User:HSinfoworld

Native American Boarding Schools - Awareness

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what are Native American boarding schools?

"American Indian boarding schools, also known more recently as American Indian residential schools, were established in the United States from the mid-17th to the early 20th centuries with a primary objective of "civilizing" or assimilating Native American children and youth into European American culture."[1]

Assimilation: "Assimilation is a linear process by which one group becomes culturally similar to another over time"[2] (Native American boarding schools have tried to unfairly assimilate Native Americans using injustice methods.)

History and suffering.

Native American boarding schools have left many Indigenous people traumatized. “Kill the Indian in him, and save the man”(Pratt). This quote is demonstrating the 1880’s views, how racist Americans believed they needed to civilize native Americans. Trying to assimilate native Americans; this left indigenous people, denatured and continued the dehumanization of native Americans. Native American boarding schools tried to cruelly assimilate native Americans, this led to bad overall health, from the different types of abuse, native American generations today face poverty, bad health conditions, loss of culture and community. Native American boarding schools kidnapped native American children, abused them, tried to assimilate them, this left a scar on the native American community, and inactive native American boarding schools still have effects on native Americans today in multiple ways.                     Throughout history racist white American government stole land and tried to silence native American voices. "Children were coerced and compelled to attend boarding schools away from their homes. Many children did not return”(Labelle) Native american boarding schools were founded in the 1800’s to erase native american heritage, they took children between the ages of 6-14. The goals of the schools were to use native americans as laborors, for hard work. These hard jobs included farming, mining, factory work, servants, maids, builders, and blacksmithing. Native American boarding schools caused many health disorders and problems. “Historical trauma and unresolved grief are associated with adverse impacts on the health and well-being of American Indians”(De bruyn). Many boarding schools were unsanitary. Some of the harsh cruel punishments and abuse caused physical and mental health problems. Some mental health diagnoses are PTSD, anxiety, depression. The native american community has been susceptible to alto more disease ever since america was colonized, having unsanitary environments caused even more amounts of illness. Native American families and the generation stemming from survivors of boarding schools still suffer from many challenges. “…the cumulative emotional and psychological wounding over one’s lifetime and from generation to generation following loss of lives, land and vital aspects of culture”(Brave Heart). Many native americans whose parents and grandparents have been put in boarding schools, will face problems like US laws, loss of loved ones, and health risks. With the change in US government, land can be tokenized, homes destroyed and spiritual places gone. Not to mention with the generations that follow these native americans put in boarding schools health problems can pass down into families because of the boarding schools poor hygiene. From such abuse can arise generational trauma, being passed down from emotional damage of others. In other words the evidence is sayin these boarding schools tried to forcibly turn indigenous children into devoted poor working class white American christians. Government agents would forcibly take away native american kids from their homes, and have them travel hundreds of miles away from home. These indigenous children were told not to speak their native languages, forced to cut their hair, and demanded to stop native american practices. When native American children did not follow their harsh rules, the staff, teachers, priests, ministers, and nuns of the school would beat, starve and cause psychological trauma. The list of scares doesn't end here the reason of putting native american children in boarding schools were to stop them from practicing their culture ways, they taught them to be good for hard labor jobs that white americans did.

Date: 1/28/23

Creator: C.C LeClair

Publisher: Wikipedia