Historically, cultural genocide has been a prominent theme in society, particularly in Indigenous cultures. This is true in Indian Horse by Richard Wagamese. Cultural genocide is driven by hatred for Indigenous culture and ways of life. Furthermore, cultural genocide occurs through residential schools and the treatment of Indigenous children. Moreover, residential schools cause a lasting effect on survivors and their relationship with their culture. In and of itself, examining the theme of cultural genocide enables readers to fully understand the lasting effects residential schools have had on Indigenous culture and way of life. Cultural genocide is driven by hatred for Indigenous culture and ways of life. This is true of Saul. The destruction
Indigenous people across Canada have been suppressed by the government, system, and settlers still to this day. The residential school system was a system of boarding schools that were established by the Canadian government and administered by various churches to assimilate Indigenous children into Euro-Canadian culture. Many of these children suffered physical, sexual, and emotional abuse from school staff. Even though residential schools have been abolished they can still affect indigenous people today. The book “Indian Horse” clearly represents the intergenerational trauma of Indigenous communities in Canada.
Indian Horse In the book Indian Horse by Richard Wagamese, Saul gains relationships through community. The Kellys provide Saul a place to call his home and they create a bond beyond just the billet family. Secondly, The land around Saul gives him a sense of family, the land is full of life to encourage Saul to not give up and he's not alone. Lastly, hockey offers Saul love and a feeling of worthiness that he is lacking while being at St. Jerome's Indian Residential School.
As socialization's effects are inevitable, we are constantly influenced by groups. However, regardless of the groups we are influenced by, the one concept that is absolute is our reliance on the sense of togetherness that seldom dissolves. The concept is explored in the novel Indian Horse by Richard Wagamese and the short story "Borders" by Thomas King, both of which emphasize characters who have been influenced by cultural assimilation. Indian Horse is a journey of Saul Indian Horse, a young Indigenous child who lost their family due to assimilation and was forced to attend a residential school. “Borders” is a journey of a Blackfoot mother who desires to visit her daughter in Salt Lake City, separated from her Blackfoot background; both emphasizing
Sovereignty, as described by Wilma Mankiller is “to have control over your own lands, and resources, and assets, and to have control over your own vision for the future, and to be able to absolutely determine your own destiny.”. In other words, sovereignty can refer to the inherent right of Indigenous peoples to self-governance, to make decisions about their own lands and resources, and to maintain their cultural and linguistic identities. This includes the right to self-determination and the ability to control their own destinies without interference from outside forces, including, but not limited to colonial powers. In the book Indian Horse by Richard Wagamese, a young boy named Saul Indian Horse is taken from his family and forced to attend
“I understood then that when you miss a thing it leaves a hole that only the thing you miss can fill.” ― Richard Wagamese, Indian Horse. Saul’s story benefits people who read it and helps them know what the natives went through. It helps by telling people to escape if times are tough, teaches people what happened in the residential homes and how Saul was discriminated by people because he was a native.
Trauma Through the Eyes of Residential School Survivors Symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder include "Reliving the traumatic event as if it were happening again (flashbacks)" (Sandhya Pruti). Therefore, trauma occurs from an emotionally disturbing or life-threatening event causing long-lasting unpleasant effects. Similarly, numerous notable works of literature explore post-traumatic stress disorder. In Indian Horse, Richard Wagamese uses Saul's character flashbacks to exemplify the realities of trauma toward developing children. St. Jerome's Residential School destroyed all positive aspects of Saul's life through excessive trauma.
Saul Indian Horse once stated “I was at the bottom of that well for a long time. Coming back up to daylight hurt like a son of a bitch” (Wagamese 189). In the novel Indian Horse written by Richard Wagamese and the short story Stolen Words written by Melanie Florence, the relationship between the protagonist and their community is highly valued. Indigenous people often build relationships within their community, allowing them to find self-acceptance and develop as individuals. The protagonist in the novel Indian Horse, Saul, manages to succeed in self-development by connecting with his peers including family, friends, and hockey teammates.
Racism and abuse is like an evil shadow that never stops following an individual throughout their life. A person who experiences this evil shadow is Saul Indian Horse, where the oppression, racism and abuse have followed him throughout his life along with the circumstances he faces. Indian Horse, published in 2012, depicts the hardships in the life of Saul Indian Horse resulting in struggling with prejudice, generational trauma and oppression. In Richard Wagamese’s Indian Horse, the hardships, obstacles and devastating struggles Saul has to face at St. Jerome’s plays a significant role throughout the novel. Saul’s experiences with oppression and trauma in playing hockey result in detrimental impacts on his life, suffering through intergenerational
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.
Thirdly, discriminatory behaviour by surrounding communities and the effects it has on First Nation children. There are many voices in this world that appreciate being heard upon their opinions, but some individuals use their voices as weapons to bring down other people. In Richard Wagamese’s Indian Horse, the audience in a hockey game perceive a hockey team full of Indigenous peoples as a source of negative energy for the game in general, and that can be interpreted as racial discrimination. “As we skated onto the ice for our game against the North Bay Nuggets, the crowd booed us. When our line us was introduced, they knew exactly where to direct their energy” (Wagamese
Racism has been present in society since forever, maybe even the very first day that two men of different races met. Racism is defined as “the belief that all members of each race possess characteristics or abilities specific to that race, especially so as to distinguish it as inferior or superior to another race or races.” Usually racism is a belief that a person with a certain race has better abilities, attributes and skills. If this belief is to distinguish as superior it can have tragic events occurring between two types of groups. An example of two types of groups that have separated into an image of rivalries fueled with competition are the ‘Whites’ and the ‘Indians’, as shown in the novel Indian Horse by Richard Wagamese, where the devastating effects of racism and discrimination are evident in the protagonist Saul Indian Horse, for his spirit is nearly broken all together by them, most notable in how he was forced to live in a cruel Residential school, he endured taunting in the hockey world, and bullying in the work force, affecting a lifelong struggle with severe depression and alcoholism.
One way that the Indigenous studies requirement would aid in combating racism is through diminishing harmful stereotypes that surround Indigenous peoples. According to Maclean’s, “one in three prairie residents believe that many racial stereotypes are accurate” and that 52% of prairie residents also agree that “Aboriginals’ economic problems are mainly their fault” (Macdonald, 2015) in a poll conducted by the Canadian Institute for Identities and Migration. Canada has had a long history of racism against and the dehumanization of Indigenous peoples, including but not limited to the residential school system and the more recent issue of the high rates of Indigenous children in Child and Family Services (CFS). It is estimated that 150,000 Indigenous children were placed into residential schools from 1874 to 1996 (Fee, 2012) and it is believed 6,000 of these children died while attending, although this number is difficult to determine due to the government ceasing recordings of deaths in residential schools around 1920. Indigenous children were taken from their homes, from their parents and from their way of life to be put into schools that were meant to rid them of their Indigenous culture and assimilate
ilience Richard Wagamese's "Indian Horse," is a story about Saul Indian Horse, a residential school student. Throughout most of the novel, he goes by the name Saul. The book revolves around Saul's life journey and the profound impact that his Indigenous heritage and experiences, thereof have had on him. “I was sore inside” (Wagamese 48) After being forcibly taken from his family, “ The tearing away of the bush and my people was like ripped flesh in my belly.” (Wagamese48), Saul endures the harsh and abusive environment of St. Jerome's Indian Residential School.
Indian Horse: The Racism that destroys, but creates Saul Hockey is a national sport that unites one another. From the Montreal Canadiens to the Vancouver Canucks, children and adults find excitement in the game. In the novel Indian Horse by Richard Wagamese, Saul Indian Horse encounters racism in his hockey career and with society. Saul attempts to bear the stereotypes set on him, which destroys him and thus, Saul struggles in attempt to reconcile mentally, physically and spiritually.