Stolen Words

Summary

In '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.