Unit 2: The Canadian Tale (Tle G6_gr1)

Truth and Reconciliation is Canada

The document under study is a video published by CBC in 2017. It is about young Indigenous who were forced to go to Residential Schools. These schools were created by the Canadian government to force Indigenous communities to assimilate to the Canadian culture and forget about their traditional cultures. This school system lasted 100 years and 150,000 Indigenous children had to go through it. The last Residential school closed in 1996.

We can hear the voice of Chief Robert Joseph, a former Residential School victim. He was 6 years old when he started he attended a Residential School. There, he was forced to have his hair cut. His hair was thrown away in the fire. He had to be washed with a whit liquid that would change the color of his skin. On top of that, he had to change his clothes. Besides, the children had to be converted to Christianity. Furthermore, boys and girls were separated. Indeed, they were not even allowed to exchange with one another otherwise they could have been punished. All these children suffered from physical and psychological violence that resulted to serious consequences.

(We will continue the study of the video next time. Be ready!)

Homework: Learn the lesson.