The first residential school in Canada opened in 1874 when the Indian Act was passed that made the education of aboriginal children the responsibly of the Canadian government. The residential schools were set up by the government and operated by churches. The purpose of the schools were to teach the children “Canadian culture” and teach them that the Aboriginal culture was wrong. The students were not allowed to practise their culture, they lost their Aboriginal name and it was replaced with a “Canadian” name, they could not speak their native tongue etc. The schools were also home to a mountain of abuse. The former students tell stories of emotional, physical and sexual abuse. The students were taken from their home and lost all their culture. They are known as the “lost generation”.
Many of the survivors have turned to drugs, alcohol and unhealthy relationships to help deal with the psychological issues.
Many of the children of this generation are born with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD). Nine in every 1,000 babies born in Canada have some form of FASD. FASD is caused by the drinking of alcohol during pregnancy. Learning disabilities, depression, over-compulsive disorder, facial deformities, and inability to understand consequences are some of the long list of effects of FASD. (Health Canada(2009) Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder)
To help lower the FASD statistics we must focus on the healing of their mothers. The government of Canada has come to the same conclusion. The Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada gathers stories and helps the aboriginal community heal. The Aboriginal Foundation set up a healing camp at Weaver’s Lake Manitoba,(CBC News (2010) Renew Aboriginal Healing Foundation: MP’s) the camp help survivors learn coping mechanisms and helps them get in touch with their culture as the camp as the camp uses traditional practices to help heal.
~Jordan
References
Health Canada. (2009) Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder. Retrieved December 14, 2010, from http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/hl-vs/iyh-vsv/diseases-maladies/fasd-etcaf-eng.php
CBC News. (2010) Renew Aboriginal Healing Foundation: MP’s. Retrieved December 14, 2010 from, http://www.cbc.ca/canada/north/story/2010/06/17/aboriginal-healing-commons-report.html
Im so glad the Canadian government is reaching out to the aboriginals and helping them heal. They really deserve this ,after everything they went through.I really hope this is going to be helpful and that the Aboriginals in turn will try and co-operate.This also provides them with a new beginning to start all over again and make the best out of their lives.
ReplyDeleteMonalisa
I think this is a good start to repair what the Canadian did to the aboriginal people in the past...even though I think this will be a long process but helping aboriginals is better to be sooner than later
ReplyDeleteSarah