This article is an excellent way to reflect on the relationship of Western cultures to Aboriginal children and their attempts to integrate them into modern society. Boarding schools for children of Canadian aborigines opened in the 19th century to introduce students to European culture. The excellent idea turned into systematic bullying, beatings, humiliation, and violence within the walls of these schools and under cover of the state and the church.
Parents were usually willing to send their children to Indian boarding schools, hoping that Western education would help them get better in life. But some families still did not want to send their children to be raised by strangers — then officials forcibly took away boys and girls and sent them to institutions that were often far from Indian settlements. Everything was subordinated to one goal — to deprive children of the slightest connection with traditional culture wholly. For better “assimilation,” children were separated from their parents, brothers, and sisters for months. The administration sought to deprive the students of their cultural identity (Blackstock & Trocmé, 2005) Therefore, on the first day of training, all boys and girls were cut short. The teachers knew how important long hair was for the Aborigines, reflecting strength, beauty, and intelligence in Indian society.
Unsuccessful attempts to assimilate children led to their disorientation. Graduates did not become full-fledged Europeans, but at the same time, they moved away from Indian society. Many of them suffered psychological trauma and sought solace in alcohol and drugs. Its is cannot but cause sadness for any person because organizations violated the rights of the indigenous population. It is very commendable that graduates of such boarding schools began to fight for their rights, expressed in various forms of protest. Such events bore fruit; in the 1970s, schools for Indians began to close, despite the church’s opposition. The problem has not gone away, but society has chances, if they make efforts, that indigenous peoples will respect and not interfere with their world order.
Reference
Blackstock, C., & Trocmé, N. (2005). Community based child welfare for Aboriginal children. Handbook for working with children and youth: Pathways to resilience across cultures and contexts, 105-120.