Details By Cheryl Crazy Bull October 27, 2024
Guest opinions. The experience of indigenous peoples in residential schools touches the hearts of almost every indigenous person alive today.
Federal policy had the goal of complete assimilation of Native Americans. This assimilation forced Western customs, such as separating children from their families, banning the use of indigenous languages, and insisting that children and young people abandon their spiritual path to become Christians. This was to be achieved by incorporating During this period, over several generations, many children suffered physical abuse, sexual assault, malnutrition, and abuse. This summer, the Interior Department called on the U.S. government to formally apologize for the lasting trauma inflicted on Native Americans. The trauma of those experiences reverberates across India today.
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However, this dark period in American history is little known outside of Native America. I hope that President Biden’s apology will not only raise awareness of the true history of indigenous peoples in our country, but will also be a step toward national reconciliation and healing.
We seek restorative action alongside tribes, Indigenous organizations, and Indigenous relatives and allies. Today, we call for significant investment by the federal government and philanthropy in restorative and healing approaches and systems to repair the damage caused by the residential school era. The Indigenous people we support, from our youngest children to college students, deserve that investment. The tribal university movement, which began more than 50 years ago to support place-based, Indigenous-led, and tribally managed education, is worth the investment.
We also thank Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland, a member of the Pueblo Laguna tribe in New Mexico whose grandparents and great-grandfather were removed from their homes and sent to boarding school. Under her leadership, the residential school investigation began three years ago and was the first time the U.S. government had scrutinized the school and listened to the stories of residential school survivors and their descendants. Secretary Haaland’s leadership was critical to the formal apology that American Indians and Alaska Natives receive today. ”
Cheryl Crazy Bull, Washiyampi Win (They Depend on Her), is the president and CEO of the American Indian College Foundation and a national of the Sichang Lakota Nation. She has held the position with the American Indian College Foundation since 2012.
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About the author
Author: Cheryl Crazy BullEmail: This email address is being protected from spambots. JavaScript must be enabled to view.
