RESIDENTIAL SCHOOLS

May 20/09 Prepared by Larry McCallum Consultant Images are copyrighted by owners For Personal Use only

THE TREATIES

 The Numbered Treaties 1871-1929 addressed education: “…maintain schools on reserves, as advisable, at peoples’ request.”  This ‘right’ supposedly guaranteed the FN to an ‘education’  The Treaties were agreed upon by both Natives and White People

The INDIAN ACT 1876

     It defined who could be an ‘Indian’ It ‘outlined what Indians could and could not do’ This legislation is NOT a part of Treaty. It is an arbitrary piece of legislation that greatly affected First Nations!

It was a clear statement of the federal government’s policy to act as guardians over Aboriginal peoples, giving them “protection” but with the ultimate goal of assimilation!!

The Indian Act was imposed on the Natives and they had NO SAY whatsoever.

Duncan Campbell Scott

 Duncan Campbell Scott, Deputy Superintendent of Indian Affairs from 1913-1932 stated: “The happiest future for the Indian race is absorption into the general population, and this is the object of the policy of our government. The great forces of intermarriage and education will finally overcome the lingering traces of native custom and tradition.”

Before and After

Education: Assimilation

 Indian act gave the agents of the Dept. of Indian affairs almost dictatorial control over Aboriginal peoples’ lives, including education  Education became one of the ‘tools’ to ASSIMILATION!!!!

Funding

  Schools were funded by the federal government but were operated by the Catholic, Anglican, Presbyterian and United Churches

Image from www.ammsa.com/classroom/CLASS5popup.html

Residential Schools in Canada

 By 1931 these organizations operated 80+ residential schools across the country, as well as day schools on some reserves 

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Sask. Residential Schools

   11 Catholic 7 Anglican 2 other   1996 - The last federally run residential school, the Gordon Residential School, closed in Saskatchewan.

Image from www.afn.ca/residentialschools/history.html

The Process

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Children were removed from their homes, often under threat of ‘law’

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Image from www.

mamiecourageousconversations.blogspot.com/200...

Separation

  ‘Assimilation’ worked best through separation from families, communities and culture Separation from a traditional support system was a key strategy

Volunteer

  Some families did see ‘education’ as progress and voluntarily sent their children

www.nationalpost.com/scripts/story.html?id=577934

The Schools

 They were also meant to promote economic self-sufficiency by teaching First Nations children to become farmers and labourers

Christianity

 The goal of the missionaries was to ‘convert the children to Christianity’.

 Image www.nytimes.com

Medicine Wheel

     Schools basically took healthy children with a well-rounded wheel and proceeded to destroy or alter each part of what makes us human: SPIRITUALITY EMOTIONAL PHYSICAL MENTAL  Essentially, Identity issues resulted

Life

     Children were often severely punished for practicing traditional beliefs Children were punished for speaking their languages Life was harsh and rules were strict Food was of questionable quality and quantity Much of the day was spent in Christian religious instruction, learning English or French, doing chores such as laundry, kitchen work, field work and other practical skills (boys/girls)

Lasting Impacts

      Education for the most part was poor (1945 very few students passed grade 9 and over 40% of teaching staff had no professional training) Many children died from illnesses, fires, murder Many children caught disease such as tuberculosis which destroyed their health Physical and sexual abuse had long term effects on students Children learned isolation, abuse, anti-aboriginal education, were unable to express love and unable to receive love for much of the year!!!!

The schools broke the connection between the children and their family and culture. It destroyed the central aspect of ‘relationship’

Inter-generational Effects

  Residential School Survivors have long lasting Inter-generational negative effects: - Identity crisis - Unable to connect to family, culture - Long term effects of physical, sexual and psychological abuse - RCAP pointed directly at the residential schools as a major factor in the high rates of: substance abuse, suicide and family problems Schools destroyed one of the most important values of the First Nations: Kinship and Family Relationships

Discipline vs Abuse?

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To accomplish this goal of assimilation, discipline was the answer in many missions. "Historians suggest that discipline was more harsh at residential schools than at other schools and would not have been accepted in Euro-Canadian institutions at the time. . . These methods included isolation cells, flogging and whipping, and humiliation."** **From Residential School Update, AFN March 1998.

Medicine Wheel

 The Medicine Wheel is not in balance for most the children of Residential Schools!

 They are truly ‘Survivors’

Inter-generational effects

How it works Unloved Child Unable to ‘love’ their children Unable to express love Relationship Problems

 The inter-generational problems could include any one or more of many dysfunctional behaviors: – Anger – Lack of identity – Language loss – Substance abuse – Family – Community

Summary

MENTAL

‘Learning’ less important PHYSICAL Long term effects of disease; malnutrition SPIRITUAL The ‘Spirit’ is hurt, damaged,

EMOTIONAL Management of feelings is difficult; mixed up

injured

   Essentially, the child became isolated and was forced to function in a societal structure not of his own construction, and not within his scope of understanding!!!!

With the child’s wheel out of balance, adjustment to society became one of survival versus meaningful integration into society Children stayed stuck in the cycles of dysfunction and became dysfunctional parents. And it goes on in an ever expanding circle of influence…

Other

   Residential schools worked for some children.

Metis children were excluded from this process as they didn’t fall under the Indian Act, however, one residential school for Metis was run by the Catholic Church in Ile a la Crosse, Sask. This school also included FN children It is estimated that 100,000 to 150,000 children attended these schools (Windspeaker Magazine)

A Poem: Mission Bean

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A little boy I was, just lost my home So the mission took me in, so I wouldn't roam A hair cut, a bath, new shoes on my feet Plaid shirt & coveralls, that was my beat Up in the morning, fall down on my knees Pray to the Lord the right way I see's Off to school after porridge, lard and bread Trying to pound math and Catechism in my head Never too brilliant was I in school But serving the Altar, I was no fool Our Father which art in Heaven, Amen I could 'cite that backwards - in Latin Yes, a little boy, lost with no mom or dad In the third year there, I became a "Wetbed" They swatted my bum with a big black strap The backside of me should be a horizontal crack Yes, I would jump and jig and howl in pain Then fly in a tub, hoping the Nun had right aim

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Sometimes the tub's faucets would bang on my head But that was the downfall of being a "Wetbed" Now it's 5:30 a.m. and we're off to pray Three times on Sunday, that was the way The Nun like my mother, the Priest like my dad With guardians like that, who could go bad The mission was army, we walked two and two Discipline was the order, what else could they do Some missions were good, some were bad Those who suffered, I feel real sad I have words for those who dwell in self pity That's not the answer, just say "tough titty" The $350 million we got to cure decades of scars The Vultures will get most of it to buy new cars They'll travel all over, eat up the fund in time The victims of missions will not see a dime For those of us left, not yet in our coffin These wise words, you will hear often Lift your chin high and proudly walk on Keep a smile on your face, like the sun always shone.

- The Mad Trapper, (Fred Stevenson)

Kinuso, Alta.

PM Harper’s Apology

 http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNew s/story/CTVNews/20080611/harper_ text_080611/20080611/ Apology in text  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q AmUe17nUdY Apology Part 1 in video  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v= wyxJ-zpYDkE&feature=related Apology Part 2 in video .

Videos

   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_4 TYwFS-P0 Indian Residential Schools – The Painful Legacy http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s_V4d 7sXoqU&feature=related Residential School Propaganda Video from 1950s http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fIKPE_ urY8A&feature=related Residential Schools Public Service Announcement

The Apology heard around Canada

  Residential School Survivors Their struggles are many!!!! Their pain is real!!!!

Indian Control of Education

 White Paper 1969 created First Nations unity  Bands began to operate their own schools on reserves circa 1970 and by 1996 had 429 schools

Helpful Websites

      http://www.shannonthunderbird.com/residential_ schools.htm

(Residential Schools: Canada’s Shame and Apology) http://www.firstnationsdrum.com/education/Defa ult.htm

(A Victim Speaks Out) http://www.afn.ca/residentialschools/index.html

(Residential School Unit) http://www.irsss.ca/ (Indian Residential School Survivors Society) http://www.stageleft.info/2008/04/18/residential -schools-locations-of-mass-graves-revealed/ http://www.fsin.com/educationandtraining/reside ntialschools.html

(Lots of information)

Questions to Ponder

          List ways in which residential schools encouraged/forced students to lose their Aboriginal identity.

Explain in a paragraph how residential schools caused social problems in Aboriginal communities.

What might be the effects of offering money as compensation, for pain and suffering, to the survivors?

Is the term ‘Residential School Survivor’ appropriate? Explain your stand.

How should the abusers be dealt with?

How might we deal with this issue as Catholics?

How important should this shameful history be to Canadians? Explain.

Residential Schools: What is the perspective by First Nations? The Metis? Euro-Canadians?

How does the residential school experience of First Nations people in Canada compare to colonial domination in other countries? Name other countries that had similar or different colonial experiences – were the outcomes different for Indigenous people?

If the Canadian government had not imposed residential schools on First Nations, what different outcomes might have been possible for ‘treaty’ people (First Nations and Euro-Canadians)?