Language is very tightly tied to one's sense of self. The ability to communicate with others and have them understand what you are telling them is critical to a sense of belonging.
Rita Joe is a Mi'kmaq poet, educator and spokesperson for aboriginal peoples. She was born in 1931 on the Whycocomaugh Reserve in Nova Scotia. At twelve, she moved to the Shubenacadie Residential School.
What was the original purpose of the residential schools? When did they exist? Where were they located? What was life like in the residential schools? Did the outcome for Canada's aboriginal people match the original intent of the schools' founders?
