In the Name of God

As a new school year approaches we should be mindful of the aboriginal people that lived here long before the Europeans came. We need to be thoughtful about how we teach and care for the thousands of First Nations children throughout our country, especially in Canada's north.


In the Name of God

We will take the Indian out of the Indian,
get the children from their homes and send
them to schools far away where they can’t speak
Dakota, Cree, or Ojibwe. They will speak English
and learn about Jesus and the Holy Trinity.

If the kids cause problems we may hit them or send
them to a small room by themselves for a week or two.
And sometimes, if we can’t control it, we may touch them
even if they don’t want us to.

There will be no more dancing, not grass, round or
sun and no more sweat lodges. We will knock them
down with clubs and horses.

The days when the children disappeared.
To take the Indian out of the Indian.
In the name of God.

Sojonky, 2006