Residential Schools
Despite these residential schools being located very far away from our communities, we were also prohibited from speaking our native languages, expressing cultural and spiritual beliefs, and carrying out traditional rituals. Compared to other schools within the country, these schools received less funds from the government and we were also taught by less qualified teachers who only focused only Canadian traditions. We were not prepared for higher education but we only received religious instructions and vocational training needed for industrial labor work sectors. Besides, we were exposed to physical environment and inhumane treatments which resulted to life-threatening risks through non-provision of medical treatments to our illnesses and injuries. We were exposed to several problems; schools were overcrowded, were used as labourers clean schools’ compounds, and maintain other school operations. We were punished severely for mere mistakes and most of ladies were sexually abused. Within these schools it was not easy for one to go beyond eighth grade.
Much of the abuse we faced in this school was since we were female and because this was a religious institution, ladies were to be pure. The priests kept close track on our menstruation cycles and they questioned us about our periods each month to make sure that we were not pregnant since native ladies were seen as being slaves to their passions and sexually polluted. We were always getting ashamed for menstruating and if we bleed in our pants or beds were being beaten and mocked. I cam remember one day when a friend of mine was forced to place her bloody pant on her head and the nuns were there only encouraging others to do the same. What makes the situation here worse the fact that the nuns could not even offer us the necessary sanitary pads we needed on our periods so bleeding in our beds or clothes was difficult to avoid. I thought punishing us this way was only because we were female.
We were also told that we would be punished for engaging in any kind of sexual activity but, we were not taught what they were or how to react in such situation. Those who were sexually abused were afraid for the action as they thought they were sinners having engaged in such kind of an act. When we try to speak this act out to nuns, our claims were denied and instead we could receive punishment for having reported such cases. The nuns did not care even if were hurt or got sick they were only interested in us behaving ladies.
Indeed, residential school did affect the lives of many ladies, I was a victim too and it impacted my life negatively. I want to help change the perspective people have concerning aboriginal people and I want to change the way we look at ourselves. I want our missing friends and families be brought ack home, but most importantly I want us to heal.Despite these residential schools being located very far away from our communities, we were also prohibited from speaking our native languages, expressing cultural and spiritual beliefs, and carrying out traditional rituals. Compared to other schools within the country, these schools received less funds from the government and we were also taught by less qualified teachers who only focused only Canadian traditions. We were not prepared for higher education but we only received religious instructions and vocational training needed for industrial labor work sectors. Besides, we were exposed to physical environment and inhumane treatments which resulted to life threatening risks through non provision of medical treatments to our illnesses and injuries. We were exposed to several problem; schools were overcrowded, were used as laborers clean schools’ compounds, and maintain other school operations. We were punished severely for mere mistakes and most of ladies were sexually abused. Within these schools it was not easy for one to go beyond eighth grade.
Much of the abuse we faced in this school was since we were female and because this was a religious institution, ladies were to be pure. The priests kept close track on our menstruation cycles and they questioned us about our periods each month to make sure that we were not pregnant since native ladies were seen as being slaves to their passions and sexually polluted. We were always getting ashamed for menstruating and if we bleed in our pants or beds were being beaten and mocked. I cam remember one day when a friend of mine was forced to place her bloody pant on her head and the nuns were there only encouraging others to do the same. What makes the situation here worse the fact that the nuns could not even offer us the necessary sanitary pads we needed on our periods so bleeding in our beds or clothes was difficult to avoid. I thought punishing us this way was only because we were female.
We were also told that we would be punished for engaging in any kind of sexual activity but, we were not taught what they were or how to react in such situation. Those who were sexually abused were afraid for the action as they thought they were sinners having engaged in such kind of an act. When we try to speak this act out to nuns, our claims were denied and instead we could receive punishment for having reported such cases. The nuns did not care even if were hurt or got sick they were only interested in us behaving ladies.
Indeed, residential school did affect the lives of many ladies, I was a victim too and it impacted my life negatively. I want to help change the perspective people have concerning aboriginal people and I want to change the way we look at ourselves. I want our missing friends and families be brought ack home, but most importantly I want us to heal.