Native and Non-Native Voices on the Residential School Issue and Historical Revisionism: Writing Between the Times
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Native and Non-Native Voices on the Residential School Issue and Historical Revisionism: Writing Between the Times
Pas disponible in Francais.
Wayne A. Holst
University of Calgary
Calgary (Alberta)
CONCLUSION
One of the human ironies, proven again and again, is that what seems to be the common virtue of one era becomes the common vice of another. Life is a paradox, a contradiction. There is no one human way of knowing with the mind, no true human value or honourable intent that cannot, within a cycle of time, degenerate from the best to the worst. The opposite is also true.
Looking back in retrospect, human failings are not hard to locate and to castigate. At the time, situations and perceptions were very different from what they are now. This inconsistency is not only a matter of past and present but of present and fu ture. Wha t seems right today could quite possibly prove to be wrong tomorrow. Those of us so convinced of our own current rightness should be aware of future historical judgement.
This paper has attempted to deal with Native residential schools and historical revisionism. One hundred years ago, some of Canada's most astute, forward looking social strategists - many of them Christians - were strong advocates of taking Native children from their homes and institutionalising them, for long periods, in centralized residential or industrial complexes far removed from parents and loved ones. The main reason for doing this, in the view of many liberal thinkers of the time, was to destroy the Indian in the student and turn that student into a civilised, Christian person. It seemed to make so much sense back then. Why allow Native children to remain in "cultural backwardness" when they could benefit from a more advanced society?
Today all of us, Native and Newcomer alike, look back to those institutions with a great deal of pain and chagrin. For all the good intentions and devoted works of the missionary teachers and administrators; and for all the positive results accruing to some aboriginals; whole societies was deeply wounded and many Native people were destroyed in the process. The fallout from this experiment in high mindedness was a tragedy that many compassionate Canadians are only now beginning to recognize and to acknowledge.
Human virtues can become human vices, from past to present to future. Let us beware of our strongly held virtues. They can easily turn into our vices!
I am hopeful about future relations between Native and non-Native peoples in Canada. In spite of the sad history we might all recount, I believe we are seeing, all across this land, signs of Native cultural revitalization. In spite of some evidence to the contrary I see many people, Native and nonnative alike, reaching out to try to create a more level playing field and reciprocity with honour.
These are exciting times for Canada and for its people! May the paternalism and sectarian bias of the past be forever rejected. May we open ourselves as a people, Christian and non-Christian, Native and Newcomer, to inter-faith dialogue that sees our goal as "mutual conversion" in the "spirit of Christ." We can affirm the good that history teaches us from the past. We can envision the writing of more inclusive and objective history in the future.
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Ce projet a été appuyé en partie par l’entente Canada-Alberta sur les services en français; les idées qui y sont exprimées ne sont pas forcement celles du Gouvernement du Canada ou du Gouvernement de l’Alberta.
Droits d'auteur © 2009 Heritage Community Foundation
et Institut pour le Patrimoine, le Campus Saint-Jean, Université de l'Alberta
Tous droits réservés