Older Than America Sparknotes

Older than America by Georgina Lightning focus on the lasting effects of the cultural genocide in the residentials schools. The movie based in the Fond Du Lac Reservation in Minnesota, showed First Nations in the community still scarred from the abuse and suffer in the residential schools. Pete Goodfeather a survivor in the residential school, explained the school was made to “try to beat the Indian out of them and half the Indians died in the school. The rest of them are broken, confused, with scars that will never heal.” The residential school had left a scar on everyone, even if they didn’t go to the residential school, like Rain. Rain’s mother went to residential school and now is hospitalized. Rain may not have been in the residential
school, but she still gets visions about the abuse caused to the children in the residential school. An example is she woke up puking from a dream about a child in the residential school getting punish with soap in their mouths. Non-aboriginals also is impacted by the residential school.
An example is Luke Peterson, a geologist visiting Fond Du Lac reservation to investigate a earthquake, also saw visions of officer Goodfeather killing himself. Luke Peterson also talked to Pete Goodfeather about the residential school and asked “why haven’t they learnt about the residential school in school”. This revealed how non-aboriginal were not well educated about the past activities that impacted aboriginals and many others. Other non-aboriginal, like the mayor are ignorant to historical globalization as he wants to take down the residential school to build a resort. Paul Gunderson, the mayor is only thinking of the economy as he believes that taking down the school will benefit everyone because it would bring in jobs. Father Bartoli, represented the church in the movie. He showed that the church were trying to hide the terrible actions that were committed in the schools. He would try to block people from knowing the truth by hospitalizing people who report abuse in the school. An example is Rain’s mother. Rain’s mother wasn’t actually crazy, but Father Bartoli made everyone think she is crazy because she wanted people to be aware of the abuse that was happening in the
schools. Although the residential school were meant to break down the Indians inside of them, aboriginals in Fond Du Lac still try there best to bring back their culture by holding ceremonies. The residential schools were built to force children to assimilate to European culture and by holding the ceremonies they believed that “they would gain wisdom and knowledge that are older than America.” It shows that although there was loss of culture from the residential school, aboriginals are trying to bring back their unique culture. Other of attempts made to keep aboriginal culture, is Steve Klamath, a aboriginal politician running for mayor. Steve wants to bring awareness to everyone about the “illegal confiscation of land and about renewable of land leases that prevent the rightful owners for living in their property”. In the end of the movie, Richard Two Rivers, the radio DJ talked about how everything the aboriginal did was in a circle because it represented the tendency that life has to come in full circle. He explained how everything had come in full circle as they were able to see the past and the future. The past of the residential schools that took away what it meant to be human because to be human means to have the freedom of expressing your religion. Residential school didn't allow that. It didn’t allow talking in your own language or wearing the clothes that represent your culture. Older than America represents that society should learn about and never forget the legacy of historical globalization, but also to use what they learn to create a brighter future by addressing problems dealing with the harm that it has cause to society.