Broken Circle: The Dark Legacy of Indian Residential Schools : a MemoirNow an approved curriculum resource for grade 9-12 students in British Columbia and Manitoba. Theodore (Ted) Fontaine lost his family and freedom just after his seventh birthday, when his parents were forced to leave him at an Indian residential school by order of the Roman Catholic Church and the Government of Canada. Twelve years later, he left school frozen at the emotional age of seven. He was confused, angry and conflicted, on a path of self-destruction. At age 29, he emerged from this blackness. By age 32, he had graduated from the Civil Engineering Program at the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology and begun a journey of self-exploration and healing. In this powerful and poignant memoir, Ted examines the impact of his psychological, emotional and sexual abuse, the loss of his language and culture, and, most important, the loss of his family and community. He goes beyond details of the abuses of Native children to relate a unique understanding of why most residential school survivors have post-traumatic stress disorders and why succeeding generations of First Nations children suffer from this dark chapter in history. Told as remembrances described with insights that have evolved through his healing, his story resonates with his resolve to help himself and other residential school survivors and to share his enduring belief that one can pick up the shattered pieces and use them for good. |
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Broken Circle: The Dark Legacy of Indian Residential Schools Theodore Niizhotay Fontaine Limited preview - 2010 |
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Alexander Indian Residential Allan Assiniboia bannock became Beothuk brothers camp Canada Canadian canoe chores Chubb Church circa cleaning Cliff close cousins Dad’s door early enjoy eventually eyes Father feel Fontaine friends front girls Grandpa Schall grandparents healing journey hearing hockey Indian Residential School Jacqueline kids knew Lake Winnipeg later learned Leon lived look Manigotagan Manitoba meal memories Métis mill Mishoom Mom and Dad Mom’s morning mother Nations never night Niizhotay Northwest Territories nuns Ojibway older parents PHIL FONTAINE picking Pine Falls playroom porridge priests and nuns realize remember reserve residential school experiences residential school survivors residential school system rice river Roman Catholic Church Sagkeeng Sagkeeng First Nation sister sometimes stories Sunday supervisors talk Therese thought told Uncle Albert walk wanted wash watch week white ladies Winnipeg Winnipeg River wonder