Summary
Highlights
The video opens by highlighting the shift in the motto regarding Native Americans, from 'the only good Indian is a dead one' to 'kill the Indian but save the man.' This philosophy directly led to the forced sending of Native American children to boarding schools, aiming to strip them of their indigenous identity. The National Native American Boarding School Healing Coalition was formed to bring truth, justice, and healing to survivors and their descendants.
One survivor recounts being placed in St. Joe's Academy in 1968 at the age of six. Despite having basic needs met, he states he has few good things to say about the experience. The boarding school significantly affected his self-esteem, leading to a disconnect from his language, ceremonies, and pride in his heritage. He questions the origins of fear and limitations taught, linking them to the military-like structure of the schools, and shares how overcoming these internal borders brought him relief.
The speaker emphasizes the responsibility of coming generations and how his generation became aware of the need for healing. Despite attempts by the boarding schools to 'make them into white people' by cutting their hair and taking their language, the core of their culture remains strong. He stresses the importance of educating others not only about the trauma but also the beauty of their people.
The boarding school experience instilled deep anger in the survivor, an anger that persisted. However, he expresses a desire to channel this anger into a better future, particularly for his grandchildren, who he hopes will not experience the horrors he witnessed. For him, healing means gaining more control over their identity as indigenous people.
The video concludes with a powerful statement of defiance: all the attempts by the boarding school system to strip them of their culture failed. The speaker asserts that despite the intentions of those institutions, his culture and identity remain intact.