Evidence of North American Genocide Uncovered

Ella Graupner '23, Wick Writer

September 28, 2021

Trigger Warnings: genocide, child abuse, sexual abuse

In late May, the bodies of 215 Native American children were found in an unmarked mass grave on the property of Kamloops Indian Reservation School in British Columbia. Although there were 489 residential schools across the United States and Canada, and an unknowable number of children died in this system, not many North Americans are aware of this terrible chapter of history.

Beginning in 1883, indigenous children were forced to attend “Indian boarding schools.” Richard H. Pratt, who was in charge of a school in Carlisle, PA, frequently cited the slogan “Kill the Indian, Save the Man”—in other words, assimilate and “Americanize” native people. For example, it is symbolically and culturally significant to many indigenous communities to wear their hair long, but when students arrived at residential schools their hair was cut. Additionally children’s names were changed to be more European. Native American languages and cultural practices were forbidden at these schools, and students were often beaten if they disobeyed. Disease was rampant. Physical, sexual, and emotional abuse as well as overwork and hunger were common.

Canada’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission has estimated that at least 4,100 students lost their lives in residential schools, but it’s impossible to know the true number. Graves of indigenous children were often unmarked and deaths were mostly undocumented. Many parents were never told what happened to their children.

The last residential school was shut down in 1996, just 25 years ago.

The discovery at Kamloops marks the first time that a major burial site has been found at a residential school. Since most deaths were undocumented, residential school survivors have had to fight to convince people that these horrors really did happen. This discovery gives them the proof that they need, and is finally bringing increased awareness to this issue.

Over the summer more child remains were found at various other residential schools. On September 6, Fox reported that over 800 bodies were discovered this summer. Ten bodies from the residential school in Carlisle, Pennsylvania (roughly two hours from Agnes Irwin) were returned to their families in June.

Although these discoveries can be difficult to hear about, they’ve led to great progress. On August 10th Crown-Indigenous Relations Minister Carolyn Bennett announced that the Canadian government is adding 83 million dollars to funds which will be used to search the grounds of schools for more remains. 100 million dollars have been assigned to the management of residential school grounds by Native American communities. They are free to demolish buildings or fix them up. Additionally, 107 million will be used to fund mental health services for indigenous people suffering from intergenerational trauma, and 20 million will be used to build a monument in Ottawa to honor all survivors and victims of residential schools. Lastly, Canada has made September 30th a new federal holiday known as the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.

In the United States, Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland has said that her department will write a report on residential schools in the US.

Searches are ongoing and bodies will continue to be found and returned to their communities. Hopefully Canada and the United States will continue to make amends.

Sources

Evidence of North American Genocide Uncovered

AIS Press

AIS Press

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