For just $15, you can spread the joy and values of LHNC to your community. Not only is this ornament handmade, (no computers, or stamps) hand etched, and painted, but it represents kids on a reservation climbing out of the deepest oppression imaginable.
99% of those who do not live on a reservation are unaware about Indian Boarding Schools. The would herd up (like livestock) kids and remove them from their homes (by force if necessary) and ship them to distant boarding schools that would cut their hair, punish them if they spoke their language, or practice traditions and customs. These schools sought to “domesticate” and “civilize” these Native American children.
In other words, these schools were teaching them how to be
white.
Whaaaat? Is this some type of ethnic fiction writing or did this really happen?
From the late 19th century to the early 20th century this was law. If you look it up online today, the verbiage used is neutered and uses cyber-cool words like assimilate, education, Euro-American standards, etc.
Genocide is the deliberate killing of a large group of people, especially those of a particular ethnic group or nation. Using fear, force, intimidation, religion, economics and much more, a majority exerts their power over a minority. In this case, the US government used this forced religious conversion to seize land, and destroy everything and everyone in their path.
Canada has formally apologized and accepted their part of the devastation and death for reservation schools in their region. Not only was their monetary compensation, but the acknowledgement went a long way in the restoration of trust. This brought Native sons and daughters back into the mainstream society. They recognized their sacrifice and honored their contributions to society.
In a 2009 private ceremony, on a minor level, President Obama acknowledged the Indian Boarding School travesty here in the US.
However, the truth is that the Native Americans are still living in the squalor of reservations, devoid of identity, traditions and language. It’s been all but exterminated.
The footprints left from this devastating, gizzly chapter in American history are the 3rd world conditions they continue to be in.
These newly designed ornaments are a way of honoring the sacrifices that Native Americans have made.
We can’t change the past, but we can commemorate the past and bring awareness to people so that history doesn’t repeat itself. We can work to provide bright futures for these kids who are living in oppression.