Rachel Evans
The treatment of Indian children in boarding schools and residential schools in the United States and Canada is a dark chapter in the history of both countries. Indian children were forced to cut their hair, give up their traditional clothing and names, and replace their religious practices and cultural traditions with Christianity. They were punished for speaking their native languages and were subjected to harsh discipline and corporal punishment. In Canada, the Catholic Church played an integral role in administering around 60% of residential schools, where sexual abuse was endemic and thousands of Indigenous children lost their lives. The recent discoveries of unmarked graves and the violent history associated with these schools have sparked protests and discussions about the role of the Catholic Church in perpetuating colonial violence against Indigenous communities.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Location | Canada, USA |
| Time Period | 19th and 20th Century, mid-19th Century to present |
| People Involved | Indigenous/Indian Children, Catholic Church, Canadian Government, Teachers, Parents |
| Nature of Abuse | Physical, Sexual, Emotional, Neglect, Cultural Erasure |
| Impact | Suicide, Death, Intergenerational Trauma, Loss of Cultural Identity |
| Responses | Protests, Public Outrage, Survivor Accounts, Religious/Political Apologies |
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What You'll Learn
Indian children were forced to cut their hair and wear uniforms
Indian boarding schools, initially set up in the mid-19th century by the government or Christian missionaries, forced many Indian children to cut their hair and wear uniforms. These schools aimed to immerse students in Anglo-American culture, requiring them to abandon their tribal clothing and traditional hairstyles. The goal was to replace their Native American identities with European-American cultural values.
Upon arrival at these boarding schools, Indian children were stripped of their cultural identities. They were forced to cut their hair, a significant source of shame for boys from tribes who considered long hair a part of their maturing identity. This forced haircut was just the beginning of the cultural erasure these children experienced. They were then made to wear uniforms, replacing their tribal clothing with American-style attire. This uniform policy was part of a broader effort to assimilate Native American children into mainstream culture and Christianize them.
The schools' strict discipline and harsh punishment further contributed to a traumatic experience for these children. They were forbidden from speaking their mother tongues and were punished for doing so. Their tribal names were replaced with English names, often saints' names under religious orders. The schools resembled military organizations, with students marching in formations and adhering to a strict timetable.
The impact of these boarding schools extended beyond the students' time in the classroom. The forced separation from their families and cultural ways for extended periods, sometimes lasting four or more years, disrupted their connections to their communities and traditions. The schools' harsh environment, especially for younger children, led to investigations in the late 20th century that uncovered cases of physical, emotional, and sexual abuse.
The legacy of these boarding schools is a painful chapter in the history of Native American communities. While the schools aimed to assimilate and "civilize" Native American children, they caused cultural loss and trauma that reverberated through generations. The experience of being forced to cut their hair and wear uniforms was just the beginning of a broader system of oppression and cultural erasure.
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They were punished for speaking their native languages
In the 19th and 20th centuries, there were over 526 government-funded and church-run Indian boarding schools in the US. Indian children were forcibly abducted by government agents and sent to these schools, where they were punished for speaking their native languages. The schools, which often imitated military life, forced students to cut their hair, wear uniforms, and adopt English names. They were taught that their cultures were inferior, and their religious practices were forcibly replaced with Christianity.
Carl Gorman, for instance, attended the Rehoboth Mission School in New Mexico but ran away because he did not like the harsh rules. He was later sent to the Albuquerque Indian School, where he thrived. Similarly, Charles Chibitty attended the Ft. Sill Indian School in Oklahoma, where he and the other Indian children were punished for speaking their tribal languages.
Theodore Fontaine also recalls being punished as a student at Fort Alexander Residential School for speaking the Indigenous language Ojibway. The ban on Indigenous languages created tremendous confusion and tensions among students, many of whom did not speak English when they entered the schools. In some cases, teachers used extreme forms of punishment, such as administering electrical shocks or pushing needles into students' tongues to associate pain with speaking their mother tongue.
This practice of punishing students for speaking their native languages is not unique to the US and has also been documented in Africa. African children are forced to learn foreign languages at a young age and are penalized for speaking their indigenous languages in classrooms. This constitutes psychological torture and humiliation and reinforces the idea that their mother tongues are subordinate to colonial languages.
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Indian children were buried via Christian burials
The treatment of Indian children in boarding schools has been a dark chapter in the history of both the United States and Canada. The schools were set up in the mid-19th century by the respective governments and Christian missionaries, with the explicit purpose of assimilating Indian children into Euro-Canadian and white American culture. The children were forced to cut their hair, give up their traditional clothing and names, and were forbidden from speaking their native languages. They were taught that their cultures were inferior, and their religious practices were forcibly replaced with Christianity.
The Indian children who died while attending these schools were buried in school cemeteries, often marked with wooden crosses, to keep costs low. Many of the cemeteries were unregistered, and as such, the locations of many burial sites and names of the deceased children have been lost.
In 2021, the remains of more than 1,000 Indigenous children were found at former residential schools in Canada, with unmarked graves that may hold the bodies of more than 160 children found on Penelakut Island, previously known as Kuper Island. The Truth and Reconciliation Commission found records of 4,037 deaths at the schools, with over 500 of those deaths occurring in the United States.
In response to these discoveries, the Canadian government has pledged $27 million to Indigenous communities to aid in the identification of burial sites that are still hidden. Similarly, the U.S. Secretary of the Interior, Deb Haaland, announced the formation of the Federal Indian Boarding School Initiative to review "the troubled legacy of federal boarding school policies."
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Teachers ridiculed and made fun of the students' traditions
The treatment of Indian children in boarding schools and residential schools in the US and Canada has been described as abusive and violent. The schools were often run by the government or Christian missionaries and aimed to assimilate Indian children into white culture, eradicating their cultural ways. Indian children were forced to cut their hair, give up their traditional clothing, and take English names. They were punished for speaking their native languages and forced to adopt Christianity, with their own religious practices deemed inferior.
The role of the Catholic Church in the Canadian residential school system has been a source of controversy. The Church administered around 60% of these schools, where sexual abuse was endemic, corporal punishment was harsh, and thousands of Indigenous children lost their lives. The discovery of unmarked graves at former residential schools has brought the issue into the public eye, with many questioning the Catholic Church's involvement in a system that led to the violation and loss of so many Indigenous children.
In the US, Indian boarding schools often imitated military life, with strict rules and harsh discipline. Children were separated from their families and cultural traditions, and some teachers ridiculed and mocked their traditions. The schools sought to replace Indigenous cultural practices and beliefs, forcing children to participate in Christian burials and funeral processes. The Indian children were not only taught English but were punished, sometimes severely, for speaking their native languages.
The lasting impact of these experiences on the students cannot be overstated. The ridicule and punishment they endured for their traditions and languages had a profound effect on their sense of self and connection to their cultural heritage. The trauma inflicted by these educational institutions has left intergenerational scars on Indigenous communities, with many survivors and their descendants still seeking truth, justice, and healing.
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Corporal punishment was rampant in these schools
Boarding schools for Indian children were first set up in the mid-19th century by the government or Christian missionaries. Indian families were initially forced by the government to send their children to these schools. The children were forced to cut their hair, give up their traditional clothing, and take English names. They were punished for speaking their native languages and forced to adopt Christianity, with their traditional religious practices forcibly replaced.
The recent discoveries of unmarked burials have shocked Canadians and led to many questions about the motivations of 19th and 20th-century Catholics who participated in a system that ultimately led to the loss and violation of thousands of Indigenous children. The residential school system was designed by Bishop Vital-Justin Grandin, who believed that maintaining Indigenous cultural practices would lead to the self-extinction of Indigenous people.
The strict rules and harsh discipline in Indian boarding schools often resembled military life. Students learned academic subjects, trades, and practical skills, and were encouraged to participate in athletics and arts classes. However, the harsh discipline and punishment for speaking their native languages had a significant impact on the students. Many Indian boarding schools were run like military organizations, which later made it easier for some students to adapt to life in the American military.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, Indian students in Catholic schools were often ridiculed and made fun of by their peers for their traditions and culture.
Yes, Indian students were often forced to attend boarding schools where they were separated from their families and cultural ways for long periods, sometimes lasting four or more years.
Yes, in addition to giving up their traditional clothing and names, Indian students were forced to cut their hair and adopt Western hairstyles.
Yes, Indian students were punished, sometimes harshly, for speaking their native languages. They were forced to speak English and were taught that their cultures and languages were inferior.
Yes, Indian students in Catholic schools were subjected to various forms of abuse, including sexual abuse, corporal punishment, and harsh discipline. The treatment of Indian students in these schools has led to a renewed discussion about colonial history and the role of the Catholic Church in Canada and the United States.
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