The Truth and Reconciliation Commission collected 1000s of statements from Indian Residential School survivors. The national journey wrapped-up in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan with a concert headlining Buffy Sainte-Marie. Lisa Risom spoke with the internationally renowned artist about healing through music and art.
Residential Schools
Residential schools for Aboriginal people in Canada date back to the 1870s. Over 130 residential schools were located across the country, and the last school closed in 1996. These government-funded, church-run schools were set up to eliminate parental involvement in the intellectual, cultural, and spiritual development of Aboriginal children.
During this era, more than 150,000 First Nations, Métis, and Inuit children were placed in these schools often against their parents' wishes. Many were forbidden to speak their language and practice their own culture. While there is an estimated 80,000 former students living today, the ongoing impact of residential schools has been felt throughout generations and has contributed to social problems that continue to exist.
On June 11, 2008, the Prime Minister, on behalf of the Government of Canada, delivered a formal apology in the House of Commons to former students, their families, and communities for Canada's role in the operation of the residential schools. (Source)
8 comments:
Spirit world put People like Buffy Sainte-Marie to Sing the Path. I wish more of other young would Sing they Hearts as she has! What a Softwalker She is!!
Thank you Buffy Sainte-Marie for all you do.
Buffy Sainte Marie's bass player Leroy Constant is refusing to take responsibilty for his daughter who was born in Australia this September to a Buffy Fan he took advantage of...as a long time buffy fan it saddens me to know that such a person is part of her music
Government hasn't given up on reforming the 'natives,' I see. And they never will. Has a native American ever been elected President? I do not think so; correct me if I am wrong. And how often do you see Indians in their native dress except for special functions? We are appalled at crimes committed every day on streets everywhere in America but we hear nothing about the crimes committed against the people from whom the government stole the land we all live on. Get real people! Just read the news and listen to it everyday. You do not need to turn on television to hear horror stories.
Thanks to the idle no more movement , Buffy St Marie and the internet all will be exposed and rubbed in peoples face till they know what has been done...and more importantly WHY?
Information that can't be buried ..atrocities that can't be erased and govts that will be forced to bare responsibility for their actions or suffer the consequences...just watch the US suffer the consequences of funding terror around the planet as a good example of what goes around comes around.
its not realy over - there is people like me-living away from their tribe -who only rember a few words spoken in their mothers toung -have not returned to the family in qubeck and whos family fled to places like fl -where they could live without worring about the family being split up-im now in my 60ies and lost to my 1 nation side -the 1 st nation side no longer claims any of the ones that are now mixed blood -people like me have lost their heritage
I believe Buffy Ste. Marie is Native. A suggestion might be to prove your heritage.Many native children were stolen from their parents and sent to white people schools, forbidden to even speak their Native language.Birth certificates can be faked.
The media couldn't even get her "white" ancestry correct. Ste. Maria is a French name, not Italian.
Maybe they should check their facts.
DNA testing might prove ancestry
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