RESIDENTIAL SCHOOLS
Time Period
Residential schools spanning from the 1800s to the late 1900s represent a tragic chapter in Aboriginal history in Canada. These institutions aimed to forcibly remove Aboriginal children from their families and communities as part of government-approved European-Canadian integration policies. The process of separating children from their families was profoundly distressing, leaving enduring trauma that continues to impact future generations. Through undermining vital parent-child relationships and severing ties to their cultural heritage, these schools sought to mold Aboriginal children's identities according to the dominant Eurocentric worldview.
Purpose
In pursuit of an assimilation agenda, boarding schools have adopted ruthless measures to strip Aboriginal children of their cultural identities. Among the most destructive elements of this system is the suppression of indigenous languages, traditions,, and customs. The deliberate prohibition of mother tongues aims to eradicate their unique cultural expressions, further alienating children from their roots. Additionally, the suppression of indigenous cultural practices and traditions was deemed crucial in reinforcing the notion of European cultural superiority. Colonial authorities hoped that by severing Aboriginal children from their heritage and imposing European customs and religious beliefs, they would be "civilized" and "Christianized."