by Alex Garland

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The number 523 carries a haunting significance in the history of Indigenous peoples in the United States: It represents the sheer magnitude of boarding schools that operated in the country, spanning from the early 1800s to the mid-1970s. These institutions, often hidden in the shadows of history, left undeniable scars on Indigenous communities across North America.

The spotlight now shines on this dark chapter in history as Canada observes the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, a national holiday dedicated to reflecting on the devastating impact of boarding school policies on Indigenous communities. Orange Shirt Day is Seattle’s version of the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation and was honored by a march from the Henry M. Jackson Federal Building to Westlake Park. The day’s significance was brought to life through the words of Matt Remle, an organizer and advocate for Indigenous rights, who shared the painful legacy of these policies.

“Today’s really an international day of remembrance on the boarding school era policies. Boarding schools were a tool of settler colonialism impacting Indigenous communities from all across North America, so-called U.S., Mexico, and Canada, and whose aim is really to, you know, assimilate, cultural genocide, and land theft,” Remle explained.

The connection to boarding schools for Remle is deep. “It’s personal for me in the sense that my mom went to the boarding Catholic school in Standing Rock in Fort Yates, North Dakota. Both her parents went to boarding residential schools in South Dakota, [and] all her grandparents and great-grandparents,” he revealed, illustrating the deep-rooted impact these policies had throughout generations.

Remle traced the origins of these boarding school policies to Captain Richard Pratt, infamous as the father of the modern prison-industrial complex. Pratt’s motto, “Kill the Indian save the man,” epitomized the cultural genocide that took place within these institutions. Indigenous languages were forbidden, hair was forcibly cut, and abuse was rampant. “Every single Native person who’s speaking to you in English, a lot of our languages are completely gone,” Remle lamented.

It wasn’t just hair and language. Remle discussed the sexual abuse that occurred in these schools. “In Canada, when they did a Truth and Reconciliation, they found that upwards of 90% to 95% of the boys and girls who were Native were raped or sexually abused,” he disclosed. The scars of these abuses still haunt Indigenous communities today.

Remle made it clear that these horrors aren’t distant history. “In these boarding schools, it wasn’t long ago,” he emphasized, with the last U.S. boarding school closing in 1974. Some areas ended the practice sooner, but in Canada, it persisted until the 1990s.

When asked about boarding schools in the U.S., Remle noted the number of them, 523, and explained that these schools were predominantly located off-reservation. The federal government’s financial support of these schools, in collaboration with various churches, deepened the trauma, leaving many religious institutions still unaccountable for their actions.

“When we’re calling out the churches, they definitely had a role. They profited, basically, from the theft of children,” he said. The legacy of abuse left Indigenous communities grappling with high rates of sexual abuse, drug abuse, and alcoholism, all bitter inheritances of the past.

The cycle of abuse and vulnerability continues to affect Indigenous communities to this day, highlighting the interconnectedness of past and present struggles, with their activism serving as a powerful testament to the enduring strength of Indigenous peoples and their determination to seek justice, healing, and reconciliation, Remle said.

Indigenous Resilience and Healing: A Message of Hope

Throughout generations, Indigenous peoples have demonstrated strength, time and again, in the face of genocide and cultural suppression. Ixtli White Hawk, an advocate for Indigenous rights and healing, delivered a stirring message of hope and resilience during the Orange Shirt Day in Seattle.

“You know, as Indigenous people, we are more than numbers. We are more than data. We are more than trauma. Our medicine is in here, because we walk with our ancestors. And our ancestors are not just the ones from long ago. Our ancestors are each and every one of our loved ones that we have shared space with in one way or another. We can call on them. We can ask them to hold space with us. We can ask them for guidance,” White Hawk said, highlighting the connection Indigenous people have with their heritage and the strength they draw from their ancestral roots.

Matthew War Bonnet, a survivor of the traumatic era of Indigenous boarding schools, shared his experiences and those of his family in a powerful testimony. He began by introducing his children and highlighting their achievements in service to their community and country. War Bonnet’s family history was deeply intertwined with the struggles faced by Indigenous people during the boarding school era.

“My dad ran away from one of the schools in the wintertime and froze his toes off. And then that’s what killed him,” War Bonnet said, underscoring the brutal conditions endured by young Indigenous students, where children suffered from hunger, inadequate care, and physical abuse.

Recalling his own childhood in boarding school, War Bonnet painted a grim picture of discipline. “I recall one time my brother was thrown down a flight of stairs and broke his arm,” he recounted. He also mentioned the infamous “razor strap,” a brutal form of punishment, which he held in his hands as he spoke, and which he had, as a child, accepted as a “friend” to cope with the fear and abuse.

War Bonnet then described the daily routine of attending mass at the Catholic school, highlighting the struggles faced by hungry students who often fainted during church services.

As War Bonnet’s narrative continued, he revealed the long-lasting impact of the trauma inflicted in boarding schools. “As kids grew up, they became very abusive to themselves,” he said. Some students engaged in self-harming behaviors as a way to cope with their pain. War Bonnet’s commitment to protecting other students from abuse was evident throughout his testimony. He recounted how he often intervened on behalf of others, even if it meant enduring punishment himself.

War Bonnet’s deeply personal account of his experiences in Indigenous boarding schools provided a haunting glimpse into a painful chapter of North American history. His words carried a powerful message about the enduring trauma and resilience of Indigenous peoples, and the urgent need and moral responsibility for acknowledgment and healing.

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📸 Featured Image: The Orange Shirt Day march in Seattle coincided with the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation in Canada to honor those impacted by boarding schools and demand accountability from the United States government. (Photo: Alex Garland)

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