Wait a second!
More handpicked essays just for you.
More handpicked essays just for you.
The consequences of cultural assimilation
The effects of cultural assimilation
The consequences of cultural assimilation
Don’t take our word for it - see why 10 million students trust us with their essay needs.
Recommended: The consequences of cultural assimilation
Throughout Canadian history, there has always been one group of people who have always been dealt the worst hand. The Native Canadians have been oppressed and forced into assimilation it the Canadian culture for hundreds of years. Through out time, Canada has changed the way they treat the natives. However, the Canadian Government has not been effective at improving the position of Native Canadians. Those who survived Canadian residential schools, lived on Native reserves or have been involved in any Native affairs issue is proof that Canada has not been improving the position of Native Canadians. To begin, image your self being forcefully taken from you’re parents and placed in an environment that is not suited for a child, where sexual and physical abuse occurred. This was the sad reality for Native children. Residential schools were initially created by the Catholic Church to force the Native children to assimilate into Canadian Culture by stripping them of their Native language and religion (Miller, par 1). Forced assimilation is wrong, no matter the context of the situation. These children should not have been forced to give up their own heritage. This is a huge blemish on Canada’s reputation because in modern times, we are known as a country that openly accept other cultures. Along with the forced assimilation of the residential schools, students were often times abused both physically and sexual by their teachers (Haig-Brown, 11). The physical abuse would include beatings, being punched in the ear to the point where the victim would incur hearing loss and being burned with cigarette buds (O’Hara and Treble, Par 3). This kind of physical abuse will leave children being scared of the teachers, becoming social withdrawn,... ... middle of paper ... ...http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/residential-church-school-scandal/>. Patriquin, Martin . "Canada, home to the suicide capital of the world." Macleans. N.p., 30 Mar. 2012. Web. 12 Dec. 2013. . Piotrowski, Nancy A., and Tracy Georges. Magill's encyclopedia of social science: psychology Volume 3. Pasadena, Calif.: Salem Press, 2003. Print. "Suicide Among Aboriginal People in Canada." Canadian Mental Health Association LondonMiddlesex Branch. N.p., 5 Feb. 2012. Web. 18 Dec. 2013. . Wallace, Bruce . "Ottawa Apologizes to Natives." The Canadian Encyclopedia. N.p., 17 Mar. 2003. Web. 18 Dec. 2013. .
Steckley, J., & Cummins, B. D. (2008). Full circle: Canada's First Nations (2nd ed.). Toronto:
The over-representation of Aboriginal children in the Canadian Child Welfare system is a growing and multifaceted issue rooted in a pervasive history of racism and colonization in Canada. Residential schools were established with the intent to force assimilation of Aboriginal people in Canada into European-Canadian society (Reimer, 2010, p. 22). Many Aboriginal children’s lives have been changed adversely by the development of residential schools, even for those who did not attend them. It is estimated that Aboriginal children “are 6-8 times more likely to be placed in foster care than non-Aboriginal children (Saskatchewan Child Welfare Review Panel, 2010, p. 2).” Reports have also indicated that First Nations registered Indian children make up the largest proportion of Aboriginal children entering child welfare care across Canada (Saskatchewan Child Welfare Review Panel, p. 2). Consequently, this has negatively impacted Aboriginal communities experience of and relationship with child welfare services across the country. It is visible that the over-representation of Aboriginal children in the child welfare system in Canada lies in the impact of the Canadian policy for Indian residential schools, which will be described throughout this paper.
Generations of native people in Canada have faced suffering and cultural loss as a result of European colonization of their land. Government legislation has impacted the lives of five generations of First Nations people and as a result the fifth generation (from 1980 to present) is working to recover from their crippled cultural identity (Deiter-McArthur 379-380). This current generation is living with the fallout of previous government policies and societal prejudices that linger from four generations previous. Unrepentant, Canada’s ‘Genocide’, and Saskatchewan’s Indian People – Five Generations highlight issues that negatively influence First Nations people. The fifth generation of native people struggle against tremendous adversity in regard to assimilation, integration, separation, and recovering their cultural identity with inadequate assistance from our great nation.
Aboriginal people in Canada are the native peoples in North America within the boundaries of present-day Canada. In the 1880’s there was a start of residential schools which took Aboriginal kids from their family to schools to learn the Roman Catholics way of culture and not their own. In residential schools Aboriginal languages were forbidden in most operations of the school, Aboriginal ways were abolished and the Euro-Canadian manner was held out as superior. Aboriginal’s residential schools are careless, there were mental and physical abuse, Aboriginals losing their culture and the after effects of residential schools.
The Indian Residential schools and the assimilating of First Nations people are more than a dark spot in Canada’s history. It was a time of racist leaders, bigoted white men who saw no point in working towards a lasting relationship with ingenious people. Recognition of these past mistakes, denunciation, and prevention steps must be taking intensively. They must be held to the same standard that we hold our current government to today. Without that standard, there is no moving forward. There is no bright future for Canada if we allow these injustices to be swept aside, leaving room for similar mistakes to be made again. We must apply our standards whatever century it was, is, or will be to rebuild trust between peoples, to never allow the abuse to be repeated, and to become the great nation we dream ourselves to be,
To begin with, once the policy of assimilation came into effect, Aboriginals were subject to a new environment, resulting in the loss of their culture. It is due to this, that the rates of suicide for First Na...
Fleras, Augie. “Aboriginal Peoples in Canada: Repairing the Relationship.” Chapter 7 of Unequal Relations: An Introduction to Race, Ethnic and Aboriginal Dynamics in Canada. 6th ed. Toronto: Pearson, 2010. 162-210. Print.
The creation of the Residential Schools is now looked upon to be a regretful part of Canada’s past. The objective: to assimilate and to isolate First Nations and Aboriginal children so that they could be educated and integrated into Canadian society. However, under the image of morality, present day society views this assimilation as a deliberate form of cultural genocide. From the first school built in 1830 to the last one closed in 1996, Residential Schools were mandatory for First Nations or Aboriginal children and it was illegal for such children to attend any other educational institution. If there was any disobedience on the part of the parents, there would be monetary fines or in the worst case scenario, trouble with Indian Affairs.
Canada likes to paint an image of peace, justice and equality for all, when, in reality, the treatment of Aboriginal peoples in our country has been anything but. Laden with incomprehensible assimilation and destruction, the history of Canada is a shameful story of dismantlement of Indian rights, of blatant lies and mistrust, and of complete lack of interest in the well-being of First Nations peoples. Though some breakthroughs were made over the years, the overall arching story fits into Cardinal’s description exactly. “Clearly something must be done,” states Murray Sinclair (p. 184, 1994). And that ‘something’ he refers to is drastic change. It is evident, therefore, that Harold Cardinal’s statement is an accurate summarization of the Indigenous/non-Indigenous relationship in
Both Hart and Anaquod were subjected to the cultural assimilation and social isolation that was part of the Canadian government’s policy to “kill the Indian in the child.” Where the goal to transform Indigenous children into productive members of society shifted to abuse and the church and government covering up the secrets of abuse is sitting on a blurred line. On June 11, 2008, the current Prime Minister of Canada, Stephen Harper, made a statement of apology to former students of Indian Residential Schools, on behalf of the Government of Canada for the previous government’s actions. “The government of Canada now recognizes that it was wrong to forcibly remove children from their homes and we apologize for having done this,” Harper said. “We now recognize that it was wrong to separate children from rich and vibrant cultures and traditions, that it created a void in many lives and communities and we apologize for having done this.” Harper noted that many former students have died and are unable to hear the government’s
The proud Canadian denies the fact Canada oppressed the Aboriginal peoples. The fact is that time has not been assisting in the progress of the Indigenous peoples from discrimination. “Tidings of
Do you know that despite Canada being called multicultural and accepting, Canada’s history reveals many secrets that contradicts this statement? Such an example are Canadian aboriginals, who have faced many struggles by Canadian society; losing their rights, freedoms and almost, their culture. However, Native people still made many contributions to Canadian society. Despite the efforts being made to recognize aboriginals in the present day; the attitudes of European Canadians, acts of discrimination from the government, and the effects caused by the past still seen today have proven that Canadians should not be proud of Canada’s history with respect to human rights since 1914. First, is because of the attitudes of European Canadians towards aboriginals, which were mostly cruel and inhumane.
Stanton, Kim. "Canada's Truth and Reconciliation Commission: Settling the Past?" The International Indigenous Policy Journal 2, no. 3 (August 30, 2011): 1-20. Accessed May 18, 2014. http://ir.lib.uwo.ca/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1034&context=iipj.
Imagine being taken from your family at the age of six. Being referred to as a number rather than a name. Receiving brutal and cruel punishments for speaking the only language you were taught. How would it impact your life? Unfortunately, this is the reality for millions of Canada's Indigenous population. The nation of Canada is known to the world for being a country of peace, love and equality. Individuals originating from different nationalities immigrate to Canada, in hopes to improve their standard of living and escape the horrors of their country. Moreover, Canadians have not always been as supportive and welcoming of new ethnicities populating Canadian territory as they portray themselves to be today. Indian Horse is known to be an insightful
The Web. The Web. 27 Mar. 2014. The 'Standard' of the 'Standard The "Suicide in Canada."