h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

A very interesting article.

So far, I have only had the opportunity to scan it but will make a point of thouroughly reading it.

I'm Canadian and my work is invlolved in the resolution of legal and dispute resolution cases brought about by survivors of the (Canadian) Indian Residential school system. While I cannot go into details about the exact nature of my work, I am fairly well versed in the issue of cultural loss, as well as abuse within Aboriginal communities in Canada and the US, and further afield.

I have a blog which has links to resources involving cultural loss, abuse, the Residential School system, and other Indigenous issues. http://annekeslinks.blogspot.com/

I haven't updated some of the links in a while but, for the most part, they as still up and running (the Canadian Government is notorious for changing their links but not providing connections for the new sites).

As well, having close family connections to the Aboriginal community in Canada (particularly Mohawk and Delaware), I have a perspective which many Canadians don't have.

I just found a couple of out-of-date links. I will have a good go-through and update the links, so please check back.

It's funny.. but when u think of canada ... u dont often think of human rights violation.

Anywho, that is a great set of links. I would like to put it up in the article for anyone wanting more info... if thats ok.

I'm going to repost this in the original thread. Just to keep it together. heres the site: http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/brunel/F48874?thread=2725706&skip=0&show=20 A10936668 - On the Importance of Language

Sorry... dont bother moving to the other thread. I'm a little newbie here, so still getting used to how it all works.

The Residential School system evolved in much the same way and during the same time-period as the Australian assimilation initiatives... and for the same reasons. Generally, the Canadian policies were marginally less aggressive and didn't involve the wholesale removal of children who were intended never to return to their families.

The early school programs involved day-schools on-reserve and designed to provide basic education. However, as time progressed, it became more aggressively assimilative. Government policy, therefore, was directed to eliminate the "Indian in the Indian".

Initially, the schools were run by various church bodies with funding from the government. Eventually, it was necessary to ensure that policies and standards were applied across-the-board and that required more and more direct involvement by the Department of Indian Affairs. By the the late S, the government had taken the schools over completely, eliminating the church-involvement entirely.

However, within only a few years, due the increased awareness of Native issues and a willingness of the government to work with Native peoples move towards their own autonomy, agreements with the various Bands were worked out to run the schools and eventually direct their own educational programs.

The film "Rabbit-proof Fence" was well received here because it touched on many of the same issues which came about from the paternalistic government policies. It is interesting to note that one of the directors, Dr. Duncan Campbell Scott (1867-1912) held many of the same ideas as A.O. Neville, Australia's "Chief Protector" of the Aborigines and they both directed their respective departments towards aggressive assimilation policies.

A.O Neville: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A._O._Neville
Duncan Campbell Scott :http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duncan_Campbell_Scott

"By the the late S, the government had taken the schools over completely, eliminating the church-involvement entirely."

That should have read "by the late 1960s"

"It is interesting to note that one of the directors"

That would be one of the directors of the Indian Department... not the movie.

Nice. Thnx
I'll try and work those aspects in somehow.
maybe in a foot note or just in an anotated links list

That is... unless you would like to contribute to the article?

It would not be hard to work a second section in... a section specifically relating to Canadian assimilation... with comparisons to Australia's polices?

I really shoud write something about the Canadian Residential School system and on the government policies of assimilation.

... by that I meant a separate Guide entry....

Yeah... closely related... with reciprocal links implanted within the text.

You know the subject, work in the field. I think it would be a worth-while project.