Stolen Words
Summary
TLDRIn 'Stolen Words,' a young girl eagerly asks her Cree grandfather how to say 'grandfather' in his native language. His sorrowful response reveals that he lost his language due to the trauma of residential schools, where Indigenous children were taken from their families and forbidden from speaking their languages. The girl, determined to help, brings him a Cree language book from the library. Together, they rediscover his lost words, reconnecting with their heritage. The story highlights the painful legacy of colonialism and the resilience of Indigenous culture and language.
Takeaways
- 👧 A young girl returns from school, excited and proud of a dreamcatcher she made, and asks her grandfather how to say 'grandfather' in Cree.
- 😔 Her grandfather pauses and sorrowfully admits he no longer remembers the word, as he lost his Cree language long ago.
- 💔 The girl is confused and asks how someone can lose words, to which her grandfather explains that they were taken from him when he was sent away to residential school.
- 🏫 He reveals that he and many other First Nations children were taken away from their homes and families, where they were forbidden from speaking their own language and punished for doing so.
- 🥀 The girl empathizes with her grandfather’s pain, feeling the sadness in his story and offers him the dreamcatcher, hoping it will help him find his words again.
- 📖 The next day, the girl returns from school and surprises her grandfather with a Cree language book she found with the help of her teacher.
- 💡 She proudly tells her grandfather, 'I found your words,' presenting the book as a symbol of rediscovering the language he had lost.
- 👴 Her grandfather is deeply moved, and as he begins to read the words aloud, he reconnects with his heritage and language, feeling like he has regained a piece of his past.
- 📚 The girl asks her grandfather to teach her Cree, marking the start of a journey to reclaim their cultural identity together.
- 🕊️ The story ends with a powerful reminder of Canada’s history of residential schools, where Indigenous children were forcibly taken from their families and stripped of their language and culture, resulting in lasting harm and loss.
Q & A
What is the main theme of the story 'Stolen Words'?
-The main theme of 'Stolen Words' is the loss of cultural identity, language, and heritage experienced by Indigenous people due to the forced assimilation in residential schools.
Why did the grandfather forget his native Cree language?
-The grandfather forgot his Cree language because it was forcibly taken from him during his time in residential schools, where children were punished for speaking their native language.
What does the dream catcher symbolize in the story?
-The dream catcher symbolizes hope, healing, and the possibility of reclaiming lost culture and identity, as the granddaughter gives it to her grandfather in the hope of helping him find his lost words.
How does the granddaughter help her grandfather reconnect with his language?
-The granddaughter finds a Cree language book at the library with the help of her teacher and presents it to her grandfather, which helps him reconnect with his lost language.
What does the story reveal about the impact of residential schools on Indigenous children and families?
-The story reveals that residential schools caused deep emotional and cultural damage by forcibly removing children from their families, prohibiting them from speaking their language, and resulting in the loss of Indigenous identity and culture.
How does the grandfather react when he starts to rediscover his words?
-The grandfather is deeply emotional when he starts to rediscover his words, feeling a sense of familiarity and connection to his past, his home, and his mother.
What role does the granddaughter play in the grandfather's healing process?
-The granddaughter plays a vital role in the grandfather's healing process by showing compassion, actively seeking to help him reconnect with his Cree heritage, and expressing a desire to learn and preserve his language.
Why is language so important to the grandfather in the story?
-Language is important to the grandfather because it represents his culture, identity, and memories of home, which were forcibly taken from him. Reclaiming his language helps him reconnect with his heritage.
What message does the story convey about the resilience of Indigenous culture?
-The story conveys a message of resilience by showing that despite the painful history of cultural suppression, Indigenous languages and traditions can be reclaimed and passed down to future generations.
What historical context is provided at the end of the story?
-The story provides historical context about the Canadian government's role in forcibly removing Indigenous children from their families and sending them to residential schools, where they were stripped of their language and culture.
Outlines
👧 Granddaughter's Curiosity About Cree Language
A young girl returns home from school, excitedly showing her grandfather a dream catcher she made. She asks him how to say 'grandfather' in Cree, but he responds sadly, explaining that he has forgotten his words because they were taken from him long ago. He recalls being taken away from home, separated from his family, and forced into a school where he was punished for speaking his native language. His granddaughter, saddened but determined, gives him the dream catcher, hoping it will help him find his lost words.
📚 Finding Hope and Reclaiming Language
The next day, the granddaughter surprises her grandfather by speaking Cree words she has learned. She presents him with a book, 'Introduction to Cree,' which her teacher helped her find. The grandfather, deeply moved, holds the book tightly, feeling connected to his roots again. Together, they begin a journey of rediscovering the Cree language and culture. The paragraph ends by reflecting on the historical trauma faced by First Nations children, taken from their families and forced into residential schools, where they were forbidden to speak their language and suffered deeply. The loss of language led to the erosion of Indigenous culture, which is recognized as vital and rich in wisdom.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Residential Schools
💡Cree Language
💡Language Loss
💡Dream Catcher
💡Cultural Erasure
💡Generational Trauma
💡Cultural Revitalization
💡Assimilation Policies
💡Identity
💡Reconciliation
Highlights
A young girl joyfully returns from school, excited about a dream catcher she made, symbolizing her connection to her heritage.
The girl asks her grandfather how to say 'grandfather' in Cree, sparking a conversation about lost words.
The grandfather reveals his sorrow, explaining that he lost his Cree words long ago due to forced assimilation.
The grandfather's words reflect the deep pain and loss caused by being taken away from his family and culture.
The child listens intently, asking questions about who took the words away, showing her desire to understand her family’s history.
The grandfather speaks of being sent to a residential school, where he was punished for speaking his native language.
The story captures the emotional toll of cultural erasure, as the grandfather recalls the harshness of his school experience.
The granddaughter offers her dream catcher to her grandfather, hoping it will help him find his lost words.
The next day, the girl surprises her grandfather by greeting him in Cree, showing her determination to reclaim their language.
She presents her grandfather with a Cree language book, a symbol of hope and reconnection to their culture.
The grandfather feels a deep sense of recognition and belonging as he begins to remember his lost language.
The story emphasizes the healing power of reclaiming lost words and culture, symbolized by the grandfather's joy in reconnecting with Cree.
The book closes with a historical reflection on the government of Canada’s role in taking First Nations children away from their families.
The narrative illustrates the devastating impact of residential schools on Indigenous families and cultures, which were torn apart.
Despite the loss, the story concludes on a hopeful note, with a new generation working to recover and preserve their cultural heritage.
Transcripts
stolen words written by melanie florence
illustrated by gabrielle grimard
she came home from school today skipping
and dancing humming a song under her
breath
clutching a dream catcher she had made
from odds and
ends bits of string plastic beads
and brightly colored feathers her glossy
braids danced against her shoulders
swaying with her black as a raven's wing
grandpa she asked clutching his hand
spinning under his arm before dropping
it again
how do you say grandfather in cree
he stopped breathing for a moment
a lifetime to a seven-year-old
he looked down at her sadly
i don't remember he answered
i lost my words a long time ago
a frown clouded her face
how do you lose words grandpa she asked
they took them away he answered
she thought for a moment where did they
take them
she asked
where they took all of us he said
away from home away from laughter and
soft
words away from our mothers
who cried for us she reached for his
gnarled hand
who took you away grandpa she asked
quietly
men and women dressed in black
talking to us with words we did not know
he answered
they reached home and sat on the stairs
together
where did they take you grandpa she
asked
away to a school that was cold and
lonely
where angry white faces raised their
voices
and their hands when we used our words
he answered they took our words and
locked them away
punished us until we forgot them
until we sounded like them
harsh sharp words so different from the
sound of our beautiful ones
she touched his weathered face tried to
wipe the sadness away with her soft
hands
she looked down at her lap and handed
him the dream catcher that she had made
for her room
you take this grandpa she said maybe it
will help you find your words again
he smiled at her his granddaughter
and touched her innocent face a face
that had never known hard words
or raised hands he smiled and kissed her
head
the next day she skipped out of school
again smiling widely at her grandfather
she stopped in front of him and took a
deep breath
tan said nimma she said
his eyes widened she smiled brighter
than the sun i
found your words grandpa she said
she pulled a tattered well-worn
paperback out of her book bag
introduction to cree it said
my teacher helped me find this for you
at the library
he reached for it his hands shaking
opened it feeling the soft much-loved
pages under his fingers
new system he whispered
granddaughter the word felt familiar in
his mouth
it felt like his home his mother
he turned the pages of the book
carefully
he turned another word after word
pekis queuin language
his words pages and pages of them
he looked at his granddaughter his new
system
thank you teen ki
he said
will you read to me she asked
taking his hand in hers and leading him
home
will you teach me your words
his heart danced as he nodded holding
the book
against his chest
from 1831 to 1996
the government of canada took first
nations children
away from their families and sent them
to residential schools
the government and the white men and
women who taught at these schools
were prejudiced they believed that white
people
were better than first nations or
indigenous people
the children were forbidden to speak
their own language
and were forced to speak only english
because of this cruel practice many many
children
suffered many many families were torn
apart
and much of the rich beautiful
indigenous culture was lost
a culture full of wisdom we all
desperately
need
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