Varying Viewpoints: The Tribes
The Chiefs
"When I left those Indians on the Standing Rock, the Sioux, [they were] like Columbus said-gentle beings, souls of hospitality, serious and happy, faithful and trustful, walking in beauty and in possession of spiritual religion. And then I was gone about nine years again. And I came back, and my golly, there was change [after the influence of whites]. Broken families, drinking, idleness. And the greatest thing they were losing was religion."
- Father Vine Deloria
"To illustrate this, they quote Chief Joseph's reason for not wishing schools on his reservation. He was the chief of the non-treaty band of Nez Percés occupying the Wallowa Valley, in Oregon:
'Do you want schools and school-houses on the Wallowa Reservation?' asked the commissioners. Joseph. 'No, we do not want schools or school-houses on the Wallowa Reservation.' Com. 'Why do you not want schools?' Joseph. 'They will teach us to have churches.' Com. 'Do you not want churches?' Joseph. 'No, we do not want churches.' Com. 'Why do you not want churches?' Joseph. 'They will teach us to quarrel about God, as the Catholics and Protestants do on the Nez Percé Reservation, and at other places. We do not want to learn that. We may quarrel with men sometimes about things on this earth, but we never quarrel about God. We do not want to learn that'" (Jackson). |
Family
For some American Indians, the thought of losing their children to a boarding school horrified them, but "[f]or many communities, for a variety of reasons, federal school was the only option. Public schools were closed to Indians because of racism" (Bear).
"Schooling imposed a new and unwelcome distance on Indian family relationships, but letters reveal that parents were uncompromising in their determination be involved in many aspects of their life" (Child).
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Parents thought these institutions "represented the most dangerous of all attacks on basic Indian values, the one most likely to succeed in the end because it is aimed at children" ("Assimilation and Federal Indian Education").
"It was hurting [my mother], too. It was hurting me to see that. I'll never forget. All the mothers were crying."
- Floyd Red Crow Westerman (on leaving his reservation to go to Wahpeton Indian Boarding School) |
Some parents, however, embraced aspects of assimilation and emulated white culture.
"Rosebud Agency, January 4, 1880
My Dear Daughter, Ever since you left me I have worked hard, and put up a good house, and am trying to be civilized like the whites, so you will never hear anything bad from me. When Captain Pratt was here he came to my house, and asked me to let you go to school. I want you to be a good girl and study. I have dropped all the Indian ways, and am getting like a white man, and don't do anything but what the agent tells me." - Brave Bull |
"Pine Ridge Agency, Dakota, April 15, 1880
My Dear Son, I send my picture with this. You see that I had my War Jacket on when taken, but I wear white man's clothes, and am trying to live and act like white men. Be a good boy. We are proud of you, and will be more so when you get back. All our people are building houses and opening up little farms all over the reservation. You may expect to see a big change when you get back." - Cloud Shield |