The shame of residential schools in Canada

In order to research the generation loss of aboriginal languages due to the horrible suffering of First Nation students as a result of being sent to residential schools in Canada, I first need to research residential schools in general and read about the shameful way that Canada’s non-aboriginal government dealt with our Frist Nation people.  This site even discusses the official apology, presented by prime minister, Stephen Harper, on my birthday, June 11th, 2008.

http://www.shannonthunderbird.com/residential_schools.htm

Sad story after sad story about how children were forcibly taken from their homes when they were 6 years old (abused and forbidden to speak their own language or celebrate their culture) and then returned when they were 14.  Some never made it home and died at the schools (the reasons of death were covered up).  Horror stories about what went on in these residential school took years before they reached the ears of those who could do something about it.  (Hare, 2011) discusses the rigorous, religious indoctrination that went on and how students were punished for speaking their own language.  One girl told her story, after leaving school, that her tongue hurt every time she spoke her langue.  It was the result of the physical and psychological damage that had been incurred at school, when she had a needle stuck into her tongue every time she spoke her native language. The most tragic part was that when (and if) the children returned home, they lived divided lives since they could no longer relate to their families.

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