What was the impact of residential school's policy on the first nations communities in the early 20th century?
By: Marina Santos
Residential schools have been a part of Canadian history for many years, and it has left a large impact on many first nation communities in the 20th century such as families dealing with the effects of separation and loss of traditions, children having their natural community and supports violated and lastly how it impacted Canada as a whole. Primarily residential schools not only affected indigenous children but their parents who were left behind as well.In the 20th century, children were highly valued, greatly loved members of the community (Florence,25). parents had to manage the overwhelming impacts of division and the danger of losing the attached connection between their children. Life at residential schools resulted in having their hair cut, they were stripped out of their own clothes and forced to wear uniform-like clothing which was completely foreign to their experience (54). Families lost things such as traditions, identity stories and substantially the ability to raise their own children. Furthermore, residential schools impacted individual children at the time due to the fact that children were removed and isolated from the comfort of their homes, families, traditions, and cultures. This resulted in children having fear of the authority, low self-esteem etc. Not only were boys and girls separated and siblings rarely interacted, they were refused of speaking their own language and were expected of doing a wide range of labor work. Isabelle knock wood remembers laundry room accidents "One cold afternoon, I heard an inhuman sounding scream.It went through me like cold bellowing wind and chilled me right to the core of my bones. I knew immediately what had happened, one of the girls had got her hand caught in the mangle” (6...
