As I was reading chapter 2 I was now shocked at the information I was reading, I think prior to the class I was educated on the enforcements and damage that the US had done to the Native Americans. In the book, spring talks about the transformation Native Americans had to deal with. This ranged from being stripped away from their families to even bring put in boarding schools. Many Native Americans were not only taken away from their families but they were homes and some never returned. I didn’t really understand why this occurred.
Later, while in class the two films pulled so much into perspective. It was stated during the “Residential Schools Experience” that one tactic that was done in order to try and destroy the Native Culture was by taking their children and stripping them of their language. I guess this was a good tactic because if you can’t pass your history down then there won’t be any. Sooner or later it would all be destroyed.
After seeing the first film the “Return if the Navajo Boy” pulled a lot more into perspective for me. The film focused on a child that was taken away from his family. As I watched the video it brought tears to my eyes to see that this man was grown and at his age he was reconnecting with his family for the first time. It was touching to hear both sides of the story and then see them come together at the end. While watching the DVD it made me think back to the “Residential school experience”. It allowed me to reflect on how unconventional things can get at times just to make sure no one gets ahead of another race. Due to this the Native Traditions were not normal for the gentlemen once he returned home. This was due to him being deculturalized at such a young age.
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