““At age 5, I was kidnapped by terrorists…”At age 5, I was kidnapped by terrorists…”-Residential School Survivor--Residential School Survivor-

Residential SchoolsResidential Schools

Residential Schools and the Indian ActResidential Schools and the Indian Act

-One of the main goals of the Indian Act was:-One of the main goals of the Indian Act was:

ASSimiliation ASSimiliation

-Residential Schools were the ultimate tool for ASSim:-Residential Schools were the ultimate tool for ASSim:

* Values, Language, Culture, Religion, and Knowledge * Values, Language, Culture, Religion, and Knowledge of the colonizing culture were FORCED upon childrenof the colonizing culture were FORCED upon children

*designed to civilize FN children into European culture*designed to civilize FN children into European culture

THE CANADIAN GOVT WANTED TO THE CANADIAN GOVT WANTED TO ERADICATE ALL ASPECTS OF FN CULTURE ERADICATE ALL ASPECTS OF FN CULTURE

AND SPIRITUALITYAND SPIRITUALITY

Residential Schools – It’s the LawResidential Schools – It’s the Law

-The Indian Act made it LAW for FN children to -The Indian Act made it LAW for FN children to attend residential schoolsattend residential schools

-Parents that refused to send their children or refused -Parents that refused to send their children or refused to let their children go when the Indian Agents were to let their children go when the Indian Agents were rounding up children were subject to JAIL TIMErounding up children were subject to JAIL TIME

-Children were often removed by -Children were often removed by forceforce or or coercioncoercion

WhyWhy??

-Children were removed from their families / homes / -Children were removed from their families / homes / communities in order to make ASSimilation more communities in order to make ASSimilation more effectiveeffective

Cattle TrucksCattle Trucks

-Survivors speak of being -Survivors speak of being squished in these trucks squished in these trucks like sardines with as like sardines with as many as 30 or 40 many as 30 or 40

-no bathroom breaks were -no bathroom breaks were allowed allowed

-they were treated like -they were treated like animalsanimals

-Officials would drive from community to community -Officials would drive from community to community “abducting” and herding up children“abducting” and herding up children

-trips would start in the morning and end in the evening-trips would start in the morning and end in the evening

-by the end of the gathering process the trucks would be -by the end of the gathering process the trucks would be completely fullcompletely full

The Operation of Residential SchoolsThe Operation of Residential SchoolsGovernment and Church run schoolsGovernment and Church run schools::

-government funded-government funded

-church ran -church ran nuns / priests as teachers and admin nuns / priests as teachers and admin

Rules / ProtocolsRules / Protocols::

-ENGLISH speaking only–this was strictly enforced-ENGLISH speaking only–this was strictly enforced

-severe punishment for speaking FN language-severe punishment for speaking FN language

-all forms of culture and cultural expression were banned-all forms of culture and cultural expression were banned

-children separated from siblings and family members-children separated from siblings and family members

-children could not write home or visit family as they wished-children could not write home or visit family as they wished

letters were monitored and visits were rareletters were monitored and visits were rare

-Children had to attend year-round with potential visits home at Xmas -Children had to attend year-round with potential visits home at Xmas and summer (behavior / attitude based)and summer (behavior / attitude based)

What do you notice about this picture?What do you notice about this picture?

Level and Type of Education Level and Type of Education Educational LevelEducational Level::

-very very very low levels of education achieved-very very very low levels of education achieved

-to date, the majority of survivors have very low levels of -to date, the majority of survivors have very low levels of education education example: in BC only 27% of FN people aged example: in BC only 27% of FN people aged 45-54 have completed high school (2006, BC Stats)45-54 have completed high school (2006, BC Stats)

Type of EducationType of Education::

-FN children were seen at best as future labourers-FN children were seen at best as future labourers

-they spent the majority of the time doing chores, maintaining -they spent the majority of the time doing chores, maintaining the school, caring for livestock and tending the school farmsthe school, caring for livestock and tending the school farms

-they also spent a great deal of time particpating in religious -they also spent a great deal of time particpating in religious activities.activities.

What do you think the future will entail for such students?What do you think the future will entail for such students?

Living ConditionsLiving Conditions

-Residential Schools are remembered for their sub--Residential Schools are remembered for their sub-standard living conditionsstandard living conditions

-many children died from:-many children died from:

-disease, neglect, murder, suicide or trying to escape-disease, neglect, murder, suicide or trying to escape

-Tuberculosis was a fatal disease that killed many -Tuberculosis was a fatal disease that killed many

-most residential schools had graveyards and -most residential schools had graveyards and incinerators on siteincinerators on site

(what are incinerators and graveyards doing at a school?)(what are incinerators and graveyards doing at a school?)

Sleeping chambers of a typical residential schoolSleeping chambers of a typical residential school

what does this photo look like to you?what does this photo look like to you?

Denying the basic rights of childDenying the basic rights of childThe basic rights of a child were deliberately deniedThe basic rights of a child were deliberately denied::

-love / affection / care / contact from family was denied-love / affection / care / contact from family was denied

-nutrition and healthcare was minimized-nutrition and healthcare was minimized

-expression of emotion was strongly opposed: -expression of emotion was strongly opposed:

crying, laughing, playing discouraged crying, laughing, playing discouraged

-interaction with peers minimized-interaction with peers minimized

-creativity and curiosity minimized-creativity and curiosity minimized

-students unable to openly communicate (express opinions) -students unable to openly communicate (express opinions) and make decisions (made for them)and make decisions (made for them)

Children were essentially ROBBED of their CHILDHOODChildren were essentially ROBBED of their CHILDHOOD

AbuseAbuse-Countless stories and accusations of abuse have come -Countless stories and accusations of abuse have come

forth over the yearsforth over the years-children were subjected to many forms of abuse:-children were subjected to many forms of abuse:

physicalphysical, , emotionalemotional, , psychologicalpsychological, , sexualsexual, , spiritualspiritual -unfathomable, awful and horrific stories have been -unfathomable, awful and horrific stories have been

shared at healing circles:shared at healing circles:Examples: electric shock therapy for bed wetting, Examples: electric shock therapy for bed wetting, putting children in hot bathes then adding snakesputting children in hot bathes then adding snakes

““Unrepentant – Canada’s Hidden Holocaust” YoutubeUnrepentant – Canada’s Hidden Holocaust” YoutubeDocumentary about residential schools in Canada investigating the abuses and missing children Documentary about residential schools in Canada investigating the abuses and missing children

that were allegedly murdered. Created by a Priest and Professor at UBC. He was fired from that were allegedly murdered. Created by a Priest and Professor at UBC. He was fired from both positions as a result of this film.both positions as a result of this film.

Residential School Legacy:Residential School Legacy:Short Term ImpactsShort Term Impacts

Immediate Impacts:Immediate Impacts:

-most students left the schools as teenagers with broken -most students left the schools as teenagers with broken spirits and emotional problemsspirits and emotional problems

-often were traumatized, depressed, lonely, angry-often were traumatized, depressed, lonely, angry

-felt alienated between two worlds – their traditional -felt alienated between two worlds – their traditional world and the European worldworld and the European world

-students lost an understanding of their culture -students lost an understanding of their culture they they could no longer speak their language or recall traditionscould no longer speak their language or recall traditions

-many were taught to resent (hate or disown) their heritage-many were taught to resent (hate or disown) their heritage

Residential School Legacy:Residential School Legacy:Long Term ImpactsLong Term Impacts

Generations of people (families of survivors) have suffered as a result of Generations of people (families of survivors) have suffered as a result of Residential Schools:Residential Schools:

-substance abuse, addictions and other self-destructive behaviors -substance abuse, addictions and other self-destructive behaviors -survivors developed an inability to be a healthy parent or healthy person-survivors developed an inability to be a healthy parent or healthy person

Cycles of abuseCycles of abuse within families within families Lateral ViolenceLateral Violence – violence by FNs against FNs – violence by FNs against FNs

-depression / suicidal tendencies-depression / suicidal tendencies-community breakdown-community breakdown--Intergenerational AffectsIntergenerational Affects: the impacts felt by children and grandchildren : the impacts felt by children and grandchildren

of residential school survivorsof residential school survivors-Poverty-Poverty-continued distrust of the education system -continued distrust of the education system many aboriginal students many aboriginal students

continue to struggle todaycontinue to struggle today

The Best ResultThe Best Result

Residential Schools FAILEDResidential Schools FAILED

-the goal of assimilation was never met!-the goal of assimilation was never met!

-FN people of Canada have survived -FN people of Canada have survived

The end of Residential SchoolsThe end of Residential Schools-The first residential school opened in -The first residential school opened in

1863 in Mission BC: “St. Mary’s”1863 in Mission BC: “St. Mary’s”

-BC had more residential schools than -BC had more residential schools than any other province in Canada any other province in Canada

14 in total14 in total

-The last residential school in BC -The last residential school in BC closed in 1984closed in 1984

-The last residential school in Canada -The last residential school in Canada closed in 1996 – White Calf closed in 1996 – White Calf Collegiate (formerly Qu’Appelle Collegiate (formerly Qu’Appelle Indian Residential School) in Indian Residential School) in SaskatchewanSaskatchewan