RESIDENTIAL SCHOOLS

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 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 Indian Act – government’s responsibility to educate native children

Assimilation Plan Goal: To prepare Native children for white society Began consideration in 1928 Geared to end the “Indian Problem” Guesstimated time for success was two generations Church run Government funded

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

Governance 1890 -1950’s – Parents had no choice but to send children to a residential school. Many parents wanted this schooling as they thought it best for their children’s future. All Aboriginal people – wards of the state. “Indian Agents” (white men) – employed by Dept. of Indian Affairs recruited students and ensured native students went to school.

Residential Schools in Canada By 1931 these organizations operated 80+ residential schools across the country, as well as day schools on some reserves Image from www.mhs.mb.ca/.../38/nationalcrime.shtml

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

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)

Curriculum Children aged 5 – 16 to attend School day: Half time classroom study Half time learning a trade Girls – sewing, cooking and domestic skills Boys – blacksmithing, carpentry, and auto mechanics Added duties: milk cows, clean dorms, chop wood (provide labour to run schools cheaper)

Canadian Indian Residential Schools Statistics Total Indian Residential Schools – 135 None in NB, PE or NL AB – 29 BC – 28 SK – 20 ON – 18 MB – 17 NT – 8 QC – 6 YT – 6 NU – 2 NS – 1 Department of Indian Affairs funded all residential schools.

Statistics An estimated 80,000 people alive today attended Indian Residential Schools Over 150,000 children attended Indian Residential Schools

Last Residential School 1996 - The last federally run residential school, the Gordon Residential School, closed in Saskatchewan. Image from www.afn.ca/residentialschools/history.html

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

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? 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

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, injured EMOTIONAL Management of feelings is difficult; mixed up

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…

Intergenerational Impacts https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EPX9a5r6uAQ

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)

Aboriginal Reaction Decades later, Aboriginal people begin to share their stories Accuse government of systematic racism Demand governmental acknowledgement Want compensation for lost childhoods and abuse Abuse also affects the next generation

A Move Towards Healing 1990 – Phil Fontaine, Grand Chief of Manitoba Chiefs, first leader to tell the story of his abuse at a residential School Calls for recognition of the abuse, compensation and an apology for racism 1991 – Lawsuits are launched, groups are formed 1996 – Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples recommends public inquiry

1997 – Phil Fontaine negotiates out of court settlement with federal government 1998 – Statement of Reconciliation -Settlement of $350 Million Healing Fund –Gov’t admits wrongdoing and apologizes 2001 – Dept. of Indian Residential Schools

Resolution Canada formed 2003 – Alternative Dispute Resolutions (ADR) process formed 2004 – U of A Law School and Assembly of First Nations (AFN) find ADR process flawed 2008 – Apology from Stephen Harper

PM Harper’s Apology http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20080611/harper_text_080611/20080611/ Apology in text http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qAmUe17nUdY Apology Part 1 in video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wyxJ-zpYDkE&feature=related Apology Part 2 in video .

Mission Statement Assembly of First Nations To address the expedient resolution of the residential schools claims filed in court by the survivors with the emphasis on the elderly and sick and to ensure an effective process is identified and carried out for healing strategies in relation to the loss of languages and culture of First Nation people and their communities. http://www.afn.ca/residentialschools/index.html

Report on Canada’s Dispute Resolution Plan to Compensate for Abuses in Indian Residential Schools Lump sum – all survivors $10,000 $3,000 for every year attended Early payment for elderly Truth Commission Healing Fund Commemoration Fund Individual settlement of abuse claims

Videos http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_4-TYwFS-P0 Indian Residential Schools – The Painful Legacy http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s_V4d7sXoqU&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/Default.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/residentialschools.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)?

A Poem: Mission Bean 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

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.