Paper 1: Cultural Genocide and the Indian Boarding School

Introduction

The purpose of this paper is to discuss cultural genocide as it relates to the Indian boarding school, using the film Where the Spirit Lives, the passages from “Kill the Indian, Save the Man” by Standing Bear and Zitkala Sa, and the book Kill the Indian, Save the Child: Cultural Genocide and the Boarding School by Debra Barker.

What is cultural genocide?

Cultural genocide is the deliberate destruction of a culture. It can be carried out through a variety of means, including forced assimilation, language suppression, and the destruction of cultural artifacts and heritage sites.

The Indian boarding school as an institution of cultural genocide

The Indian boarding school was an institution designed to assimilate Native American children into white American culture. Children were taken from their families and communities and forced to attend schools where they were forbidden to speak their own languages, practice their own religions, or engage in their own cultural traditions.

Debra Barker argues in her book that the Indian boarding school was an institution of cultural genocide. She writes that the schools were designed to “kill the Indian” and “save the man.” This meant that the schools sought to erase Native American culture and identity and replace them with white American culture and identity.

Ashtekomee’s struggle to maintain her identity

The main character in the film Where the Spirit Lives, Ashtekomee, struggles to maintain her sense of self as Ashtekomee on the one hand and as Amelia on the other. She shifts back and forth between these two conflicting identities as she tries to navigate the demands and expectations of the boarding school.

At the beginning of the film, Ashtekomee has a strong sense of her identity as an Ashtekomee woman. She is proud of her culture and her heritage. However, once she arrives at the boarding school, she is forced to conform to the school’s rules and regulations. She is forbidden to speak her own language, practice her own religion, or wear her own traditional clothing.

Over time, Ashtekomee begins to lose her sense of identity as Ashtekomee. She adopts the name Amelia and starts to dress and act like a white American girl. She even cuts her hair, which is a sacred symbol of her identity as an Ashtekomee woman.

However, Ashtekomee never fully forgets her identity as Ashtekomee. She continues to dream about her home and her family. She also finds comfort in the friendship of other Native American students at the school.

In the end, Ashtekomee is able to reclaim her identity as Ashtekomee. She leaves the boarding school and returns to her home and her family. She also cuts off her hair and takes back her name, Ashtekomee.

Important events or circumstances affecting Ashtekomee’s identity

There are a number of important events or circumstances that affect Ashtekomee’s identity. One of the most important is the separation from her family and community. When Ashtekomee is sent to the boarding school, she is forced to leave behind the people and places that are most important to her. This separation has a profound impact on her sense of self.

Another important event is the death of Ashtekomee’s grandmother. Ashtekomee’s grandmother is a very important person in her life. She is the one who teaches Ashtekomee about her culture and her heritage. When Ashtekomee’s grandmother dies, Ashtekomee feels even more lost and alone.

The boarding school itself has a profound impact on Ashtekomee’s identity. The school’s rules and regulations are designed to erase Native American culture and identity. Ashtekomee is forbidden to speak her own language, practice her own religion, or wear her own traditional clothing. This constant suppression of her culture and identity takes a toll on Ashtekomee’s sense of self.

Despite the challenges she faces, Ashtekomee is able to reclaim her identity as Ashtekomee. She does this by connecting with other Native American students at the school, by dreaming about her home and her family, and by eventually leaving the boarding school and returning to her home and her community.

Conclusion

The Indian boarding school was an institution of cultural genocide. The schools were designed to erase Native American culture and identity and replace them with white American culture and identity.

Ashtekomee’s struggle to maintain her identity as Ashtekomee is a powerful example of the impact of the Indian boarding school on Native American children. Ashtekomee is able to reclaim her identity in the end, but many other Native American children were not so lucky. The Indian boarding school system caused lasting damage to Native American culture and identity.