Residential Schools
Name at least 2 residential schools
Shubenacadie, Mohawk Institute, Kamloops, St. Anne's, St. Anthony's
What does reconciliation mean?
Reconciliation means to bring two communities together/restore relationships between communities
At what age were most kids forcibly taken from their homes and sent to the residential schools?
Indigenous children around the ages 5 and 6 were taken from their homes all around Canada.
What are some of the lifelong impacts that Indigenous survivors have to live with?
Trauma, PSTD, mental & physical health issues
What are two things that the kids had to do at the schools?
Abandon their culture/language, assimilate into European-Canadian culture
Which was the biggest residential school?
Mohawk Institute in Brantford, Ontario
How can you educate others properly on residential schools and reconciliation?
By hearing someone's real-life perspective of what happened (ex: a victim), news reports, documents from when the schools were still active
"Losing Precious Braids" is a quote from which residential school survivor?
Victoria Boucher-Grant is the original voice of "Losing Precious Braids"
Why might Indigenous survivors not want to have kids?
They won't know how to take care of them because of being treated poorly, won't be able to continue the history and culture because they might've forgotten it
What did they do to the kids when they first got there?
Cut their hair, give them Euro-Canadian names or numbers, give them institutional uniforms, confiscation of any cherished home items
How many documented children died at the residential schools?
There are over 4,200 documented records of children that have died while attending residential schools from various diseases, physical abuse and neglect.
Name one way you can support reconciliation
Wear an orange shirt on Orange Shirt Day, speak up for the indigenous peoples, honour treaties, educate people on the affects of residential schools
What age did the kids get to go home?
Around 15 years of age is when some kids got to go home.
Why do some survivors talk about "living in constant fear?"
They do not want the past to repeat itself, they do not want anybody else to go through what they went through
If the kids spoke their cultural language or spoke of their culture what happened to them?
They would be severely abused and endure punishments
Which was the smallest residential school?
St. Anthony's Indian Residential School in Seekaskootch Onion Lake Reserve in Saskatchewan
Why do we wear orange shirts on September 30th?
To honour Indigenous children who attended residential schools, remember those who did not return, and acknowledge the lasting trauma caused by the system
Why were indigenous children taken from their homes?
To be assimilated into European-Canadian culture
What is one physical health issues that residential schools may have caused?
Long-term chronic diseases, malnutrition, impairments from abuse and neglect, infections
What is one type of child labour did they have to do? (one for boys, one for girls)
Boys: farming and agriculture, dangerous resource gathering, maintenance and construction
Girls: housekeeping, laundry and sewing, food preparation
How many children attended Shubenacadie?
125-175 children attended Shubenacadie through 1930-1967
Why is reconciliation important?
To address the ongoing, multi-generational impacts of colonialism, such as the residential school system, by building trust and establishing respectful relationships between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples
How long were they there for per year and when did they go home (if they went home?)
They stayed year-round and usually came home for the summer, but some other kids stayed even longer
What is one mental health issue that residential schools may have caused?
Chronic PTSD, severe depression, anxiety, substance abuse, and suicidal behaviours
What were indigenous kids granted for being good at residential schools?
Small amounts of better food or treats, "Privileges", Vitamins/Supplements, Praise for obedience