Residential Schools Cruel Lessons

1955 Newscast Residential School Propaganda For 10 months a year, First Nations children — some taken from their homes — start each day with a religious service before heading to classes. http://archives.cbc.ca/society/native_issues/dossier/692/

Testimonial "At the mission, the truck backed-up and off we went. Right away, boys were separated from girls. We were lined up, sat on chairs, and had our long, beautiful braided hair chopped off. We were thrown into the shower, then had DDT sprinkled all over. It stunk. They gave me a number 79. My name was gone. I was only a number now. We all had the same little bundle of clothing, pinafores, back clothes, socks. You couldn't tell one kid from the other; they transformed individuals into a group. I don't understand how my Shuswap language was turned into English in just one day." (Elder, Agnes Snow, 1999)

PURPOSE Canadian government wanted to “assimilate” Aboriginals into European-Canadian society. Assimilation means to absorb a minority group into a majority group by having the minority group accept the culture and characteristics of the majority culture. This may be done peacefully or forcibly.

By

Timeline 1857 - Gradual Civilization Act passed to assimilate Aboriginals. 1870-1910 - Period of assimilation: objective was to assimilate Aboriginal children into the lower fringes of mainstream society 1920 - Compulsory attendance for all children ages 5-16 years. Children were forcibly taken from their families 1980’s - Residential School students began disclosing sexual and other forms of abuse at residential schools. 1996 - The last federally run residential school, closes in Saskatchewan. 1998 - The AFN establishes the Indian Residential Schools Resolution Unit. 2008 – Prime Minister Stephen Harper officially apologizes to students of the Residential School System. $20,000 is paid to each student who went to the schools.

The goal was to “kill the Indian in the child.” Over 150 000 students attended Canada’s residential schools from the 1870s into the 1970s Over 6000 students died The goal was to “kill the Indian in the child.” Curriculum was designed to assimilate Aboriginal children into mainstream culture and turn them into labourers Children were often forcibly removed from their families families were threatened with prison if they failed to send their children willingly Over 150 000 students attended Canada’s residential schools from the 1870s into the 1970s Their goal was to “kill the Indian in the child.” In 1850, attendance became compulsory by law for all children aged 6 to 15 curriculum was designed to assimilate Aboriginal children into mainstream culture and turn them into labourers. Children were often forcibly removed from their families, or their families were threatened with prison if they failed to send their children willingly Students were required to live on school premises. Most had no contact with their families for up to 10 months at a time because of the distance between their home communities and schools, and sometimes had no contact for years. They were prohibited from speaking Aboriginal languages, even among themselves and outside the classroom, so that English or French would be learned and their own languages forgotten. They were subject to corporal punishment for speaking their own languages or for practicing non-Christian faiths, policies that have given rise to allegations of cultural genocide 50% of the children who passed through the residential schools did not survive to adulthood (Census Canada, 1941)

Students were required to live on school premises Most had no contact with their families for up to 10 months; sometimes had no contact for years Prohibited from speaking Aboriginal languages so English or French would be learned and their own languages forgotten. Were hit for speaking their own languages or for practicing their own religions

Quotes According to Saturday Night magazine, reporting on residential schools, Nov. 23, 1907: "Indian boys and girls are dying like flies.... Even war seldom shows as large a percentage of fatalities as does the education system we have imposed on our Indian wards."  Duncan Campbell Scott, then deputy superintendent- general of Indian Affairs, wrote in 1913: "It is quite within the mark to say that fifty per cent of the children who passed through these schools did not live to benefit from the education, which they had received therein."

impacts Loss of cultural identity, language, traditions and spiritual growth development which caused a deep sense of loss and confusion. Inadequate communication skills and poor expression of feelings. Residential School Survivors were not allowed to speak for themselves. Inability to trust others. Poor decision-making and behavioral difficulties.

Effects of abuse on survivors Sample of 127 British Columbia survivors: Ninety percent experienced sexual abuse at residential school 3/4 of the respondents reported that they had abused alcohol Half of the subjects reported that they had a criminal record Thirty one percent reported that they had assaulted police officers

Effects of abuse Only two of the participants did not suffer from at least one diagnosable mental disorder. The most common mental disorders were: PTSD (64.2%) Substance Abuse Disorder (26.3%) Major Depression (21.1%) Dysthymic Disorder (Chronic depression) (20.0%) Anxiety Disorder (7.4%) Borderline Personality Disorder (7.4%)