The Residential Schools of Canada

The Residential Schools of Canada "were aimed at eradicating the culture and languages of the country’s Indigenous populations." ( Voce, Cecco, Michael ) They were supported by the Canadian government and run by Christian churches. The last school quit operating in 1996.

Attendance to these schools were mandatory. Some administrations even ended up having the right to child welfare and would take some indigenous children away from their families. "More than 150,000 children were taken from their homes between 1883 and 1997, often forcibly, and placed in distant boarding schools where the focus was on manual labour, religious instruction and cultural assimilation." ( Mosby, Millions ) Children would be punished for speaking their language and practicing traditional acts. Children had to adopt the school's religion. Many would end up going home disconnected from their community because they could no longer speak their native language. The schools unfortunately did a successful job in " killing the Indian in the child ".

The schools were not well funded, and this led to the children doing most of the manual labor needed for upkeep. Students were expected to grow the food they ate, to make and restitch their clothing and to clean the school. In the longest running school, Mohawk Institute, a survivor, Roberta Hill recounts the food there as "porridge-like food, often contaminated with maggots, that students were forced to eat up to three times a day" ( Zoledziowski ). The staff ate beef and vegetables that the students most likely farmed themselves. Because of the neglect, thousands of students died from disease and suicide. The school also had strict rules that were faced with brutal consequences.

Students faced physical, mental, and sexual abuse. It was up to the staff's judgement to decide if a student required punishment for something. This power was heavily misused, students would even be beaten for no legitimate reason. The students went through being separated from everything they new before. Traditions, family, and language were torn from the child. Any mention of their culture was met with brutal consequences. The previously mentioned survivor, Roberta Hill also had a tragic encounter with her head administer, "After the second visit, the head administrator took Hill up to his office. That’s when he sexually assaulted her for the first time. She was 7 or 8." ( Zoledziowski ).

Survivors have recounted how they were starved and their classmates disappeared; teachers walked around with belts and five-foot-long wooden rulers to punish children who spoke in their Indigenous languages. (Zoledziowski)

Students faced physical, mental, and sexual abuse. It was up to the staff's judgement to decide if a student required punishment for something. This power was heavily misused, students would even be beaten for no legitimate reason. The students went through being separated from everything they new before. Traditions, family, and language were torn from the child. Any mention of their culture was met with brutal consequences. The previously mentioned survivor, Roberta Hill also had a tragic encounter with her head administer, "After the second visit [with the survivor's mother], the head administrator took Hill up to his office. That’s when he sexually assaulted her for the first time. She was 7 or 8." ( Zoledziowski ). Schools were purposefully placed far from popular Indigenous communities so families were less likely to visit; it was rare for a parent to visit their child even once.

The Residential Schools of Canada

Recently, there have been mass unmarked graves found near residential schools, which reopened old wounds. "The news triggered nationwide mourning, searches for more sites just like it, and unprecedented mainstream attention paid to Canada’s horrific colonial history and its ongoing legacy." ( Zoledziowski ). The majority of the remains are of children, some as young as 3. The biggest area, Marieval Residential School, has an estimated 751 unmarked graves.

Unfortunately, residential schools were successful in purging the Indigenous cultures of Canada. Generational trauma exists among the Aboriginal population. Survivors did not cope well after the years of abuse they had to endure. Children of survivors tell of how their households are full of alcoholism and violence. Along with mental damage, the cultural damage is unforgivable. Hundreds of thousands of children went home brainwashed, forgetting about their culture and not being able to connect to their community. This caused the next generation to also be unaware of their heritage, and so on. Survivors are now being offered $30 million for support from Canadian Bishops as an apology.

Canada's bishops have announced a $30 million national financial pledge to support healing and reconciliation initiatives. (Zengarini)


Only now hearing about the extent of the cruelity and injustice that's happened towards the Indigenous people is infuriating. Learning that the schools only shut down in the late 1900s and that there has been no mass protest or attention on this subject is also infuriating. I can't believe the amount of hatred and control basically foriegners believe they have, just because of the excuse of religion. The fact that the schools affects as many people it does and that it's this successful in it's horrible purpose is heartbreaking. No amount of money could fix what had happened in the past.

culture: the arts and traditions of a particular nation or people

population: the people who reside in a particular area, city, or nation

community: people living in the same area with a similar characteristic

nationwide: throughout an entirety of a nation

generational trauma: collective trauma on a generation that effects the generations after

Mosby, Ian, and Erin Millions. “Canada's Residential Schools Were a Horror.” Scientific American, Scientific American, 1 Aug. 2021, https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/canadas-residential-schools-were-a-horror/.

Voce, Antonio, et al. “'Cultural Genocide': The Shameful History of Canada's Residential Schools – Mapped.” The Guardian, Guardian News and Media, 6 Sept. 2021, https://www.theguardian.com/world/ng-interactive/2021/sep/06/canada-residential-schools-indigenous-children-cultural-genocide-map.

Zengarini, Lisa. Canadian Bishops Pledge $30 Million to Support Residential Schools Survivors, Vatican News, 28 Sept. 2021, https://www.vaticannews.va/en/church/news/2021-09/canada-bishops-30-millions-for-residential-school-survivors.html.

Zoledziowski, Anya. “Another 160 Unmarked Graves Confirmed at Former Residential School in Canada.” Another 160 Unmarked Graves Confirmed at Former Residential School in Canada, VICE, 13 July 2021, https://www.vice.com/en/article/7kv7kz/another-160-unmarked-graves-confirmed-at-former-residential-school-by-penelakut-tribe-in-canada.

Zoledziowski, Anya. “Kids' Graves Exposed the Horror of Canada's Residential Schools.” Kids' Graves Exposed the Horror of Canada's Residential Schools, VICE, 30 Sept. 2021, https://www.vice.com/en/article/n7baw7/indigenous-children-graves-horror-residential-schools.