PORTSMOUTH, Ohio — The First Nations, Inuit and Métis communities comprise the Indigenous peoples of what many call present-day Canada. These communities have faced centuries of Western colonialism, which wielded education as a one of its main weapons of domination. This pattern persisted into living memory and continues to negatively impact individuals and their greater communities. Today, reclaiming Indigenous education in Canada is seen as a pivotal step in preserving and recovering what was lost in decades past.
The Long Stay of Residential Schools
According to Indigenous Foundations, the residential school system was a government-implemented, church-operated education system aimed at educating Indigenous children. The involved churches encompassed various sects but were overwhelmingly Christian. The primary purpose of these schools was to indoctrinate Indigenous children into Western Christian society. Alternatively put, the purpose was to “kill the Indian in the child.”
Residential schools forcibly separated Indigenous children from their families and communities. Once they arrived, Indigenous students were forbidden from acknowledging their cultures. This included censuring Indigenous languages, which caused many to fall out of use in modern day in favor of English. Attempts to speak one’s Indigenous language were sometimes punished by needle stabs to a child’s tongue. This was just one of many types of abuse Indigenous students experienced. Other forms of abuse included beatings and being shackled to beds. Former students have also indicated that sexual, emotional and psychological abuse were commonplace in residential schools. Piling on top of the abuse was overall poor conditions — poor sanitation, nutrition and healthcare. Due to the abuse and inadequate conditions, the death rate was high among students in these residential school system.
These schools were a tool of cultural genocide and were operational for close to 150 years. This system began to fall out of use in the 1960s during a period now known as the Sixties Scoop. However, the last school didn’t close its doors until 1996. The Canadian government then moved away from this boarding school system toward the use of welfare agencies as a new tool of oppression. The state began disproportionately seizing Indigenous children to place in the care of white foster families. This trend persists today and presents its own pertinent issues regarding Indigenous education in Canada.
Recovery of Indigenous Education
There are multiple dimensions to recovery from the generational trauma and damage inflicted upon Indigenous peoples. In past decades, former students and communities have pursued justice through legal cases against responsible institutions. These proceedings, alongside highly publicized reports and testimonials, led to national recognition and a formal apology in 2008.
The Canadian government has made gestures toward reconciliation, but Indigenous communities have taken reclaiming education into their own hands. Indigenous peoples formed agencies, NGOs and networks to revive Indigenous education in Canada according to their own terms. The Assembly of First Nations (AFN) advocates on behalf of 634 First Nations communities in Canada. AFN advances resolutions passed by elected Chiefs and the chairs of Elders, Women’s and Youth councils. AFN is active in various policy areas, including economics, health, housing and infrastructure.
Regarding Indigenous education in Canada, the AFN provides direct support through the organization’s It’s Our Time: First Nations Education Digital Toolkit. This program provides 22 free lesson modules on subjects relating to the First Nations, including resources for both students and instructors. AFN also hosts the Raised Voices: Carriers of Hope Youth Policy Forum. This program brought together 36 First Nations youth to develop calls to action for Canadian institutions regarding issues such as student wellness, improved funding, early childhood development, equitable resources and inclusive curricula.
Other Recovery Efforts
Indspire is an Indigenous charity that directly supports Indigenous education in Canada through its programs. Indspire provides a great deal of financial support to students. It has provided more than $100 million to approximately 35,000 Indigenous youth in scholarships since 2004 and has honored 360 students with Indspire Awards since 1993. Indspire actively celebrates educators in Indigenous education and aspiring Indigenous teachers in addition to hosting forums on the subject.
Schools in Indigenous communities have made strides in preserving and promoting culture, especially Indigenous languages. For example, the Akwesasne Freedom School is an alternative school providing full Mohawk immersion education to reservation students. The school hopes to instill both pride and knowledge in students by teaching students only in the Mohawk language. Also, the Kaniyasihk Cree Immersion Land-Based School hosts a type of program that aims to connect students to their Cree heritage through land-based education. Students hike, garden, canoe and participate in other physical activities to build a connection to the land and their heritage. The school is also associated with Indigenous language research and learning programs.
Looking Forward
Reclaiming Indigenous education in Canada is a key step in reclaiming and preserving the culture lost due to the residential school system. Supportive action from non-Indigenous institutions would be beneficial to developmental efforts. However, it is Indigenous communities that spearhead advances in Indigenous language learning, cultural curricula and expansion in education resources to those most in need. As such, non-Indigenous people need to defer to Indigenous peoples and support them in their efforts. It is time to give back what was taken, starting with Indigenous education.
– Mckenzie Howell
Photo: Flickr