I explored the CBC Digital Archives collection on A Lost Heritage: Canada's Residential Schools. I watched videos and listened to radio clips and learned that native children were taken from there homes to study English at residential schools (this includes native orphans). They were to be prepared to integrate in a white society. This is known as internally displaced persons (people who are forced to leave their home and community but who remain in the same country). As well the residential schools were examples of processes of acculturation which is "a form of cultural change in which a minority culture becomes more like the dominant culture". I would say they were strongly trying to push this process through. For example many residential schools would not allow native children to speak their languages during the 10 months which they spent living there. If they did speak it they were in some form punished, for example they would have adhesive placed on the mouth, needles through the mouth, meals were withheld or the strap across the backside or hand.
One of the videos labelled "Native leader charges church with abuse" states the goal of residential schools was assimilation, a goal which is quite clear seeing as native children were forced to "dress to act and to speak like white children. Practicing Native culture was severely punished."
In a sense I would say that Canada's aboriginal people can be considered a "displaced" population, since a large amount of them were taken and moved into larger towns and would return periodically into their homes or communities.
Personally, I think that the Truth and Reconciliation Comission can only do so much in redressing the problems created by these residential schools. The amount of harm that has been done to the Native Peoples of Canada goes much deeper now, as it has now also affected other generations. In order for Natives Peoples to heal it requires much commitment and the uniting of their own people. The Truth and Reconciliation Comission can provide culturally appropriate and safe settings for those who previously attended residential schools and their families and communities as they come forward to the Commission and they can raise awareness etc, etc, but the Native community has come to the point where suicide rates are the highest (almost 7 times the national average), the age group are adolescents. To redress this problem, means to seriously commit, and to find a way to fix the problem and it means commitment from the native communities, the government and the churches.
Videos and Radio Clips: http://archives.cbc.ca/society/native_issues/topics/692/
I've heard that there's therapy available for individuals who were forced through the residential school system.
ReplyDeleteI think that not only does it help them heal psychologically, but it may bring back a sense of pride and perhaps some recollection of life as it had been before it was forcefully repressed. If the elders are strong and strengthening themselves, then we can hope that the newer generations will be open to keeping the traditions alive.
Canada's Residential Schools experience was a horrible event in Canadian history. Hopefully no other culture will have to go through a similar ethnocide experience.
ReplyDeleteYeah, this was definitely a form of ethnocide. Every kind of abuse is mentioned, but many additional things are neglected to be mentioned; like how many of the children died of tuberculosis, the poor living conditions, and how some were forced to work in fields after school.
ReplyDeleteI also agree that the TRC doesn't work directly, like in suicide cases. But I am happy it acknowledges the schools as a non-aboriginal problem, and a part of Canadian history. (Too many non-aboriginals are oblivious to the real 'truth' and should know. Maybe then we can directly address things like suicide).