Essay On Residential Schools In Canada

The era of residential schools in Canada is one of the most shameful times in Canadian history, acting as a “cultural genocide” of the indigenous people. Cultural genocide is the systematic eradication of the traditions, language, and other elements of a unique group of people. The government of Canada sought to accomplish this eradication through the mandatory attendance at a residential school for all indigenous children. Without the guidance of their parents at such a young age, the adults in these schools, mainly priests and nuns, became the primary influence in these children’s lives. These authority figures prohibited any expression of their traditional culture, including appearance and language. Upon arrival at a residential school,
As Mary Carpenter said, “When a language dies, the world it was generated from is broken down too” (p. 354). When students from residential school returned back to their communities, they were no longer able to communicate with their families in their language. Language was just a part of a larger identity crisis that they experienced: they no longer fit into their community, but they were discriminated against in other places. This internal conflict, combined with the abuse that they experienced as children, led to many destructive coping strategies amongst residential school survivors, including alcoholism, substance abuse, suicide attempts, and domestic violence. They also perpetuated the attitudes that they were taught as children, including child abuse and a belief that their culture was shameful. This negativity associated with their culture meant that many of them did not pass on their traditions to their children. Without younger generations learning their cultural traditions, ancient languages and practices began to be lost. While efforts are being made to restore indigenous traditions, the cultural genocide of residential schools has left a legacy that cannot be