The evolution of Aboriginal people through the 20th century

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This is an overview of the writer's perception of the experiences, trials, tribulations, triumphs, successes and progress that makes up the evolution of First Nations people through the 20th century.

I write this in the hope it will give some understanding of the pain and suffering of those who may have been harmed, or who have harmed themselves and those they loved with their survival behaviors. It is thought that through pain and suffering we gain strength. If this is true, the strength of Aboriginal people will be formidable.

There is a great need in First Nations communities today to focus on the young people. They need the opportunity to understand and to heal from the unfortunate legacy that they inherited as a result of the many attempts of assimilation and genocide, the worst being the residential school experience. They will be our future leaders. Most often this important sector of the community is given lip service. Yet no concrete support is provided for these very important people. It is important that they have the opportunity to ground themselves in the traditional values, beliefs and principles of First Nations culture. First Nations people are not victims, they are survivors.

Part one

He was born into a large family just past the turn of the century. There were hard times, times when he and his family were cold. At times, there was not a lot to eat. The boy didn't notice these hardships too much because he was firmly ensconced in the bosom of his family. Not just his mother, father and siblings, but his extensive extended family: grandparents, great grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins. He lived in a community that was called a reserve. He was of Native ancestry and firmly grounded in his identity. At an early age he knew his role within his community and was aware of what his responsibilities would be. His childhood was happy and he experienced a feeling of contentment and acceptance. Children were honored and respected within his community. They were considered a gift on loan from the Creator. His education began at a very early age, and he learned through gentle instruction and by example what was expected of him. He learned the importance of self-discipline, patience, kindness, sharing, and respect for himself and others. He experienced a strong sense of self and had a zest for life and learning.

One day two men in a horse and buggy came to his community. The adults greeted the men in a respectful but wary manner. This created a feeling of apprehension and the somewhat foreign feeling of fear within the boy. After meeting with the two men, the adult men in the community were stunned and angry. The women were weeping and sad. The boy was told that he and his siblings and all the other children, aged five to 16, were to be taken away to a place called residential school. The boy was suddenly very afraid and wanted to run away and hide. He was told if he didn't go, his parents would be locked up in a place called jail and would not be allowed to return home. He fought to hold back the tears as he said goodbye to his family. His grandfather tried to assure him that time would go by fast and he would be allowed to come home for something called holidays. His grandfather told him to be strong and to pray to the Creator for guidance and strength.

All too soon he and the rest of the children from his community were loaded into a wagon and began a long and painful journey to the school. They arrived late at night and were tired and hungry. They were not allowed to eat or sleep until they had been bathed and had their heads shaved because these people feared they had "vermin" on their persons. They were then issued clothes that were all the same, and given a piece of bread that did little to curb the hunger pangs they were experiencing, and sent to bed in a huge room with rows of cots in it. The boy fought to hold back the tears as he lay there cold, hungry, scared and lonely. Somehow he knew theworst was yet to come. He lay there and brought forth visions of his family. He thought about the visits with his grandfather and remembered what he had told him. He began to pray for strength because he knew he was going to need it.

He awoke to the sound of a bell ringing and for a moment forgot where he was. It all came rushing back to him and his heart sank. He did not know what was required of him, for the first time in his life, he didn't know what his role was or what was expected of him. Fear swiftly replaced his confidence and sense of well being. He could not understand the strange language of these people; he turned to ask his cousin what the man said and quickly received a cuff on the head. He then tried to ask where his sisters were and again received a slap. He was frightened and confused and retreated into silence. He and the rest of the boys from the dormitory were lined up and herded to a chapel where they were told through much angry gesturing, to kneel on the floor for church service. They endured an hour of kneeling on the cold hard floor, tired and hungry, listening to someone speak and they couldn't understand a word and had no idea why they were being treated this way. The boy wondered what he had done to make these people so angry. He thought he was being punished, but he didn't know what for. Finally the morning service was over, they were again lined up and the boys were herded to the barn where they were put to work for another two hours doing what he came to learn were "chores." Finally another bell rang; they were lined up and herded to what he recognized as the place to eat. He anticipated eating with relish, as he was feeling very hungry, which along with all the tension, fear, and apprehension caused him to feel nauseated and weak. He was finally given a bowl with lumpy tasteless grey stuff in it. When he tried to eat, it stuck to the roof of his mouth and threatened to gag him when he tried to swallow. He was so hungry that he forcedhimself to swallow some of the congealed mess that was put before him. A man came by and indicated that he had to eat it all. The boy valiantly tried, and finally he couldn't keep it down and upchucked in his dish. The man became very angry and stuck the boy's head in the bowl of vomit. Tears of shame and embarrassment began to run down his face. The room was very quiet; he could feel the fear and tension. He didn't know what to do and the fear was so great he fainted.

When he came to, he was lying on a high narrow bed, and his clothes had been removed. Because he had often run around with his siblings with as few clothes as possible, he was without shame about his person. As he turned his head, he realized he was not alone. One of the men was there and he had some food for him. He gestured for him to eat the food that was on the plate. He perked up a bit, as the food was good. Not what he was used to eating, but better than what he had been given previously. When he had finished, the man smiled at him. The boy began to feel uneasy as the man kept watching him and smiling. The man wore a long black robe and had a white collar around his neck. The boy thought he must be an important person in this place. After a while the man spoke some words that the boy didn't understand so he just nodded his head and agreed with the man. The man gave him clean clothes and sent him to a classroom. There the boy proceeded, with great difficulty to begin to master the English language.

One day the boy was told to go to the office. His heart was in his throat; he didn't know what to expect. When he got there he was informed that his father and grandfather had come to visit him and his siblings. He ran and grabbed his father around the legs and discovered he couldn't talk because there was a big lump in his throat. Slowly, tears began to run down his face. His father couldn't talk either and his eyes were suspiciously shiny and wet. All too soon the visit was over. As the boy lay in is bed that night, he even wondered if he had imagined that visit. That was the first and last time anyone from his family was to visit them during all their years in the school. In the days that followed, the boy would experience a level of sadness every time he thought about that visit. It was not a satisfactory visit at all. He was so happy to see his father and his beloved grandfather, however the pain and sadness of their leaving, the feeling of abandonment when they left, ruined this memory. He felt bad because he knew his father and grandfather were hurting too. He could see it in their eyes and hear it in their voices. At some level he knew it was on account of him and he felt somehow that he was responsible for their pain.

Days, weeks, and then a few months had passed. The boy was finally learning the routine and rules of this school. He had no contact with his sisters, who were kept separate in a different part of the huge building, and was always lonely and homesick. He was beginning to understand the English language and quickly learned that almost everything about him was not good. He was punished if he spoke the language of his people; he was punished if he was caught praying to the Creator. He couldn't understand why it was a bad thing for him to see his sisters. He learned that the closeness he had with his sisters was a bad thing. His life became a mass of conflict, fear, and confusion and he was not even six years old yet. He waited and waited for these things called holidays when he could return to his village and see his family. The patience and self-discipline he had learned were a great strength to him. Finally, the day came when he was allowed to return to his home for the long-awaited visit. He was not aware of the great changes in the people of his village after all the children had been taken. The tremendous trauma as a result of the children being taken left the adults and Elders with a sense of powerlessness, helplessness and hopelessnes