The Native American Boarding School

The Native American children were taken away from their families and put into boarding schools to learn the white man’s way of life. Boarding schools were planned by the government so the children would forget their tribal ways. The schools were devastating to the native people. Practicing their tribal ways or speaking the language was punished.                                    

It was forbidden to practice their tribal ways or language because the white people thought it was worthless. There was a lot of racism toward native people. Families couldn’t see their children, sometimes for years. The elders couldn’t teach the children their tribal ways because the children had forgotten. The federal government banned Ojibwe spiritual practices, and they were forced to be Christians.  When they become adults, they didn’t teach their children the tribal ways cause they didn’t want them to suffer. In the summer, many were sent to work on the farms of white settlers.                                        The families of Native American were suffering because they were losing relatives to alcoholism and disease. The diseases were taking many lives and sadness and grief fell over the Ojibwe people. Families were breaking up from alcoholism and lack of jobs. There were many lives taken away due to smallpox, influenza (flu), and tuberculosis. Some people died of poor nutrition.The Ojibwe suffered emotionally for losing their land, not having jobs or money, and losing loved ones. The white man made life difficult for each Native American.