The issue in relation to the Aborignal peoples has been ongoing for many years in which at that time I was born, raised, and educated lightly on the matter of the historic events. Thanks to my Indigenous studies class, I was able to be put in perspective as to where I should start and how to expand my journey towards reconciliation. Claiming “ I was not taught about this in school” puts no excuse for anyone’s ignorance and the lack of effort into educating oneself about the importance of the culture that was almost wiped away. I started my journey through deep research on websites and videos and looking into the survivors of the Residential schools. In observation, It is devastating to hear and recognize the pain in each victim’s stories of trauma and fear they have been put through for their entire lives. This experience has put me into a rollercoaster of emotions, but with the accumulated knowledge that I have gained, I feel I have obtained answers to majority of the questions I have had in thought and not only that but a new understanding on the importance of the victims whose rights and voices that were taken away and are slowly being found and heard today. My aesthetic piece has also given me greater understanding not only for myself, but on how I can inspire those around me and help gain back the rights and voices one step at a time within the Indigenous peoples and build a more secure, safe life that they never once had.
In reference to the survivors of the Residential schools, I was able to gain a viewpoint on how they lived their traumatic, abusive lives. I learned that these children woke up in a room full of others just like them, unaware of where they are and frightened as they were alone without their brother, sister, or parents. These innocent children were ripped away from their families and were forbidden to speak or do anything in relation to their culture or traditions. They had no choice to convert to christianity and that was by force. “ I was strapped and beaten up for speaking my own Native tongue” (Mason, 2015) portrays how consequences were dealt with when a violation occurred in the list of their strict rules and teachings. These children could not even hug or speak with their siblings after moments of being separated with each other. It was as if they were strangers to each other. Bonds were broken and people started to lose their sense of identity and life. “ We became strangers in our home and native land” (Dion-Strout, 2015). The visitation of families was very limited. Authorized visits to home only applied to holidays. Children impatiently waited to finally see and touch their parents and saying goodbye was the hardest part. “When they were leaving I cried until my nose bled” (Dion-Strout, 2015). Life at the Residential schools consisted of more labour of girls doing laundry, sewing, cooking, cleaning and boys were instructed to carpentry, tinismiting, and farming rather than education. The lack of care and poor sanitation given to these children resulted in them being critically ill and a developed a high death toll. Going back home and facing reality brought complications to each victim and their families. With them growing up in a poor, abusive brain-washing environment, this shaped them to become abusive parents and since they were raised in the residential schools, everything they did when they were on their own, they thought that was the norm. They did not know better or learn for the better because they lived in a cruel, mentally destructing state. “ It’s a block to my growth” (Mattess, 2018) and this led victims to feel like Mattess did, “I was ashamed to be an Indian” (Mattess, 2018). This memory sits fresh in the minds of these sufferers and are still battling their ways back into a “normal” life. “Everything was destroyed in our world” (Littledeer, 2015). Watching these videos was very eye opening and has given me the realization that the era of the residential schools were not so long ago (closed in 1996) and some families to this day have survivors still managing through that experience.
Another great addition to my journey towards reconciliation was learning about the Witness Blanket made as a symbol for protection in honour of the children including the 4,100 and more lives lost. It is made out of a collection of items during the era of the Residential Schools formed into a blanket. These blankets are worn in ceremonies and are given as gifts. This not only means as a protection to children, but a comfort to their elders. Each item has a story that is explained by each survivor. This gives an opportunity to raise awareness of what occurred during that time and for each victim to share their stories and ensure that this event never happens again. These stories will help other people gain a better understanding and expand that knowledge to understand their perspective and culture. This movement not only spreads awareness of the occurrence of the Residential Schools, but to bring their culture back to life and to keep their legacy still going.
For my aesthetic piece I wrote a poem called “The Unwanted Childhood”. This poem starts on how the Indigenous people lived, in harmony. It starts in a light, harmless manner. It briefly tells how the Indigenous peoples lived before the white man came and took it all away. This part of the poem touches the history of how these first inhabitants lost everything killing their culture and ways of living. Reading on, it focuses on the experiences that occurred during the Residential schools on how poorly they lived and the lives lost during this time. Identities were stolen and are yet to still be found. This matter does not just connect through their heritage, but themselves as well, finding their way back to a “normal” life and fighting the memories that rest in the minds of the victims unwelcomely. Although the tunnel each survivor encounters is very long, it takes a community, a nation, a helping hand to come together as one to find peace and justice.
This path I have taken towards my journey is still ongoing. I have questions that still need to be answered and all this research is the beginning of this experience. The creation of my poem speaks only a portion of the ongoing issues that are still needed to be dealt with. Expanding my understanding and recognizing the issues surrounding this manner is a first step. As a future teacher, I must educate the importance of history and the Indigenous peoples in it. I must create a classroom full of diversity and acknowledge the various cultures and traditions in students in a way where they feel accepted and hopefully create a society where cultures, traditions, and beliefs will not be disregarded, but rather be recognized and appreciated. I want to ensure that the Aboriginal students are represented as a step in gaining back the identity, rights, and voices that were taken away. Although my journey towards reconciliation is an ongoing process, I cannot wait to see what the future brings and what I can do to help others save humanity.
