Indigenous History Pt. 2: Written by Jordan

Indigenous History: a 3-part blog series, written by Jordan. June is National Indigenous History Month; it is a time for teaching and learning while valuing and recognizing the contributions of the First Nations, Inuit, and Métis people. In this series, Jordan discusses his personal experiences, issues surrounding the residential school system and current topics.

BEFORE YOU READ

Content Trigger Warning: The following blog series discusses themes of trauma including intergenerational trauma, physical and mental abuse and systemic racism which may be triggering. 

Part 2

Thank you for reading; this blog covers some history on the residential school system and what somewhat happened in them. The Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada first started compiling data from everywhere across Canada in 2010; they calculated 3,200 confirmed deaths at residential schools, reaching upwards of 6000 deaths. So, when I heard about the 215 children who lost their lives at Kamloops Indian Residential School, I was outraged but not surprised. When I hear about 6000 "missing children," I never thought for one second that these now grown adults are walking amongst us, living their lives within the population. I believe most of these individuals are still waiting to be found, and perhaps they finally will be. Yes, this is a touchy subject, but it also needs to be addressed; Canada's "dark history" is a real and dismal present-day issue.

The creation of the residential schools was to educate and convert Indigenous children and assimilate them into Canadian society, which was held by colonial practices. Religious bodies ran the schools, and the Canadian government-funded them. In total, an estimated 150,000 First Nation, Inuit, and Métis children attended residential schools, Miller, J., Residential Schools in Canada (2021). These atrocities did not happen eons ago. The last residential school closed in 1996, and the aftermath is still prevalent today.

The Canadian government seized land and resources; Indigenous people were to have no rights unless they gave up their Indian status and became enfranchised. They were not allowed to practice any traditional teachings or language. The Indigenous children were forced to attend residential school, which had two purposes: remove and isolate children from the influence of their home, families, traditions, and cultures, and assimilate them into the dominant culture. If you look back into some Canadian history, it shows who was thriving to stay in power. The Indigenous people were subject to assimilation, segregation of Black people, and women were not allowed to vote, all of which were thought to be subordinate to the "white man." Just let that sink in.

In the residential schools, children were also considered inferior, but these were young minds that could be manipulated. They were taught low-standard education, religion, and agriculture so that they could not overcome their oppressors. The boys were being molded into farmers and the girls, housekeepers, so half of the time, they were learning academics, the other half doing manual labour. In between all of this, the children were subject to physical, sexual, and mental abuse. Often, disease ran rampant throughout the population. There was a lack of resources and attention to the sick, often resulting in death. All these factors have contributed to the unravelling of the family paradigm and communities of the Indigenous people. Indigenous people are centred on beliefs of community and union with themselves and land. When this circle is disrupted, so is the element of their society.

The intergenerational trauma and post-traumatic stress that Indigenous families endure have significantly impacted their well-being and prosperity. With little resources and care from the Canadian government, it has left communities broken, with suicide rates, drug, and alcohol abuse far higher than the societal norm. Events such as the 60's scoop and, even more recently, the millennium scoop, children were and are being removed from their homes. Indigenous people have revealed that consent was not given to remove their children in many cases or cause to do so. The government authorities and social workers acted under colonial views that Indigenous people were culturally inferior and unable to adequately provide for their children's needs. Numerous Indigenous peoples believe that the children's mandatory apprehension was a deliberate act of genocide (Sinclair, R., 2020). With many Indigenous communities living in poverty due to underfunding while being controlled by the Indian Act, provincial child welfare agencies chose to remove children from their homes rather than provide community resources and supports (Sinclair, N., & Dainard 2016). The past's social work policies and ethical practices contain colonial principles that had a devastating impact on Indigenous families that spans multiple generations. Although many social workers have different ethical procedures and education surrounding Indigenous people, there is a current matter called the "Millennium Scoop."

With the Millennium Scoop, Indigenous children's apprehension has continued with little support given to biological or community-based families to provide culturally safe childcare (Simpson, 2019). It seems that the new generation of social workers has inherited colonial practices. The perpetuation of colonial views is a pressing issue. Still, with further implementation of the Truth and Reconciliation Calls to Action and social workers advocating for change, the future seems promising. Many professional practices today realize that change needs to happen for the betterment of the Indigenous people of Canada.

Below I will include some relevant links to help further your own knowledge in these matters. Thank you. Stay tuned for my last post.

Links:

Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada: Calls to Action - http://trc.ca/assets/pdf/Calls_to_Action_English2.pdf

Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada - http://www.trc.ca/

Support Resources

Indigenous youth and families that are struggling and in crisis with the recent events please know there is a number they can call for support at: IRSSS (Indian Residential School Survivors Society) 24/7 Emergency Crisis line 1-800-721-0066 (https://www.irsss.ca/services/counselling) and the Calgary Aboriginal Friendship Centre also has their Elder’s phone line which is available M-F from 8-4pm: https://www.afccalgary.org/

References

Miller, J. R. (2012, October 10). Residential schools in Canada. The Canadian Encyclopedia. https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/residential-schools#:~:text=When%20did%20the%20first%20residential,first%20boarding%20students%20in%201831.

Simpson, J. (2019, August 7) Indigenous kids are still being taken from their parents. I’m one of them. Today’s Parent. https://www.todaysparent.com/blogs/opinion/indigenous-kids-are-still-being-taken-from-their-parents/

Sinclair, N., & Dainard, S. (2016, June 22). Sixties Scoop. Canadian Encyclopedia. https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/sixties-scoop

Sinclair, R. (2020). About the Sixties Scoop. Origins Canada. http://www.originscanada.org/aboriginal-resources/the-stolen-generation/