Nativi Americani.it

Non è da molto tempo che è attiva la nostra campagna informativa sui crimini commessi dalla Chiesa Cattolica nelle Scuole residenziali canadesi e nelle boarding school e missioni USA, che già qualcuno si è affrettato a “distinguere” la Chiesa Unita del Canada da quella Cattolica romana, parlando addirittura di disinformazione (ignoranza per essere precisi) o diffamazione nei suoi confronti. E a bollare tutto come una “bufala”. Nel precisare che la nostra campagna informativa non nasce da intenti contro la Chiesa né contro le religioni in genere, ma dalla volontà di evidenziare precise responsabilità e responsabili nei crimini commessi in queste scuole, di cui nessuno o quasi parla, di cui la stessa Chiesa Cattolica non parla, chiedendo ovviamente non solo una legittima e pubblica ammissione di colpa, ma anche che queste verità siano e diventino patrimonio pubblico di tutti i cittadini del mondo, e vengano citate nella storia al pari degli altri crimini e genocidi, chiedendo giustizia per le tante vittime di questi abusi, le cui ripercussioni, non ci stancheremo mai di scriverlo, sono purtroppo vive nelle quotidianità di molti Nativi al pari della nitidezza dei ricordi di tutti i sopravvissuti a queste scuole – lager delle varie confessioni regliose. Quindi, grazie ancora alla collaborazione e disponibilità di Kevin Annett, siamo in grado di pubblicare la lista delle scuole residenziali canadesi gestite dalle diocesi cattoliche romane.
Ci sono 79 scuole residenziali indiane cattoliche romane, elencate in questa lista che Annett stesso ci ha fornito, su un totale di 118 scuole residenziali che hanno operato in Canada tra il 1831 e il 1996. Giudicate voi se la nostra è diffamazione. Vi ricordiamo, che a questa lista mancano tutte le boarding school in USA, e le scuole delle missioni cristiane cattoliche nelle riserve. Nel 1819 il Congresso degli USA aveva approvato il “Civilation Fund Act” che sanciva di fatto un accordo tra il governo federale e i missionari cristiani di varie confessioni che d’allora in poi venivano pagati per “istruire” i Nativi. Anche le scuole missionarie erano concepite per sradicare le tradizioni indiane e insegnare, con le buone, o con le cattive, gli usi e i costumi dei bianchi. L’alleanza tra Stato e Chiesa durerà circa un secolo. Nelle riserve indiane il governo adottò una politica di spartizione delle stesse tra le diverse chiese cristiane per prevenire una competizione tra di esse nella loro azione di proselitismo. Nella riserva Sioux di Pine Ridge, in Sud Dakota, l’attività missionaria fu fin dall’inizio garantita alla chiesa episcopale che per tre anni ebbe questa riserva “in esclusiva”, dopodiché vi furono ammesse anche altre confessioni.
Ecco la lista delle scuole residenziali di cui la chiesa cattolica romana era responsabile:

Alberta

- Blue Quill’s Indian Residential School (Lac la Biche Boarding School; Hospice of St. Joseph); Lac la Biche; opened 1862; moved to Brocket in 1898 (RC)
- Blue Quill’s Indian Residential School (Sacred Heart Indian Residential School; Saddle Lake Boarding School);Lac la Biche; opened 1898; closed 1931 (RC)
- Blue Quill’s Indian Residential School (St. Paul’s Residential School) Lac la Biche; opened 1931; in 1970 (RC) (became the first Native-administered school in Canada)
- Convent of Holy Angels Indian Residential School (Holy Angels Indian Residential School; Our Lady of Victoria Indian Residential School); Fort Chipewyan; opened 1902; closed 1974 (RC)
- Crowfoot Indian Residential School; Cluny; opened 1909; closed 1968 (RC)
- Dunbow Industrial School (St. Joseph’s Industrial School, High River Industrial School); High River; opened 1888; closed 1939 (RC)
- Ermineskin Indian Residential School; Hobbema; opened 1916; closed 1973 (RC)
- Fort Smith Indian Residential School (Breyant Hall); Fort Smith; opened 1955; closed 1970 (RC)
- Immaculate Conception Indian Residential School (Immaculate Conception Boarding School; Blood Indian Residential School); Stand-Off; opened 1884; closed 1926 (RC)
- Immaculate Conception Boarding School (Blood Indian Residential School; St. Mary’s Mission Boarding School); Stand-Off; opened 1911; closed 1975 (RC)
- St. Albert’s Indian Residential School St. Albert; opened 1941; closed 1948 (RC)
- St. Bernard Indian Residential School (Grouard Indian Residential School); Grouard; opened 1939; closed 1962 (RC)
- St. Bruno Indian Residential School (Joussard Indian Residential School); Joussard; opened 1913; closed 1969 (RC)
- St. Francis Xavier Indian Residential School; Calais; opened 1890; closed 1961 (RC)
- St. Henri Indian Residential School (Fort Vermilion Indian Residential School); Fort Vermilion; opened 1900; closed 1968 (RC)
- St. Martin Boarding School; Wabasca; opened 1901; closed 1973 (RC)
- St. Paul Des Métis Indian Residential School; St. Paul; opened 1898; closed 1905 (RC)
- Sturgeon Lake Indian Residential School; Sturgeon Lake; opened 1907; closed 1957 (RC)
- Youville Indian Residential School; Edmonton; opened 1892; closed 1948 (RC)

British Columbia

- Christie Indian Residential School (Kakawis Indian Residential School); Tofino (Meares Island); opened 1900; closed in 1973; new school built in 1974; closed in 1983 (RC)
- Christie Indian Residential School (New Christie Indian Residential School; Kakawis Indian Residential School); Tofino, British Columbia (Meares Island); new school built in 1974; closed in 1983(RC)
- Cowichan Catholic Convent School; Cowichan; opened 1863; closing date unknown (RC)
- Friendly Cove Day School; Yuquot; opened 1930; closed 1964 (RC)
- Kamloops Indian Residential School (St. Ann’s Academy); Kamloops; opened 1890; closed 1978 (RC)
- Kamloops Indian Residential School (St. Louis Mission Indian Residential School); Kamloops; opened 1890; closed 1978(RC)
- Kootenay Indian Residential School (St. Eugene’s Indian Residential School, St. Mary’s Indian Residential School); Cranbrook; opened 1898; closed 1970 (RC)
- Kuper Island Indian Residential School; Chemainus; opened 1890; closed 1975 (RC)
- Lejac Indian Residential School; Fraser Lake; opened 1910; new building in 1922; closed 1976 (RC)
- Roman Catholic Coqualeetza Indian Residential School; Chilliwack opened 1890; closed 1941 (RC)
- Sechelt Indian Residential School; Sechelt; opened 1912; closed 1975 (RC)
- Squamish Indian Residential School (St. Francis Indian Residential School; St. Paul’s Indian Residential School); North Vancouver; opened 1898; closed 1959 (RC)
- St. Mary’s Mission Indian Residential School; Mission; opened 1861; closed 1984 (RC)
- Victoria Catholic Convent School; Victoria; opened 1863; closing date unknown (RC)
- Williams Lake Indian Residential School (Williams Lake Industrial School; Cariboo; opened 1890; closed 1981
- Yuquot Indian Residential School; Yuquot; opened 1901; closed 1913 (RC)

Manitoba

- Assiniboia Indian Residential School (Assiniboia Hostel); Winnipeg; opened September 2, 1958; closed June 30, 1973 (RC)
- Cross Lake Indian Residential School (Norway House Roman Catholic Indian Residential School); Cross Lake; opened March 9, 1915; closed July 30, 1969 (RC)
- Fort Alexander Indian Residential School; Pine Falls; opened 1905; closed June, 1970 (RC)
- Guy Hill Indian Residential School; Sturgeon Landing; opened 1926; the school burned down on September 4, 1952 and the students were relocated to a temporary school in The Pas until a newly built school opened in Clearwater Lake in 1958; closed June 30, 1979 (RC)
- Pine Creek Indian Residential School (Camperville Indian Residential School); Camperville; opened 1890; closed August 31, 1969 (RC)
- Sandy Bay Indian Residential School; Sandy Bay Reserve; opened 1905; closed June 30, 1970 (RC)
- St. Boniface Industrial School; St. Boniface; opened 1891; closed 1909 (RC)
- Waterhen Indian Residential School; Waterhen; opened 1890; closed 1900 (RC)

Northwest Territories

- Aklavik Catholic Indian Residential School (later Inuvik Indian Residential School); Aklavik; opened 1925; relocated to Inuvik in 1959; Stringer Hall was Anglican Residence and Grollier Hall the RC residence (name of residences) (RC)
- Fort Providence Indian Residential School (Providence Mission Indian Residential School); Fort Providence; opened 1867; closed 1953 (RC)
- Fort Resolution Indian Residential School; Fort Resolution; opened 1867; closing date unknown (RC)
- Fort Simpson Indian Residential School (Fort Simpson Boarding School); Fort Simpson; opened 1920; closed 1950; Bompas Hall, Lapointe Hall, St. Margaret’s Hall (names of residences) (RC)
- Yellowknife Indian Residential School (Rocher River Day School); Yellowknife; opened 1948; closed 1970; Akaitcho Hall (name of residence) (RC)

Nova Scotia

- Shubenacadie Indian Residential School; Shubenacadie; opened 1922; closed 1968; (RC)

Nunavut

- Chesterfield Inlet Indian Residential School; Chesterfield Inlet; opened 1929; closed 1970; Turquetil (name of residence) (RC)
- Frobisher Bay Indian Residential School; Frobisher Bay; opened 1965; closing date unknown (RC)

Ontario

- Albany Mission Indian Residential School (Fort Albany Residential School); Fort Albany; opened 1912; closed 1963 (RC)
- Fort Frances Indian Residential School (St. Margaret’s Indian Residential School); Fort Frances; opened 1902; closed 1974 (RC)
- Kenora Indian Residential School; Kenora; opened 1949; closed 1963 (RC)
- McIntosh Indian Residential School; Kenora; opened 1924; closed 1969 (RC)
- Spanish Indian Residential School; Spanish; opened 1883; closed 1965 (RC)
- St. Anne’s Indian Residential School; Fort Albany; opened 1936; closed 1964 (RC)
- St. Joseph’s Indian Boarding School (Fort William Indian Residential School); Fort William; opened 1936; closed 1964 (RC)
- St. Mary’s Indian Residential School; Kenora; opened 1894; closed 1962 (RC)
- Wikwemikong Indian Residential School (Wikwemikong Day School); Manitowaning; opened 1840; closed 1879 (RC)
- Wikwemikong Indian Residential School (Wikwemikong Day School; Wikwemikong Manual Labour School); Manitowaning; residential school opened 1879; closed 1963 (RC)

Quebec

- Amos Indian Residential School (St. Marc’s Indian Residential School) Amos; opened 1948; closed 1965 (RC)
- Fort George Catholic Indian Residential School; Fort George; opened 1936; closed 1952 (RC)
- Pointe Bleue Indian Residential School; Pointe Bleue; opened 1960; closed 1980 (RC)
- Sept-Îles Indian Residential School; Sept-Îles; opened 1952; closed 1971 (RC)

Saskatchewan

- Battleford Industrial School; Battleford, opened 1883; closed 1943 (RC)
- Beauval Indian Residential School; Beauval; opened 1895; closed 1983 (RC) (now Meadow Lake Tribal Council’s Beauval Indian Education Centre)
- Cowesses Indian Residential School (Marieval Indian Residential School); Marieval; opened 1936; closed 1975
- St. Michael’s Indian Residential School (Duck Lake Indian Residential School); Duck Lake; opened 1892; closed 1964 (RC)
- Guy Hill Indian Residential School; Sturgeon Landing; opened 1926; the school burned down on September 4, 1952 and the students were relocated to a temporary school in The Pas until a newly built school opened in Clearwater Lake in 1958; closed June 30, 1979 (RC)
- Île-à-la-Crosse Indian Residential School; Île-à-la-Crosse; opened 1878; closing date unknown (RC)
- Muscowequan Indian Residential School; Lestock; opened 1932; closed 1981 (RC)
- Qu’Appelle Indian Residential School (Fort Qu’Appelle Indian Residential School; Lebret Indian Residential School) Lebret; opened 1884; school burned down in 1908; closed 1969 (RC) (Re-opened under the operations of the reserve in 1973, and renamed White Calf Collegiate, but closed in August 1998)
- St. Anthony’s Indian Residential School (Onion Lake Catholic Indian Residential School); Onion Lake; opened 1891; closed 1968 (RC)
- St. Phillips Indian Residential School (Keeseekoose Day School); Kamsack; opened 1899; closed 1965 (RC)
- Thunderchild Indian Residential School (Delmas Indian Residential School); Delmas; opened 1933; school was burned down by students in 1948 (RC)

Yukon

- Lower Post Indian Residential School; Lower Post; opened 1940; closed 1975 (RC)