Through my recent readings on various Native American topics
I came upon one about the attempts to Americanize and civilize indigenous
people that was closely related to a book I recently began reading (The Girl Who Sang to the Buffalo by Kent
Nerburn) so I delved into that resource a little further to perhaps add some
perspective to my leisure reading.
Through the online resources offered by the American Indians Civic
Project surrounding Indian boarding schools I found information regarding the
board schools, the intended purposes of these institutions and the resulting
treatment of the Native Americans who were sent or brought to these schools (Indian Boarding Schools: Tools of Forced Assimilations, 1870 to the 1960s
http://americanindiantah.com/lesson_plans/ml_boarding
schools.html.)
From what I have read so far in my study of Native Americans
I have found that at least initially the Native American peoples were curious,
interested and for the most part welcoming to the initial Euro-American
settlers arriving in this country. It
seemed to me that at least some of the Native American groups were at least
considering the possibility of a peaceful co-existence with these
newcomers. Native American tribes had co-existed
with other tribal groups for a very long period of time. They had done so without trying to change
the beliefs or cultural traits of the other tribes and gone about their lives
with acceptance of others. While many
of them may not have been allies and did engage in warfare or raids with each
other they allowed the other tribes their cultural lives. The attacks or raids on other groups were
mostly in retaliation for a wrongdoing initiated by the other group or as a way
to demonstrate a greater level of power over others. The
Native Americans found a way to live with those who lived differently than they
did. It was as if enemies “agreed to disagree”
with each other and let each person to their life. I suspect that initially the Native
Americans expected the same from the white settlers. Unfortunately it would seem that the white
people had different ideas than the Native Americans and were not as willing to
be open to learning Native American ways, languages or beliefs. Instead they expected the Native Americans to
change their ways and become white. The
white settlers believed the white way was the best and most civilized way to
live. They did so because they did not
understand the Native American culture and practices and were more than likely
intimidated by the unknown and therefore determined it was wrong.
One of the many ways that the white culture chose to
indoctrinate the Native Americans into the white culture was to remove Native
American children from their homes and bring them to boarding schools. Or they convinced the Native American
parents to send their children to these schools. The approach of the boarding schools was to
civilize the “savage” through education.
Some Native Americans felt that in order to get along with the white
culture and protect themselves they did need education. One
Cherokee elder told the younger members of the tribe to “Remember that the
whites are near us. With them we have
constant intercourse, and you must be sensible, that unless you speak their
language, read and write as they do, they will be able to cheat you and trample
on your rights” (Nabokov, Page 215).
Unfortunately the boarding schools treated the Native Americans very
badly in an attempt to remove all traces of Native American spirit. There were punishments for speaking their
own languages or practicing any of the native cultural or religious rituals and
traditions. They were not allowed to
wear their own clothing. The legacy of
the white mistreatment of some of the Native Americans sent to boarding schools
is painful to hear and witness.
