Module 2, Entry 2 – Tyler Ohashi
The Lingering Effects of Trauma.
When I came across this article, it made me pause and consider the long-lasting effects trauma can have. Residential schools did not work, they were shut down. However, this is not the end of this story. The effects of trauma resulting from residential school will be around for a long time. This article by Mary Cuttler (2021) on CBC outlines how trauma can affect six generations.
Consider a child that was taken from their parents and forced to attend one of the residential schools. They are forced to speak a language that is foreign to them, practice traditions that are not familiar, and most heart-breaking, not get the love and affection only family can bring. A child in this situation will not have the skills to raise a child of their own. They will have no knowledge of how to care for a child because they never experienced it for themselves, they never had a chance to be part of a family. This will result in another generation of children from broken families and the cycle will continue until someone has the courage to break the cycle.
Childhood trauma even has physiological effects that can last a lifetime. Chronic stress can trigger: depression, mental illness, lowing resilience, and immune function while consistently high cortisol levels can cause: hypertension, diabetes, chronic pain, and heart attacks.
Therefore, the lingering effects of trauma are going to lead to a host of new problems that could potentially trigger even more problems that all started with residential schools.
Reference:
Cuttler, M. (2021, June 4). How residential school trauma of previous generations continues to tear through Indigenous families | CBC News. CBCnews. https://www.cbc.ca/news/health/residential-schools-intergenerational-trauma-kamloops-1.6052240.
Thanks for your blog, Tyler.
This information helps me gain a deeper understanding of how residential school trauma continues down generations. I believe this knowledge allows us to be more compassionate and understanding towards Indigenous people. This information helps with my research -authenticity of Indigenization. Learning about the trauma makes me more interested in doing something about it. I believe this interest will help me bring more passion into my involvement with Indigenization.
Emma
That is such an accurate and effective concept map…I cannot believe how trauma can affect 6 generations or more!! That is heartbreaking and I really hope we are breaking the cycle of trauma, but I wish we can do it much, much, much sooner than later.