Let’s Go Over The Tests!

Review We’ve gone over cultural contact. So, from our discussions and the presentations… what are some benefits of cultural contact? What are some of its negative effects?

Words: World View Cultural Contacts Residential Schools

Chapter 9 We are jumping a little.

Some Questions How are we influenced by our past? Is confrontation that best way to deal with an issue?

Residential Schools In 1928, a government official predicted Canada would end its "Indian problem" within two generations. Church-run, government-funded residential schools for native children were supposed to prepare them for life in white society. But the aims of assimilation meant devastation for those who were subjected to physical, sexual and emotional abuse.

Indian Act After Confederation the Indian act was passed in It made “Indians, and their lands” the responsibility of the Canadian Government. An “Indian Agent” was to be set up by the government to oversee all Indians and their lands.

Continued They disbanded the Native government and replaced it with figurehead band councils. The Act was contentious for many issues: –Until 1985, any aboriginal woman that married a non-aboriginal man would lose status. –Could no longer line on reserves. –No person on a reserve could own land or a home.

Residential Schools In 1884, a system of schools were developed and funded by the Canadian government and run by Churches. These school were developed to force the assimilation of the First Nations into “Canadian” Society.

A depiction of a memory

Residential Schools For most of us, school help reaffirm knowledge of the world and the cultures around us. But, what is school was to take you away from your heritage. To make you Unlearn everything that you knew.

Some facts Initially, about 1,100 students attended 69 schools across the country. In 1931, at the peak of the residential school system, there were about 80 schools operating in Canada. There were a total of about 130 schools in every territory and province except Newfoundland, Prince Edward Island and New Brunswick. About 150,000 aboriginal, Inuit and Métis children were removed from their communities and forced to attend the schools.

School Across Canada

The school attempted to educate and christianize all the native children. All native children were required to attend from the ages of 5 or 6 to 18. These school were normally boarding schools. You were forbidden to speak any language but English or French. They were told that they, and their culture, were inferior. Corporal punishment was common and severe for breaking the rules. Some children were physically and sexually abused.

Let’s read this and talk about how this experience differs from our experience. How might it alter how you see authority. p. 184

Effects of Residential Schools The last residential school closed in By then stories of abuse had come to the surface. Soon lawsuits flooded the government over the treatment in residential schools. *keep in mind some school were run very well and some enjoyed the experience.

They did not assimilate The residential schools did not achieve assimilation. They did create some issues. Most obviously, lack of family values and parenting skills and animosity.

Treatment & Effects

Suicide rates in Canada

We must have perspective

Housekeeping What were residential schools? What would be the effect on the people? Also, please remember our conversation on Friday, about the level of maturity level I expect!

Multiple Perspectives It is easy for us to look back at history and wag our finger. We wonder how a government could think that these schools were a good idea? Even though we now know that the school did not work, they had good intentions.

Father Albert Lacombe A Francophone priest that was greatly respected by both the aboriginal and natives. He witnessed the tension between the aboriginals and the natives. He determined that the best way to help the natives was to provide them with “structured learning activities of the newcomers.”

The Royal Commission After the violence at Oka. The Government made a royal commission on aboriginal affairs. It attempted to: –Advance aboriginal self-government. –Appropriate compensation for past abuses.

Continued They went across Canada to research what had happened to the aboriginal. They urged a new attitude towards aboriginals.

Outcomes Creation of an aboriginal parliament. Settlement of land claims. Funds for healthcare, housing, and education. Creation of an aboriginal university. Spending from 2 billion to 8 billion.

The Royal Commission and residential schools Held stories of the abuse in the schools. Financial compensation for those that were abused. (but, it took a long time coming!) Creation of Band Schools.

Apology In 1998 the government issued a statement of reconciliation. It apologized for the abuse given towards to aboriginals. Including Residential Schools.

The Churches’ Response In lawsuits against the government, the churches were seen as co-defendants. Some churches went bankrupt. They argued that they were following government directives. Finally, most of the churches gave formal apologies for the schools.

That‘s it. No more notes! Do you think you have a good idea about residential schools? What do you think of them? How would this effect people today? Can we see how Cultural Contact has effect the aboriginal society.

The Film: A Canadian film about the plight of aboriginals in residential schools. The film was nominated for 9 awards and won 7.

Where the Sprit Lives (1989) In 1937, a young First Nations (Canadian native) girl named Ashtecome is kidnapped along with several other children from a village. It iss part of a deliberate Canadian policy to force First Nations children to abandon their culture in order to be assimilated into white Canadian/British society.

Continued She is taken to a boarding school where she is forced to adopt Western Euro- centric ways and learn English, often under brutal treatment. Only one sympathetic white teacher who is more and more repelled by this bigotry offers her any help from among the staff.

SO, LET’S WATCH IT!

Essay Topic In a well written, 5 paragraph essay, discuss three effects of residential schools on the lives of first nations. Make reference to the film! I will look for time in the lab!