Issue of Children in Aboriginal Community - Term Paper Example

ISSUE OF CHILDREN IN ABORIGINAL COMMUNITY Introduction Canadian Aboriginal societies are well known for the exceptional love and pride for their children. Aboriginal societies consider children the most crucial part of the community. To them children are God given gifts and their culture obligates all people to hold children with intense respect and equality as the primary aspects of their pride. Aboriginal people take it as they key duty to improve and enhance the social, educational, economic and psychological well-being of their children. Aboriginal children exercise full power and liberty in all aspects of their lives, a fact that surprised many of the European colonialists who later construed that Aboriginal communities were over empowering their children and giving them unexceptional status and freedom that they did not deserve as children. European colonialist were amazed disciplinary measures used by aboriginal parents for instance, teasing and storytelling as a way of instilling discipline and moral to children. The focus and value of children between Aboriginal and European societies was entirely different because children were increasingly significant in aboriginal societies than in European societies. Children were as a source of pride, status and respect to Aboriginal people, and had freedom and power to take part in adult meetings and events. Discussion Although aboriginal children were the key source of pride for the community and the most crucial gift from God, the children and the wider aboriginal society have faced a drastic challenge in the modern society. Numerous statistical evidence reveal that two out of eight aboriginal children are living in absolute poverty; therefore, this calls for state and provincial administrations to implements some actions to improve the chances of living of the aboriginal children un urban regions and reserves. A recent report reveals that Canadian Aboriginal groups face a deep challenge. They constitute a youngest and rapidly growing part of Canadian population and the majority has increasingly low literacy levels that the wider Canadian population compared to Canadian nationals, (CBC News, 2006). Therefore, many of the children have suffered enormous challenges in the past and continue to face similar challenges in the contemporary era, in the hands of European colonizers and other aliens. Regrettably, Canadian antiquity with regard to the Native community consideration is something people cannot appreciate. French and British cultural and racial autonomy attitudes lead to marginalization and oppression of Aboriginal culture and morals. As a community, Native people are loaded with historical attitudes and acts that lead to their reputation and cultural erosion, intimidating their values and dialects, and marginalizing their spiritual practices. It is clear that the effects of such actions interrupted, restricted and ruined the status and reputation of the children by deprivation of Aboriginal historical land, displacement of the community and certain Indian Act requirements, (Francis, 1992). I think that the impacts of these actions led to the eradication of the educational, economic, and socio-political systems if the community (Aboriginal community). Aboriginal children of Canada have experience various injustices since the invasion of European. Before the arrival of European colonizers, Aboriginal children learned through observation and apprenticeship and were morally cultured through this learning method. However, missionaries and other colonialists did not approve the traditional methods of Aboriginal education, (Francis, 1992). Similarly, in an attempt to subdue and dominate the land and the natives, they forced Aboriginal children to participate in Western system of education that involved daily attendance of residential schools leading to substantial conflict between Western and Native educational practices. Experts agree before colonizers arrival, Aboriginal societies had their own systems of teaching. The education system whereby the society was the classroom, the society members were tutors and elders ensured that their students learned ways of leading a better life. Creating to their studies was the honor of the prominent spirit, (CBC News, 2006). Researches reveal that Aboriginal community has most extensive spiritual civilization the globe has never witnessed. Belief in the key spirit was expressed in Aboriginal relationship with colleagues, daily living and practices, their humility, cooperation, sharing practices, relationships with the natural environments, animals and supernatural, recognition of the key spirit, and in their thoughts, perception, feelings about the world. In the past, Aboriginal teachings and education sessions taught about the whole being, an entire society, in a stable cultural context. The arrival of European missionaries in the 17th century changed everything, for instance they established residential and Western school and eradicated traditional Aboriginal education systems. They believed that Western education was the effective way of Civilizing Aboriginal children and communities. Residential schools were established as effective strategies of separating Canadian Aboriginal children from their detrimental influence of their parents and reserve lives. Similarly, residential systems of education were increasingly oppressive because the schools isolated children from their native cultures, homes and parents for a prolonged period. Similarly, Aboriginal children, between the 3to 18 years were exposed to severe and negative regimen. For instance, boys were taught table cleaning, livestock keeping, repairing broken machines and working in farms. The girls, on the other hand, had to perform school upkeep duties such as cleaning, washing and repairing tattered clothes, kitchen chores, floor scrubbing and related domestic roles (CBC News, 2006). The education system was not beneficial to Aboriginal children because they spend a considerable deal of their time performing these heavy duties. Because of British and French interference of Native educational systems, the future of aboriginal children faced a substantial problem. Colonizers believed that to educate a native child he needed to be isolated from the degrading stimulus of his native language, tradition, and most significant, his parents. Therefore, various native children lived in trepidation and abhorrence because the missionaries also harmed their families. Similarly, British administration and Churches aided in assimilation and absorption of native children into British Canadian culture by separating the m from their cultures and indulging then into Western religions morals and livelihoods of an ideal Canadian. I think the environment was extensive harsh for Aboriginal children because they had to stay away from their parental love and guidance –in residential schools full of hostility and ruthlessness – for over ten years. The residential institution accounts for the high rate of mortality among Aboriginal children. At the end of the 17th century, over fifty percent of Aboriginal students who underwent these schools training did not benefit from the received education. Many of them died of diseased like TB, smallpox, and others of mistreatment and loneliness while at school. A large percentage of Aboriginal children suffered true devastation under the residential custody – they experienced severe physical, psychological and mental harassment as well as sexual abuse from both the school administrators and tutors, (Francis, 1992). Having generations of Aboriginal students isolated from their homes and parents, denying them cultural care and teaching of their elders and parents, lead to loss of cultural beliefs and languages. Experts agree that the weakening of the Aboriginal society today is attributable to residential schools and Western education concept. Cultural conflict, inadequate job qualification, alienation, distorted personality, poverty and low living standards originated from this devastating experience. Research revealed that not only Aboriginal children were affected but also their communities and subsequent generations. In the modern world, today, various activists, Canadian governments and Aboriginal communities have reacted to the deplorable conditions and experiences of residential schools Western educational system. They have refuted the education systems and established new formal education systems to integrate and recognize the contribution of Aboriginal children in the school and economic development. The new education systems established are anchored on two principles – local and parental responsibility and control. It acknowledges that Aboriginal parents must enjoy similar essential decision-making responsibilities and rights concerning the education of their children. It also enhances the essential local control concept that differentiates free system of politics of the democratic administration from the totalitarian nature systems. The new policy realizes the need to enhance Canadian Aboriginal children’s educational opportunities. The current education system realizes the significance of teaching Aboriginal history that attaches respect to values, morals, achievements, values and Aboriginal contributions to the education system, (CBC News, 2006). The system realizes and teaches science and technology to Aboriginal children to promote children’s harmony with their natural world. This is because the Aboriginal society wants their children to learn the history of their ancient literature, social studies and learn to honor, appreciate and embrace other people’s cultures and values. Personal thought Aboriginal society in Canada consists of the youngest and rapidly growth population segment, yet large number of people are illiterate and poor. The significance of Aboriginal children education is not because they form the largest percentage of Canadian population, but because Aboriginal children represent a crucial part in the labor market production. I think that if the present reduced educational trends for Aboriginal children continue, Canada could risk billions of dollar loss in national productivity. Research suggests that over 170 billion dollars could be injected to the economy of Canada by 2027, if Aboriginal children could attain similar levels of education as other Canadian nationals. Therefore, I think the corresponding remedy to the current Aboriginal community situation will include establishing better learning atmosphere for Aboriginal youth. This may be attained through recruiting additional qualified Aboriginal teachers, improving educational curriculum and teaching methods. Including Aboriginal elders in the children education would encourage obedience and motivate children during schooling. Teaching native language and history will create as a sense of belonging and comfort as children will not feel alienated from their own values and tradition. It also reduces oppression, racism and marginalization of Aboriginal societies in the education system. Similarly, involving parents and elders in their children education is crucial because parental support during educational practice is crucial. The residential learning institutions should be friendly, allow parents suggestions, inquiries and support because students need to experience a feeling of the modern’s human educating methods to reduce hatred and fear towards education systems and teachers. Finally, Canada should facilitate a cross-cultural teacher’s staff training as a key part of system of education. Similarly, the school should ensure that school policies and rules are natural to eliminate discrimination and racism challenges. Conclusion Despite the drastic and horrifying conditions faced by Aboriginal children, Aboriginal educators and societies have restored the continuity between the Aboriginal environment and the school, in the modern era. Various improvements are in progress, to facilitate learning of native languages and history, hiring of qualified Aboriginal teachers and the development of better educational curriculum well grounded on the history, culture and values of Aboriginal communities. Similarly, educational transformation is positive despite some few limitations such as insufficient supply of better educational materials about Aboriginal history and languages. References CBC News. (November 24, 2006). Aboriginal Children are Poorest in Country: Report. Retrieved November 23, 2012 from http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ story/2006/11/24/child-poverty.html Francis, Daniel. (1992). The Imaginary Indian: The Image of the Indian in Canadian Culture. Vancouver: Arsenal Pulp Press. 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