Aboriginal Residential Schools

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Aboriginal Residential Schools in Canada

"Residential schools for Aboriginal people in Canada date back to the 1870's. Over 130 residential schools were located across the country, and the last school closed in 1996. These government-funded, church-run schools were set up to eliminate parental involvement in the intellectual, cultural, and spiritual development of Aboriginal children" (Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada "About Us", paragraph 1).

Residential School Locations by province (Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada)

Apology by the Government of Canada

Apology to Former Students of Indian Residential Schools given in the House of Commons, June 11, 2008. (Hansards - text).

Citation Chicago Style: Canada. "Apology to Former Students of Indian Residential Schools." In House of Commons Debates (Hansard). 39th Parl., 2nd Sess. (June 11, 2008) (Online) Available: http://www2.parl.gc.ca/HousePublications/Publication.aspx?Language=E&Mode=1&Parl=39&Ses=2&DocId=3568890 [November 10, 2008]

Apology to Former Students of Indian Residential Schools given in the House of Commons, June 11, 2008. (Webcast. Available in video or audio).

Additional Resources

Aboriginal Education

Aboriginal Health & Healing

Aboriginal Studies Librarians

UBC Vancouver Kim Lawson (X̱wi7x̱wa Library)

UBC Vancouver Sarah Dupont (X̱wi7x̱wa Library)

Mission Residential School, British Columbia [circa 188-]

Image D-08840 courtesy of Royal BC Museum, BC Archives

Workshops | How To Cite | Course Materials

Books & Media

How to Find ...

Books, reports, government publications

Search the UBC Library Catalogue:

Try a Keyword Search

"residential schools"
"boarding schools"
or the name of a specific school, such as, coqualeetza

Quotation marks search for a phrase (more than one word)
Example: "first nations" and "residential schools"
A question mark truncates a term (to search words with the same stem).
Example: "indian?" and "boarding school?"

Subject Headings (Browse)
Once you find a good book, then click on the SUBJECT headings to find related books.
Indians of north america - canada - residential schools
    Native peoples - canada - residential schools
    First Nations - residential schools
    First Nations - residential schools - students
    Off-reservation boarding schools

Browse (subject contains)
    This type of search retrieves all occurences of "residential school?" in a subject heading
Example:
    residential school?
    retrieves materials with the subject
    Indian residential schools mental health program
    Christie Indian residential school
    Coqualeetza residential school

TIP:♥   UBC Library Catalogue truncation symbol is ?
              Databases & Summon truncation symbol is *
TIP:♥   Use SUBJECT headings in the UBC Library Catalogue for a more precise search

Bibliographies
Native Residential Schools in Canada (Library & Archives Canada. April 2002) Selective Bibliography compiled by Amy Fisher and Deborah Lee
Bibliography B.C. Residential Schools (Vancouver Island University)

How to Find ...

Videos & DVDs

UBC Library Catalogue search:

Enter topic keyword AND video?
Examples:
"residential school?" AND video?
"residential school?" AND "british columbia" AND video?

Summon search:
Enter keyword(s)
Example: "residential school*"
Select Content Type
Video Recording

ELN Media File

From Indexes & Databases
Select ELN Media Cat
Enter keywords
Example: "residential school*"

MEDIA BOOKINGS

Book ELN & UBC Media for your classes through UBC Media Bookings

Book Xwi7xwa Media
through Linda Allen
linda.allen@ubc.ca
604-827-5013

Further Resources

A Lost Heritage: Canada's Residential Schools (CBC Archives)

Aboriginal Filmmaking (UBC Research Guide - under construction)

NFB Aboriginal Perspectives

NFB Aboriginal Peoples

Articles

Education

ERIC (Educational Resources Information Center)
Over 980 education journals. First Nations titles include Winds of Change, American Indian Higher Education, Tribal College, Cultural Survival Quarterly, and Wicazo Sa. Search terms for 'aboriginal': canada natives, alaska natives, american indians, eskimos and indigenous populations. Search terms for subject: boarding schools, for example search subjects: canada natives and boarding schools. Use the Thesaurus for more terms and more precise terms.

CBCA Education
Education literature published in Canada, with some full-text. Indexes both English and French publications such as journal articles, government and research reports, monographs, book announcements, curriculum documents, and graduate dissertations in education. Residential school content also includes, church press, mainstream press and wirefeeds. Try search terms: native residential schools

History and Culture

America: History & Life
History of Canada and the United States from prehistory to the present. Includes over 1,700 journals from 1964 onwards. Search terms for 'aboriginal': Native American, First Nations, indigenous people, Indian, Aboriginal. Subject search terms: boarding schools; and keyword: "residential school*"
Bibliography of Native North Americans
Indexes books, journal articles, essays, conference papers, dissertations, US government articles, and ethnography. Includes some materials on Indian residential schools, for example, from the First Nations press (Windspeaker, Saskatchewan Sage, et al), scholarly journals, and popular journals. Subject perspectives on the residential school system includes, health, social work, law, arts. Try keyword "residential school*", and subject terms, truth and reconciliation commission; off-reservation boarding schools (for U.S. coverage), healing circles

General Databases

Academic Search Complete
Indexes over 10,000 journals, with many full-text articles. Search terms: Indians of North America - Canada, Indians of North America - British Columbia, Metis, Inuit, Eskimos, indigenous peoples, Aboriginal Australians, and names of specific nations. Because some of the articles have no search terms assigned, also try fulltext searches using Canadian terminology, such as, First Nations, and Aboriginal. For residential schools, try: off-reserve boarding schools

Alternative Press Index
Indexes 450 alternative, radical and left publications. Aboriginal titles include: Akwe:kon Journal (title changed to Native Americas) ; Akwesasne Notes, and American Indian Rights Center.

CBCA Complete (Canadian Business, Reference & Current Affairs)
Indexes academic periodicals, special interest publications, and newspapers, including the Aboriginal press: Windspeaker, Kahtou, Aboriginal Nurse. Search terms: Indigenous peoples, Native peoples, Metis, Native Americans and Inuit.

Canadian Periodical Index
More than 400 periodical titles. First Nations coverage includes: Windspeaker, Inuktitut, First Perspective, Native North American Almanac; also journals such as Canadian Journal of Native Studies, Journal of Indigenous Studies, Acadiensis. Search terms: Aboriginal Australians, Canadian native peoples, Metis (persons) and Native Americans.

First Nations Periodical Index
Mainly First Nations/Aboriginal Canadian content. Searchable index of 20 Aboriginal newspapers, magazines and periodicals.

JSTOR Collection

Full-text searching of hundreds of journal titles in the sciences, humanities, social sciences, business, and more. Searches can result in hundreds or thousands of hits, so use the "Advanced Search" to narrow your search down. Search terms: First Nations, Native American, indigenous, Aboriginal.

Project Muse
Full-text collection of over 400 humanities and social sciences journals. Use the "Advanced Search" to narrow down your results. Search terms: First Nations, Native American, indigenous, Aboriginal.

History

History of Indian Residential Schools in Canada

History of Indian Residential Schools (Assembly of First Nations)
Residential Schools: A Chronology (Assembly of First Nations)
List of Residential Schools (Residential Schools Settlement)
Report of the Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples (Indian and Northern Affairs Canada) See Part Two: Chapter 10 Residential Schools.
Chronology of Federal Policy Toward Aboriginal People and Education in Canada (Education Library, University of British Columbia)

Indian Residential Schools in Canada (INAC Indian Residential Schools Resolution Canada, Government of Canada)

Report on the Indian schools of Manitoba and the North-West Territories. (The Bryce Report) Ottawa: Government Printing Bureau, 1907, by Dr. Peter Bryce. (via Peel's Prairie Provinces online digital collection).

Churches

United Church

Up and Down the Coast digitized historic photographs and documents from the collections in our national General Council Archives in Toronto, Ontario.

Residential School Records (United Church of Canada Archives)

Images

Residential Schools - Images

Photographs ~ Online

Up and Down the Coast (United Church Archives). Search "residential school" or the name of a specific school.
British Columbia Archives -Visual Records. Select Visual Records in the basic search and Search "residential school?"

Copyright Note:
Remember to request permission from the copyright holder before "sharing" any images

Reconciliation

Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada has a five year mandate, as of June 1 2008 to "initiate and encourage reconciliation among former students, their families, their communities, and all Canadians."
Indian Residential Schools Unit (Assembly of First Nations) Support survivors resolve residential school claims filed in court
Indian Residential Schools Resolution Canada (IRSRC) (Government of Canada)
Federal Representative-Indian Residential Schools (IRSRC) Frank Iacobucci, Federal Representative for the Indian Residential School Resolution

Indian Residential Schools Settlement Agreement (May 8, 2006)
Information on the Common Experience Payment (INAC) The CEP is paid to eligible former students who resided at a listed Indian Residential School.

Churches
Residential Schools Legacy and Response (Anglican Church of Canada)
Prayer and reflection resource for the Residential Schools agreement (Anglican Church of Canada)
Indian Residential Schools (United Church of Canada)
Residential School Apology (United Church of Canada, 1998)

Royal Canadian Mounted Police

Role of the RCMP During the Indian Residential School System. Report (Royal Canadian Mounted Police RCMP. Oct 2011)

Health & Healing

Health & Healing for Survivors

Indian Residential School Survivors Society Supports research, awareness and advocacy for justice and healing.
Aboriginal Healing Foundation Supports Aboriginal people in healing processes that address the legacy of abuse in the Residential school system.
Legacy of Hope Charitable organization to create awareness and understanding about the legacy of residential schools.
The Shingwauk Project Indian Residential Schools Research Centre
Surviving the Past: Options for Dealing with Abuse (Law Courts Education Society of BC)
Indian Residential Schools Mental Health Support Program (First Nations and Inuit Health-Health Canada)
The Red Book Online Online guide to community, social and government agencies and services across the Lower Mainland.

The Indian Residential School Survivors Society encourages you to take time to care for your Mental and Emotional well being.

For intergenerational survivors

Please contact “The Indian Residential School Survivors Society” toll-free 1.800.721.0066 if you require further emotional support or assistance.

For UBC students

http://www.students.ubc.ca/livewelllearnwell/services-resources/counselling-services/

Welcome to Counselling Services. We're located in 1040 Brock Hall. You can reach us at 604-822-3811.

For UBC faculty and staff

Employee and Family Assistance Program

http://www.hr.ubc.ca/benefits/efap/

For other BC residents

Call 311 for [referral] (information online: http://www.bc211.ca/)

or call your public library to find information about local support services available to help you.

For others

Call your public library to find information about local support services available to help you.

Attendance Records

Sources of Attendance Records

Archives holding original attendance records for residential schools
ArchiviaNet Library and Archives Canada: Finding aids to federal government records
Aboriginal Peoples: Guide to Government Records Library and Archives Canada: See Red and Black Series and RG 10
United Church Archives Network
United Church of BC Archives
United Church of Canada Archives
MemoryBC
Canadian Archival Information Network

Genealogy guides for family records
Canadian Genealogy Centre: Aboriginal Peoples (Library and Archives Canada)
Xwi7xwa Library Genealogy resource page a starting point for Aboriginal genealogical research

Last Modified 2:39 pm, Dec 28 2011

The University of British Columbia

Aboriginal Residential Schools