Importance Of Cultural Genocide In Our Spirits Don T Speak English

Our Spirits Shouldn 't Have to Speak English

Genocide, much less cultural genocide, is something rarely discussed in American history. Years of public school education taught me that Christopher Columbus sailed the seven seas in search of spices and found a new world instead. He brought the idea of educating and civilizing the indigenous people. Putting clothes on the clothes- less and teaching the indigenous people the wonders of the English language, as evident in the documentary “Our Spirits Don’t Speak English.” At the time it seemed like a perfect idea, however what the settlers did not take into account was that their idea of civilizing them was taking away their culture, shaming their practices and heritage, was cultural genocide. Cultural Genocide has been present for many years in our history, such as the creation of Indian Boarding schools.

Cultural Genocide can be broken down word for word, the first meaning someone’s heritage and customs, including but not limited to their language, religions, and practices. The second word genocide is the killing of an entire group of people. Put together, these two words mean the killing of an entire group of people’s heritage and customs. Unfortunately, cultural genocide has seen many shapes and faces throughout history, beginning first with the Native

European settlers believed that the way the Native people lived was sinful and morally corrupt. There was no discussion with the natives; they were just deemed savages that needed to be reformed, educated, and converted to Christianity. We see this idea throughout the genocides in history. Most genocides can also be thought of as cultural genocides because humans are and were literally killed because of their heritage, where they come from, and/or their skin color. All three of these are connected because most times, your ethnicity and heritage are