My mother went to these residential schools in the 30's and 40's as did my other Indian relatives and my grandparents.
Ah, they were pretty damn horrible. Let's say that, I grew up hearing about it from as long as I can remember. My mother would also make fun of the nuns in the schools, as did my grandmother, but yes, there were many horrible, lonely things about it. They were beaten to not speak their language (Blackfoot) but my mother and other older relatives spoke it any way. It was her first language. They were called numbers often instead of their names, my mother was "number 52".
I am glad this is coming to light and that there was an apology and some type of redress. I am also glad that it is finally being talked about openly on reserves across Canada and work is being done to help survivors and families.
At the time my mother left school, Indians were not allowed to go past the 8th grade. My aunt, Flora Zaharia (married name), went beyond as did my mother since my grandfather was an exceptionally enterprising man who sent his two daughters to a private high school. My mother went on to get two years of university in the US, where she met my father (non-Indian Latino) and my aunt went on to get a graduate degree and become for a time, head of Indian education in Manitoba. She is retired now, but still an educational consultant. My grandfather, Chris Shade, their father, was an exceptional rancher, businessman, farmer and Indian cowboy who really did amazing things after a hard start in life. I am always inspired by his example.
My mother is twisted from it all I know, but she has never seen herself as a victim. She is too proud.
I am, again, glad this is coming to light finally.
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Date: 2008-06-12 06:37 am (UTC)Ah, they were pretty damn horrible. Let's say that, I grew up hearing about it from as long as I can remember. My mother would also make fun of the nuns in the schools, as did my grandmother, but yes, there were many horrible, lonely things about it. They were beaten to not speak their language (Blackfoot) but my mother and other older relatives spoke it any way. It was her first language. They were called numbers often instead of their names, my mother was "number 52".
I am glad this is coming to light and that there was an apology and some type of redress. I am also glad that it is finally being talked about openly on reserves across Canada and work is being done to help survivors and families.
At the time my mother left school, Indians were not allowed to go past the 8th grade. My aunt, Flora Zaharia (married name), went beyond as did my mother since my grandfather was an exceptionally enterprising man who sent his two daughters to a private high school. My mother went on to get two years of university in the US, where she met my father (non-Indian Latino) and my aunt went on to get a graduate degree and become for a time, head of Indian education in Manitoba. She is retired now, but still an educational consultant. My grandfather, Chris Shade, their father, was an exceptional rancher, businessman, farmer and Indian cowboy who really did amazing things after a hard start in life. I am always inspired by his example.
My mother is twisted from it all I know, but she has never seen herself as a victim. She is too proud.
I am, again, glad this is coming to light finally.