Take Me Back To Tipi

Boarding schools isolated indigenous students away from their families. Even siblings were separated and not in the same school. Schools were gender-segregated. As students entered schools, their appearance also changed. Their hair was cut short and they had to wear school uniforms instead of their local clothes. In many cases, their names, which were native letters, were also changed to Christian/ European names. Christian missionaries spent much time teaching Christianity to students, and it was forbidden for students to follow traditional indigenous customs. The students of these schools were harassed and abused in various ways by teachers and administrative officials, including sexual abuse and physical harassment. Most students suffered from malnutrition and corporal punishment, which was not the case in other schools. In one school, 69% of students lost their lives. In total, it is estimated that about 6,000 indigenous students in these schools have lost their lives.