Historically, cultural genocide is a reoccurring issue in Indigenous communities. This is true in Indian Horse by Richard Wagamese. Cultural genocide originates from the belief that certain ethnic groups should assimilate according to established standards. Furthermore, cultural genocide occurs in residential schools through the violating treatment of Indigenous children. Moreover, survivors of residential schools are deeply affected by the loss of their culture, which has a long-lasting impact. In and of itself, residential schools have damaged Indigenous culture and ways of life; they forcibly altered Indigenous lifestyles and have long-lasting adverse effects on Indigenous communities and individuals alike. Cultural genocide originates …show more content…
He manipulated Saul by involving him in hockey and other tasks; he mistreated Saul and ultimately replaced "I love you" with the phrase "You are a glory.". Father Leboutilier exploited Saul's thirst for love and affection to fulfill his sexual desires. When Father Leboutilier felt that Saul was becoming difficult to manipulate, he would bring him back under his control by offering him compliments and kind actions, such as allowing him to play with the St. Jerome Residential School team. Therefore, the activities of the priests and nuns in residential schools only served to solidify the true intentions of these residential schools and their lasting effects on Indigenous culture. Also, residential schools intended to transform the children, but many remain lost; they still encounter difficulties recovering from their traumatic encounters and losing their cultural heritage while staying in these residential …show more content…
This is true of Saul. Residential schools subject children to traumatic events and situations that sever cultural ties. Saul states," I did not want to be haunted. I had lived that way for far too long as it was," (Wagamese 314). Saul explains how residential schools have negatively impacted his life and the lives of others. Saul shows how the traumatic events he has gone through haunt his way of life and limit his chance to grow and overcome his trauma. These unfortunate events have plagued Saul, leading him down a terrible road of intoxication, depression, and violence. These traumatic experiences have ultimately changed Saul and forced him to view culture and uniqueness negatively. Therefore, Saul's horrible experiences have impacted him and limited his ability to mature and overcome the suffering he has endured from Father Leboutilier and others within the residential school system. Residential schools have harmed Indigenous culture and ways of life; they forcefully changed behaviours and had long-term negative consequences on Indigenous communities and individuals
(King 64) explains the idea of residential schools and how the colonizer culture successfully broke up indigenous families and assimilated children into the settler culture. The culture clash between the Native Canadians and colonizer population was a problem to the western society and was unfortunately solved by the attempted termination of the indigenous culture. Once again, Thomas King portrays indigenous people by stereotypical means. The "wild" refers to them as being animals, savages and uneducated along with tagging them, similarly how hunters tag animals to keep track of them possibly due to them being a threat to society. All these effects of colonialism have caused
Jerome's Residential School further traumatized Saul with a lack of instability in hockey. In an ideal situation, hockey would have provided Saul with a joyous escape from the realities of the Residential school. Meanwhile, history repeats itself as the school takes a positive aspect of Saul's life and turns it into a new trauma. During hockey, Saul experiences an escape from the familiar emotion of sadness and regret. Throughout fleeting moments, Saul frees himself from the shackles of loneliness and depression the school placed around his wrists.
No longer allowing Aboriginal language had virtual made speaking the native language extinct. Genocide in the past has been trying to kill of people of a certain culture. In this situation, the residential school are trying to kill the culture not so much the
Author Richard Wagamese conveys a message in his novel Indian Horse displaying the idea of sacrifice. Specifically how people must sacrifice belonging for survival. Wagamese uses Saul 's experiences, choices and general story to express this message. Throughout Saul’s life he is forced to make sacrifices for himself and the people around him in order to survive, his isolation is what gets him through. Everyday people see the reproductions of community and how surviving isn 't an easy thing.
If this was to happen in the present, it would violate the legal rights found in the current charter of rights and freedoms. Legal rights prohibits people from being taken away without proper reason or consult. Secondly, inside of the residential schools, students were not treated properly. They did not feel safe inside of these schools, and instead felt lonely and trapped. This often lead to mental illness and horrible thoughts.
The Residential school stole his innocence when he was just a child and created an unimaginable outlook on life. Hockey was supposed to be that escape but that was stolen from him as well through constant taunting. In the workforce, isolation grew leading to alcohol and depression. Through the racism he faced, it was evident how Saul was affected both internally and externally as he endured more than anyone does. Saul’s culture, memories, hope, faith, language, traditions, tribe and freedom were taken from him all because of his skin
At St. Jerome’s Indian Residential School, Saul see’s the lonely world, which crams on him like a black hole with no light, however creates a determination for him to stay strong. As he is expeditiously thrown in to the vast world of a different religion he quickly realizes, “They called it a school, but it was never that” (79) … “There were no grades or examinations. The only test was our ability to endure” (79). The emotions and perspectives present in each quote signify the feelings of Saul towards the school and define the school to be unnerving and painful for the Indians living there, however they also show that Saul knows his expectations and is strong enough to tolerate the torture.
Oniiniiwat was a child when he was forced to endure all the hardships the school entailed, and yet not once did his spirits falter. This usually isn’t the case for many residential school survivors; the abuse they have gone through in one form or another materializes later in life, be it through alcoholism or being a part of the poverty and abuse
Many lost their innocence, their laughter, their lives.” (Dimaline 23) this shows the idea of what the Residential schools have done to the kids who sadly were taken away from their families, and what the government has done to
The families of the children were also affected as they were unable to pass on their cultural and traditional knowledge to their children. The impact of residential schools can be seen in the high rates of poverty, addiction, and suicide among the indigenous community today. The legacy of residential schools has also contributed to the loss of indigenous languages, cultural practices, and
“Historical trauma coupled with ongoing present-day traumas such as anti-Indigenous racism and a lack of clean drinking water has had a massive negative impact on Indigenous communities, resulting in (and combining with) issues such as addiction, limited education, incarceration, violence, abuse, suicidality, homelessness and poverty” (Seto). The effects of boarding schools are evident in the high poverty rates, unemployment, substance abuse, and suicide among Native Americans. The boarding school system has also contributed to the erasure of Indigenous languages, cultures, and knowledge systems, which are essential for the well-being of Indigenous communities and preserving their unique and beautiful ways of
In this essay, I'm going to argue to you that residential schools were harmful to indigenous people. Do you know why these schools were horrible well in Erin Hanson, article called The Residential School System, she says that the residents school system was an attempt to ‘kill the“Indian in the child”. And I agree with this, the Residential school was an attempt to take away indigenous kid's culture. Residential school survivors endured horrendous abuse from the so-called staff. Indigenous kids were forced away from their parents and most times never saw them again.
-What are the challenges faced by indigenous languages and efforts to revitalize them? -What is the role of indigenous women in their communities and in advocating for indigenous rights? -How has residential schooling impacted indigenous communities, and what are the long-term effects?
Initially, when Saul starts playing with his hockey reserve team, he experiences his first encounter with racism. While Saul is enjoying the game, he is suddenly kicked out of the team and remarks to Mr. Leboutiller the reason behind this is “‘because I am an Indian, isn’t it’ ‘yes’, he said” (Wagamese 91). At this moment, Saul is a victim of exclusion at a young age and recognises; not only in the residential school are Indians victims of discrimination due their appearance, culture and differences, but also outside of the residential school. Through his first encounter with exclusion, he slowly notices the segregation that surrounds him resulting in mental abuse because he becomes very cautious. After Saul leaves the residential school to live with the Kelly’s, he begins to play with the Moose.
“Father Landry suggested that the kids go to residential schools to be saved properly.” As the religious leader suggests the children should attend residential schools to be ‘saved’ when in fact many kids going to residential schools by force or choice ended up dead and forgotten. Families clueless to the where abouts of their loved ones taken. Shows how little regard many had for the well-being of the children. “I'm fine please continue” This sentence is ironic in this situation while being toured the makeshift grave of her brothers at a residential school.