North America is currently in the era of truth and reconciliation for First Nations people. Since Stephen Harper’s public apology for Canadian residential schools, education, literature, politics are all in a stage a recuperation. In Joseph Boyden’s Legend of the Sugar Girl and Jo-Ann Episkenew’s Taking Back Our Spirits a consistent theme of intergenerational trauma is present. Both Boyden and Episkenew express concerns with matters regarding health, family, and identity. Boyden’s literature being in the form of a legend and Episkenew’s a critical text; what is interesting is how the form of these texts are being used to heal and influence the public on this epoch of reconciliation. Health has become a significant issue amongst First Nations.
…show more content…
Boyden explains the increasing discrepancies between and the Sugar Girl and her parents throughout the legend. Firstly, the damage begins with the initial separation, then her loss of language, which then leads to a complete loss of connection to her parents. Boyden explains how the school has not taught her the fundamental skills, therefore once leaving the school she is completely dependent upon the government, “[b]ut what they had neglected to give her was the ability to find these things on her own” (188). Again, without proper communication, traditions could not be passed on to the next generation. Children forget their traditional ways and can only parent in the ways they were subjected to inside the schools. In this sense, the generational transmission of trauma replaces the generational transmission of tradition. In Episkenew’s paper she reiterates what “fiction” Boyden provides the reader. She describes the circle of abuse, thus students learning from their abusers (nuns/priests). Also, the feeling of powerlessness within families, unable to guide their own futures. As well as a lack of emotional support and separation of siblings inside the schools. Episkenew writes, “the residential school led to a disruption in the transference of parenting skills from one generation to the next” (page). The corruption of residential schools …show more content…
Certainly, residential schools mark the loss of culture, tradition, language, way of life, and religion amongst Indigenous people. Boyden capitulates this feeling in one single line, “whenever they spoke Cree out loud, something inside them flinched tense for a beating” (187). Physical violence and emotional abuse tactics of shame were issued whenever a child referenced their traditional culture. The schools ultimate goal was to assimilate the “savages,” this was targeted towards children since the adults were seen as a lost cause. Episkenew describes the complete idea of disintegrating the culture as, “A circle-an all encompassing environment of socialization. The curriculum was not simply an academic schedule or practical trades training but comprised the whole life of the child in the school” (page). The intergenerational trauma lingers through individuals stranded between cultures, and the feeling of a substantial missing sense of
Boyden explains the increasing discrepancies between and the Sugar Girl and her parents throughout the legend. Firstly, the damage begins with the initial separation, then her loss of language, which then leads to a complete loss of connection to her parents. Boyden explains how the school has not taught her the fundamental skills, therefore once leaving the school she is completely dependent upon the government, “[b]ut what they had neglected to give her was the ability to find these things on her own” (188). Again, without proper communication, traditions could not be passed on to the next generation. Children forget their traditional ways and can only parent in the ways they were subjected to inside the schools. In this sense, the generational transmission of trauma replaces the generational transmission of tradition. In Episkenew’s paper she reiterates what “fiction” Boyden provides the reader. She describes the circle of abuse, thus students learning from their abusers (nuns/priests). Also, the feeling of powerlessness within families, unable to guide their own futures. As well as a lack of emotional support and separation of siblings inside the schools. Episkenew writes, “the residential school led to a disruption in the transference of parenting skills from one generation to the next” (page). The corruption of residential schools …show more content…
Certainly, residential schools mark the loss of culture, tradition, language, way of life, and religion amongst Indigenous people. Boyden capitulates this feeling in one single line, “whenever they spoke Cree out loud, something inside them flinched tense for a beating” (187). Physical violence and emotional abuse tactics of shame were issued whenever a child referenced their traditional culture. The schools ultimate goal was to assimilate the “savages,” this was targeted towards children since the adults were seen as a lost cause. Episkenew describes the complete idea of disintegrating the culture as, “A circle-an all encompassing environment of socialization. The curriculum was not simply an academic schedule or practical trades training but comprised the whole life of the child in the school” (page). The intergenerational trauma lingers through individuals stranded between cultures, and the feeling of a substantial missing sense of