Boarding schools

Definition

Boarding schools were institutions created in the 19th and early 20th centuries to educate Native American children, often with the intent of assimilating them into Euro-American culture. These schools aimed to erase Indigenous identities and languages, imposing Western values and norms while severing familial and cultural ties, which significantly affected kinship structures and the transmission of cultural wisdom across generations.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. Boarding schools were often established by the U.S. government or religious organizations with the goal of 'civilizing' Native American children.
2. Many children were forcibly removed from their families and communities, leading to a breakdown of traditional kinship systems and cultural practices.
3. Students at these schools were often punished for speaking their native languages or practicing their cultures, resulting in a significant loss of cultural knowledge.
4. The experience of boarding schools contributed to long-term psychological effects, including intergenerational trauma, impacting Native communities even today.
5. Some boarding schools have since been re-evaluated as places that inflicted harm, leading to ongoing discussions about reparations and cultural revitalization efforts.

Review Questions

• How did boarding schools impact the kinship structures within Native American communities?
  • Boarding schools severely disrupted kinship structures by forcibly removing children from their families and communities. This separation not only broke familial bonds but also hindered the passing down of cultural traditions and values. The loss of these connections led to a weakened sense of identity among individuals who had attended these schools, resulting in long-lasting effects on community cohesion and relationships.
• In what ways did the policies surrounding boarding schools contribute to cultural genocide among Indigenous populations?
  • The policies surrounding boarding schools were designed with assimilation in mind, promoting Euro-American values while actively suppressing Indigenous cultures. Children were punished for using their native languages and practicing traditional customs, which contributed to a systematic erasure of cultural identity. This approach not only marginalized Native cultures but also aimed to create a homogenized society, thus exemplifying acts of cultural genocide against Indigenous populations.
• Evaluate the long-term implications of boarding school experiences on intergenerational transmission of wisdom in Native American communities.
  • The legacy of boarding school experiences has profound implications for the intergenerational transmission of wisdom within Native American communities. The disruption of familial ties and cultural teachings created barriers to passing down knowledge about traditions, language, and identity. As a result, many contemporary Indigenous individuals struggle with disconnect from their heritage. This has led to concerted efforts in recent years to reclaim and revitalize Indigenous knowledge systems as part of healing from historical trauma.

Related terms

Assimilation: The process by which individuals or groups from one culture adopt the customs and values of another, often leading to the loss of their original cultural identity.

Cultural Genocide:

The systematic destruction of a group's culture, including their language, traditions, and identity, often through policies that promote assimilation.

Intergenerational Trauma: Psychological effects experienced by subsequent generations due to traumatic events faced by their ancestors, often manifesting in behavioral and emotional challenges.