and of itself, residential schools have damaged Indigenous culture and ways of life; they forcibly altered Indigenous lifestyles and have long-lasting adverse effects on Indigenous communities and individuals alike. Cultural genocide originates
"One of the most damaging consequences of residential schools has been that so many Survivors, their families, and whole communities have lost the connection to their own cultures, languages, and laws. on page forty-six, the author mentions, "The opportunity to learn, understand, and practise the laws of their ancestors as part of their heritage and birthright was taken away." The law significantly impacted Indigenous people, making it more difficult for them to accept reconciliation. The laws protected people from their wrongdoing and stripped away Indigenous laws. As the author stated on page forty-eight, "Decisions not to charge or prosecute abusers allowed people to escape the harmful consequences of their actions.
government started to civilize them and moved to control all aspects of their lives through passing the Indian Act and residential schools. According to Carole Blackburn “although assimilation was the stated goal, in actuality, the Indian Act facilitated the ongoing supervision of aboriginal people as a racially segregated population, marking their externality from the nation and separation from the rights and duties of Canadian citizenship” ( ). Therefore, biology has been used as an ideology to maintain capitalism and used to determine society behavior. In the other words, prejudice, discrimination and racism become the reason that they occupied the subordinate position in the political, economical and ideological relations of Canadian’s society.
Imagine being ripped apart from family members, culture, tradition, and labelled a savage that needs to be educated. Imagine constantly facing punishment at school for being one’s self. Unfortunately, these events were faced head on for many First Nations people living in Canada in the late 20th century. These First Nations people were the victims of an extensive school system set up by the government to eradicate Aboriginal culture across Canada and to assimilate them into what was considered a mainstream society.
These negative effects were further amplified with residential schools in which they were not allowed to practice their tradition and were forcefully assimilated into the “western” ways. Boarding schools were run by the new white government and forcibly taught Haudenosaunee boys agriculture and manual trades, while Haudenosaunee girls were taught domestic skills. Since residential schools targeted younger generations, it made the Haudenosaunee’s traditional
"As a result of colonialism, Aboriginal people have suffered from devastating effects of historical and cultural genocide and intergenerational trauma. In Canada, Aboriginal people experience a disproportionately higher amount of mental health issues compared to other groups" (Bowden, Caine & Yohani, 2017, p. 41). Residential schools were built to vanish their indigenous culture. It is the main root of
Indian Boarding schools were created in the 1800s to “Kill the Indian, Save the Man.” They achieved this by transforming the natives looks, culture, language, and teaching them a certain way so they would be able to function in a “european society”. Indian boarding schools taught students both academic and “real world” skills, but they did so while ripping the indians from their culture. Most indian boarding schools were the same with their tactics in transforming the native man into a white one.
Over the past few decades, there has been many distinct perspectives and conflicts surrounding the historical context between the Indigenous peoples in Canada and the Canadian Government. In source one, the author P.J Anderson is trying to convey that the absolute goal of the Indian Residential School system in Canada has been to assimilate the Indian nation and provide them with guidance to “ forget their Indian habits”, and become educated of the “ arts of civilized life”, in order to help them integrate into society and “become one” with their “White brethren”. It is clearly evident throughout the source that the author is supportive of the Indian residential school system and strongly believes that the Indian residential School System
Nicholas Martinez Professor Weber HIS-102 12 May 2023 Native American Boarding Schools: Past Trauma and Ongoing Legacy Native American Boarding Schools are a bleak and dark chapter in the history of the United States, often being overlooked or disregarded. The federal government created these schools in the late 19th century to assimilate Native American children into white American culture. In doing so, Native Americans were forced to adopt Christianity, speak English, and abandon their traditional ways of life. The boarding schools were seen as a means of civilizing the “savage” Native Americans and eradicating their cultural heritage.
Often times the schools that the children were assigned to could be 800+ miles from their homes and family. By the 1900s almost all of our native children were taken away from our families
The TRC’s “The History” author appeals to logos through the use quantitative findings. The use of logical evidence from the collection of testimonials made by former residential school students is an effective way to aid the persuasion of a reader. Throughout “The History”, the author describes the memories of known First Nations peoples Frederic Ernest Koe, Marlene Kayseas, Lily Bruce and many others. In addition, the author quotes Vitaline Elsie Jenner’s use of ‘kaya nakasin’ (TRC, 2015, p.38) in describing her experience with residential school. The author’s example that contains the use native language reaffirms his credibility and detailed knowledge of the
Critical Summary #3: First Nations Perspectives In Chapter eight of Byron Williston’s Environmental Ethics for Canadians First Nation’s perspectives are explored. The case study titled “Language, Land and the Residential Schools” begins by speaking of a public apology from former Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper. He apologizes for the treatment of “Indians” in “Indian Residential Schools”. He highlights the initial agenda of these schools as he says that the “school system [was] to remove and isolate [Aboriginal] children from the influence of their homes, families, traditions and cultures, and to assimilate them[…]” (Williston 244).
Neither were the parents allowed to visit their children so the time the kids were finally able to go back with their family they started to become practically like strangers to each other because they knew very little about each other especially since many of the children were younger and had spent most of their lives in these school. The lack of communication between the Native American parents and children was another reason many parents weren’t aware of the trauma the kids were suffering in the homes. The kids were so affected they remember that even at night when they were left alone to sleep they were all so quiet and no one talked about what was happening to them. The native children didn’t have normal childhoods they didn’t play or interact with each other this alone shows how affected they were with the boarding