June is National Indigenous History month in Canada and I feel that one of the most important things that I could write about in honour of that is residential schools. I’m a First Nations person living in England, therefore not many people know about my culture or heritage. I’ve even had one person say to me that they “didn’t know that we [First Nations people] still existed”; well that’s colonization for you. In this article, I’m going to share five things you should know about residential schools. 

What are residential schools? 

The famous quote behind the founding of residential schools was “to kill the Indian in the child”. Residential schools were set up across Canada in an effort to assimilate First Nations people into mainstream society. Over 15,000 children were removed from their communities and forced to give up their culture and practices. They were taught Christianity and how to behave in an “acceptable” way. Rather than being given an actual education, they were taught negative behaviours and coping mechanisms. For example, they were taught that punishment was acceptable and after time knew to expect homophobic and sexist treatment. They were told that First Nations people shouldn’t speak their languages and were forced not to.  

This is not ancient history. 

Many people think that when we talk about residential schools we are talking about ancient history. This is wrong, this is very modern history. The last residential school closed in 1996 in Saskatchewan. Yes, you did just read that right. 1996! That is only twenty-three years ago. There are many members of my family that experienced residential schooling, members of my family that are still alive today to tell people about it. My great-grandfather and my grandfather both went to residential schools. My great-grandfather liked it, whereas my grandfather never ever talked about it. It’s quite unbelievable when you think about how only a short while ago, these schools were still in operation.

It was a deliberate cultural genocide. 

The point of residential schools was abundantly clear. It was to “civilise” First Nations people but it also played a huge role in the deliberate cultural genocide of Indigenous people in Canda. The Minister of Indian Affairs Frank Oliver predicated in 1908 that these schools would “elevate the Indian from his condition of savagery” and “make him a self-supporting member of the state and, eventually a citizen in good standing”. The system was an attempt by governments to shape the future of Indigenous people by removing thousands of children from their communities and into the hands of strangers. The common view was that these children were being taken from “evil surroundings”. 

There was lots of abuse. 

The abuse that the children faced in residential schools was shocking. They were run by Christian missionaries and they were more concerned with saving souls spiritually than anything else. The schools were seriously overcrowded resulting in ill health. Tuberculosis and other illnesses amongst the children lead to a high death rate. It was estimated at one point that “fifty per cent of the children who passed through these schools did not live to benefit from the education which they had received” (Scott, 1914). There was neglect of the children leading to hunger, malnourishment, lack of proper clothing, and them being overworked. Alongside this, there was harsh discipline, cruelty and physical and sexual abuse. Children were beaten with whips, rods and fists, they were chained and shackled, locked in closets, basements and bathrooms and they had their heads shaved or hair closely cropped. 

It has long-lasting effects on First Nations communities. 

The effect that residential schools have had on First Nations communities is undeniable. Some of the greatest losses include parenting skills, healthy coping mechanism, cultural practices, our languages, trust, a normal childhood, a sense of safety and belonging, supportive First Nations communities, a healthy sense of sexuality and a natural connection to the Creator that was not based on fear and damnation. The impact that these traumas has had on succeeding generations is overwhelming. 

Even though tomorrow may not be Indigenous History Month anymore, it’s important to always be thinking about these things. Not only think about these things but talk about them too. Talk about First Nations history with families, friends and even in school. Please remember to listen to First Nations people and hear from their perspectives. But also remember that you shouldn’t always be relying on First Nations people to share the information with you—go and do your own research on a part of history that is often overlooked or omitted in schools and curriculums.