It is my belief that to this day every native person is still affected by the Residential School era . Many lost their native language during this era. What surprises me is how many people are not aware of this history, even some native people, because it has not been a very popular topic. So, that is why we are doing this survey. From the information that we receive, we would like to conduct interviews and produce a documentary. So, please take a few minutes and fill out this survey and send it to us. It does not matter if you live in the United States or Canada.

Click here to print out the survey

Little River Band does not give, sell or transfer
any personal information to 3rd parties.

Please mail your completed survey to:
(or FAX to 231-398-9372)
Little River Band of Ottawa Indians
375 River Street
Manistee, MI 49660
Attention - Historical Preservation Department

Listen to the story below in Anishinaabemowin.

I have heard many stories from my people that had attended residential schools, most were not good experiences. Children would be taken from their homes, some as young as four years of age. Some of these children were from a home with only parent because of death or illness. In these schools people were promised an education. They would be taught how to read and write and the trades that they were taught were things as farming and basic labor. In these schools across the United States and Canada the children were forbidden to speak in the only language that they knew, Anishinaabemowin. If they were caught speaking Anishinaabemowin they would be punished severely. Not just a walk down to the principal's office, but be hit physically.

My late father attended one of these schools from the age of eight to sixteen. He told me some terrible stories of what happened at that time. At first they were taken by cars, then some ran away from the schools because they could find their way home. Then they were taken by boat, so they would not run away. “It seemed like a prison” he said. “It seemed like you were punished just because you were Anishinaabe and you spoke your language” he said. My father kept speaking his language despite the consequences; He would be hit with a yard stick ruler across his knuckles and hit with a leather strap across his palms each time that he was caught. I remember him saying one time, “How can they tell me not stop speak my own language, it’s like asking me to stop breathing the same air they are breathing”.

I remember another story of an elder woman. When she was a little girl she also was caught speaking her language, and the teachers wanted to make an example of her to the other students that this is what happens to you if you speak your language. She was made to stand in the middle of the gym while other watched, then she would be hit across her shins with a baseball bat. You see, I guess it was okay to hit little Anishinaabe children like that back then, no one said anything, no one did anything. This little girl lost her legs, she eventually received wooden legs. She told this story when she was an elder and she said “They took my legs in that school but they could not take my language”

Another story that I remember is one of an elder man. He said his older brothers and sisters had attended the school already and they said that he would be going soon. Well the day arrived and he was only four or five years old, and he knew that he would miss his mother. So as he was being escorted out of his home, he walked backwards and he kept his eyes on his mother who was looking out the window.

I have seen pictures of some of these children while they attended these schools and I have not yet seen one where a child is smiling. They are all dressed alike. Boys dressed one way and the girls another. All have the same haircut. So I have great concerns about what happened to my people and my language.

Has this happened to anyone else? Are we going to do anything about it? What should be done????