Misconceptions Of Residential Schools In Late 1900's

Knockwood explains the enforcement of residential ideologies as a “combination of physical intimidation and psychological manipulation which produced terror and confusion” (12). The premise of residential schools was to strip Indigenous children from their culture and Indigenous identity, forcing them to only speak English, or face severe consequences. Despite the government and churches best efforts, many Indigenous children still maintained their cultural roots and kept their language while at home. This governmental need for assimilation has had lasting impacts far beyond the scope of active residential schools. Neeganagwedgin notes, “while the schools may be physically closed, the legacy lingers” (34). Beyond this, she urges, present-day institutions still function in a way that continues to undermine and systematically deny, “Indigenous peoples their inherent rights as First Peoples” (Neeganagwedgin 34); such as the justice system, child welfare and the education systems.

James' experience in the residential school had deeply impacted him, resulting in an endless cycle of suffering that he passed on to his son Edwin. Because of the psychological wounds that James had from residential school, he was unable to be a good, present parent. Edwin's lack of a present father led to him feeling hopeless, lost in life, and wanting a way out. Had Edwin grown up with his father in his life, maybe he wouldn’t of felt so lost in life, and wouldn’t of tried to commit suicide. Through the novel “7 Generations” portrayal of physical and mental abuse, sexual abuse, and the intergenerational impacts, the novel helps shed some light on the long-term effects that the residential school system had on Indigenous families, beyond those who attended the schools themselves.

Canada has a long past with the Indigenous people, that is damaged because of our shameful actions in the 1800’s. The Canadian government established Residential schools to assimilate Indigenous people into mainstream Canadian society, wanting “to kill the Indian in the child ” (Brief History). Forbidding them to speak their native language or practice their cultures or beliefs (Laing, 2013). With over 130 residential schools children with no choice were taken from their homes, and families were divided and separated over long periods of times and distances. (Brief History). In addition, the innocent children in these residential schools fell victim

Along with public humiliation, there are also many accounts of sexual and physical assault. The emotional shock that all of this abuse caused many children to be unable to learn, and eventually led to self-destructive behaviour (95). Students in many different schools eventually ended up started gangs, which led to violence between students of different ages. There were also some cases of student-student sexual abuse (97). Because of all of this violence, many of the students who eventually became parents who used these behaviours to cope, also did this to their children, as they were never shown love or support as children, creating an endless cycle of

The history of Canadian Indian Residential schools has attracted a considerable amount of attention in Canada in recent years. Most people do not want to revisit the pain and suffering that countless Aboriginal peoples endured, and the loss of such beautiful cultures. Since the introduction of the Canadian Indian Residential school system in 1857, through the Gradual Civilization Act, there has been concern whether the outcome of the schools would leave a positive or negative mark on the Aboriginal peoples of Canada. Although there are many recorded cases of abuse and ill treatment; within the

Residential School’s were introduced back in the 1870’s, they were made to change the way native children spoke their languages and how they viewed their cultures. The residential school system in Canada was operated by the government, where the native children were aggressively forced away from their loved ones to participate in these schools (1000 Conversations). The government had a concept, where they can modernize the native children, aged of three to eighteen and extinguish the aboriginal culture. In the twentieth century the Canadian Public School’s had arrived and had improved treatments than residential schools. In Contrast, the treatments within these schools were both different, whereas Canadian public school students had more freedom than residential school students because children were taken away from their families. However, the treatment in these schools were different and some what similar. Even though Residential schools and Canadian Public schools were similar in some form, there were numerous amounts of differences in how the children were taught, how they were treated and how their living conditions were like throughout these schools.

Canada has a very rich history, stretching back over a hundred years. It is composed of countless events; some are good, while others aren’t so much. The residential school system was definitely one of the worst situations, a dark patch on the events of the past. For a variety of reasons, I believe that it’s important we remember it, even though it was unacceptable; in fact, it might be even more important that we remember because it was terrible. In this essay, I will describe in detail exactly what the residential school system was, what effects it had on the Aboriginal society, and why we should remember this atrocity.

In the 19th Century, the Canadian government believed that it was responsible for the care and education of aboriginal children. The Residential School system was developed to ensure the assimilation of every indigenous child in Canada. These schools were terribly unsafe for children and exhibited horrible living conditions including abuse, malnutrition and isolation. Conditions in residential schools continue to negatively impact communities generations later, contributing to violence, alcoholism and surprising statistics seen from aboriginal communities. The policy behind the Canadian Residential Schools highlights the injustice done to indigenous people resulting in long term impacts on the community to this day.

The Indian residential school system was brought upon by the Canadian government with the Christian churches running them. The schools were an attempt to eradicate Indigenous culture and to coerce the Indigenous children into assimilating with white European culture under the assumption that the European lifestyle was superior to the ‘savages’ that were aboriginals. (Jacobs) The principle of the Gordon’s reserve school even stated that “change the philosophy of the Indian child. In other words since they must work and live with ‘whites’ then they must begin to think as ‘whites.’” [T1] It is estimated about 150,000 children attended these inhumane schools from the early 19th century up until 1996.[T1] The buildings were situated in poorly maintained buildings where the children were isolated and lonely. Treatment of the children was harsh as well—they were prohibited from speaking their language and indulging in their cultural and spiritual practices. The effects of the system resonate among the Indigenous communities from all the spiritual, verbal, physical, and emotional abuse they faced, which has furthermore impacted the next generations who don’t speak their native language which is like losing a sense of identity, and face higher rates of poverty and inequality. This is historical trauma where the collective emotion injury spreads across generations, causing trauma to all. (Jacobs) The residential school system is a mechanism of cultural genocide. The Canadian

For a very long period of time aboriginal children as young as four years of age were forcefully taken away from their families to establishments known as residential schools which were run by the federal government and religious orders. The Canadian

Imagine being taken away from your parents, forced to live in a school in terrible living conditions, then being forbade you from speaking your own language, seeing your parents, and practicing your beliefs. For 150 000 Native children, this nightmare was a reality. The magnitude of residential schools are the dark history Canadians do not seem to appreciate. The reasoning behind this heinous act was to “kill the Indian in the child” (UBC First Nations and Indigenous Studies, n.d), and it succeeded in just that – 6000 children died in the schools, and the culture of an entire generation was stolen away. (Robertson, 2006). The impact of residence schools is still felt to this day and is an important part of Canadian history that is glossed over

Although Canada’s history is rich with admirable qualities that justify great patriotism, it also has a disturbing past. In particular, this past is centred around the treatment of Canada’s Indigenous population in regards to the tragic residential schools that were implemented. From 1800 until 1990, residential schools were established to eliminate Indigenous culture in hopes to assimilate them into a mainstream white society (Statistics Canada, 2004). Reaching their peak in 1930, there were 80 schools in effect (Statistics Canada, 2004). Presently, there is an extensive history of residential schools, in which the various perspectives and conditions of the schools are outlined. To begin, the assorted perspectives regarding the usage of these

The Indian Act of 1876 placed restrictions on the education of Aboriginal children, which ultimately devastated the First Nation culture (Florence 37). The Canadian Government saw relations with Aboriginal people as the “Indian Problem” and they wanted to get rid of the First Nation people’s culture, identity and individual nations. In the 1880s the Government began to establish and operate a system of residential schools which were a central element to their policy. The intent was the assimilation of Aboriginal children into the working classes of Euro-Canadian culture. The children were forced to attend the schools and were segregated from the influence of their family, community, and culture. “Between 1882 and 1969, residential schools operated in Canada through arrangements between the Government of Canada and the Roman Catholic, Angelicin, Methodist, United and Presbyterian churches” (Stonefish 16). Around 100,000 Aboriginal children between the age of 6 to 16 attended one of the 100 schools at its peak in 1957. Residential schools devastated First Nations culture because they exposed them to all forms of abuse and stripped them of their language and family.

From the 1880s to 1996, residential schools were operated in Canada by the church and the Canadian government. Designed to assimilate aboriginal peoples into the dominant Canadian culture, it has created intergenerational

Residential schools, established by the Canadian Government and Christian Churches, were institutions built as early as the late 1800s. Their primary objective was to “educate” and convert Indigenous children into