And Our Mothers Cried | Winter Fire S1 • E1

Summary

This video explores the painful legacy of Native American boarding schools, focusing on the Chickasaw experience. It reveals how U.S. government policies aimed to forcibly assimilate Indigenous children, erasing their cultures, languages, and identities. The schools, though harsh and often abusive, inadvertently fostered resilience and cultural preservation. Unlike many other tribes, the Chickasaw Nation had more control over their educational institutions, maintaining a stronger cultural identity. Despite the trauma, many students used their education as a tool for survival and cultural resistance, ultimately shaping a broader Native American identity that continues to thrive today.

Takeaways

• 😀 The Native American boarding school era was a traumatic period in history, aimed at forcibly assimilating Native American children into white American culture through harsh physical and emotional methods.
• 😀 The infamous slogan 'Kill the Indian, Save the Man' reflected the U.S. government's goal of eradicating Native cultures and identities during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
• 😀 The boarding school experience was marked by severe discipline, cultural suppression, forced labor, and often, physical abuse, leaving lasting trauma in Native communities.
• 😀 For some Native children, the experience of being sent away to boarding schools felt like being imprisoned, as they were often separated from their families for extended periods.
• 😀 Richard Henry Pratt, founder of the first off-reservation boarding school, believed that Native American children should be forcibly immersed into white society to 'kill' their tribal identities.
• 😀 While many Native American children faced severe hardships in these schools, the Chickasaw Nation's experience was somewhat different, as they retained more control over their schools and curriculum.
• 😀 Chickasaw leaders embraced education in the 18th century to ensure their people could adapt and negotiate with the U.S. government, but their educational system was threatened by the pressures of assimilation policies after Oklahoma statehood.
• 😀 The U.S. government’s assimilation policies, which culminated in Oklahoma's statehood, aimed to strip Native tribes of their sovereignty, culture, and land, but Chickasaws were somewhat able to maintain autonomy through education.
• 😀 Although many Native children were forced into the boarding schools, some voluntary enrollment occurred due to the promise of food security and survival during hard economic times.
• 😀 The boarding school system ultimately failed in its mission to eradicate Native cultures, as it inadvertently contributed to the formation of a national Native American identity and reinforced resilience in Native communities.

Q & A

What was the primary goal of the U.S. government in establishing boarding schools for Native American children?

The primary goal of the U.S. government was to forcibly assimilate Native American children into white American culture by erasing their tribal identities, languages, customs, and ways of life. This was done with the aim of 'civilizing' them according to Western standards.

How were children treated in these boarding schools, according to the testimonies in the transcript?

Children were subjected to harsh discipline, forced to give up their native languages and cultures, and often faced physical abuse. They were given military-style uniforms, forced to work manual labor, and experienced emotional trauma from separation from their families.

What was the impact of the 'Kill the Indian, Save the Man' slogan?

The slogan encapsulated the assimilationist agenda of the boarding school era, suggesting that Native American identity needed to be destroyed in order to 'save' the children by converting them into members of mainstream white society.

What made the Chickasaw experience in boarding schools different from that of other tribes?

The Chickasaw experience was somewhat less traumatic than that of many other tribes. Unlike other tribes where children were often forcibly taken from their families, the Chickasaw people were able to establish and control their own boarding schools, with a curriculum that maintained a focus on Chickasaw culture and self-governance.

What role did education play in the Chickasaw community before removal and assimilation?

Before removal, the Chickasaw Nation saw education as a means of survival and adaptation. They welcomed missionaries who set up schools, but these institutions were seen as tools for empowering Chickasaw children to understand and navigate the changing world, rather than as tools for cultural destruction.

How did the boarding schools affect the relationship between Native American children and their cultures?

The boarding schools sought to sever children’s connection to their native cultures, forcing them to abandon their languages, customs, and beliefs. This often led to a deep sense of loss and identity crisis among the children. However, many of them resisted and preserved elements of their cultures despite these pressures.

How did the U.S. government justify the forced attendance of Native American children at these boarding schools?

The U.S. government justified the forced attendance by claiming that it was in the best interest of Native American children, offering them food, shelter, and education. However, this was a thinly veiled effort to assimilate Native children into white society and dismantle their cultures.

What impact did the boarding school experience have on the Chickasaw Nation after Oklahoma statehood?

After Oklahoma statehood in 1907, the boarding schools in the Chickasaw Nation were taken over by the state and shifted focus towards teaching manual labor and other skills for assimilation. This significantly diminished the Chickasaw people's control over their own educational systems, ending the era of self-determined education.

What were the economic and social conditions that led many Native families to send their children to boarding schools?

Many Native families faced extreme poverty, especially after the land dispossession and economic hardship brought about by the Indian Removal Act and subsequent policies. Boarding schools, though abusive, offered food security and the possibility of education, which many families could not provide on their own.

How did Native American children respond to the rigid and often harsh conditions of the boarding schools?

Responses varied widely; some children internalized the cultural suppression and became compliant, while others resisted by maintaining their native identities. Stories of rebellion, emotional trauma, and efforts to escape the schools reflect the complex and painful experience many children endured.