Sunday, February 15, 2015

Blog 4


In the article “Destroying a Culture” Artical Cricket Media, Authors Bickford-Duane, Pauline describes how the United States government took nearly 100 years trying to figure out a way the Native Americans policy, to work out in the west. Once the government signing the treaties the Native American could no longer move freely threw out the land.  When the United States took over there land they wanted them to live like Americans. Children started to attend boarding schools to make them live in American society. The school administrator assigned the kids new names. They couldn’t speak their language or practicing their native traditions or even celebrating. They wanted to have those kids drop there culture and join the American culture.  In June 1934 the Native Americans reclaimed 2 million acres of land. They wanted to start a native group so they could receive money and for their land and education. So they could now take their children out of boarding schools.
When I read this article I didn’t really understand why they couldn’t trade to get land, not to take it away from people. What I thought was interesting was when the Americans to give the children new names. Like what?! Why wouldn’t you just have left their names as is? I must have been bad if I told the teacher I’m not changing my name. They don’t have that power over me unlike them did back in the days. I’m not sure if I could drop my language and culture to be more like something else when I’m not. If I was put in a boarding school back then I probably would have been hurt a lot but I would fight back and not do what they said just run away from school.

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