Uncovering the Subversive Voices of Anishinaabe Students at Carlisle Indian School
In the early 20th century, the Carlisle Indian School in Pennsylvania was notorious for its mission to assimilate Native American students into mainstream American society, often at the expense of their cultural heritage. However, a surprising discovery reveals that some students found a way to push back against this cultural genocide. Through their writings in the school’s official publications, Anishinaabe students from the Great Lakes and Plains regions subtly challenged the oppressive narrative imposed upon them. This article explores the subversive writings of these students and sheds light on their efforts to both preserve their traditions and evolve their cultures.
The Changing Perception of Native Cultures
During the early 1900s, white Americans began to view Native cultures with nostalgia, fueling a fad for Indian arts and crafts. Recognizing this trend, Carlisle’s publications, which targeted government officials and the general public, encouraged more writing about Native American legends, customs, and history. The school’s superintendent, Moses Friedman, saw these stories as a means of “preserving” cultures that were believed to be on the brink of extinction. Little did he know that the Anishinaabe students would seize this opportunity to showcase their resilience and adaptability.
Challenging Stereotypes through Work
A central aspect of the Carlisle School’s curriculum was preparing students to become “civilized” workers, dismissing traditional Indian ways of working as lazy and inefficient. However, within the safe haven of the school’s Indian culture pages, students highlighted their tribes’ unique work practices. For example, Estelle Bradley’s retelling of an Anishinaabe trickster myth included vivid descriptions of women making rope from bass-wood tree bark and using hatchets to chop stumps. These details were not essential to the story but allowed Bradley to express her admiration for native women’s work, which was disparaged by Carlisle and mainstream society.
Reclaiming Stolen Land through Stories
Margaret Blackwood, a nineteen-year-old student, used the familiar form of an origin story to recount how her family’s hometown, Ontonagon, Michigan, acquired its name. Instead of placing the tale in a mythic past, Blackwood set it in living memory, around 1842, and centered it around the true story of her tribe’s land being stolen. Through her writing, Blackwood not only shared her tribe’s history but also challenged the erasure of their land and the injustices they had endured.
Celebrating Native Joy and Freedom
In an essay about Christmas, Edward Bracklin contrasted the commercialized celebrations of white children with the joy experienced by the “Indian boy” in the plains and forests. Bracklin highlighted the freedom and connection to nature that defined the holiday for Native children before their enrollment at Carlisle. By reminiscing about the Christmas celebrations of their past, the students subtly conveyed their longing for the autonomy they once had and the cultural richness they were forced to leave behind.
Anishinaabe Identity and Adaptation
Through their writings, the Anishinaabe students at Carlisle Indian School defied the institution’s assimilationist agenda. They proudly displayed their values, native knowledge, and cross-cultural identities. These articles became platforms for adaptation, allowing the students to showcase how they were finding ways to continue their traditions while evolving their cultures. Despite the oppressive environment, these writings became acts of resistance, asserting the resilience and strength of the Anishinaabe people.
Conclusion:
The writings of Anishinaabe students at Carlisle Indian School offer a fascinating insight into the subversive ways in which marginalized individuals can resist cultural genocide. By leveraging the platform provided by the school’s official publications, these students challenged stereotypes, reclaimed stolen narratives, and celebrated their cultural heritage. Their writings serve as a testament to the power of storytelling and the resilience of indigenous cultures. As we reflect on this hidden history, it is essential to recognize and honor the agency of those who fought to preserve their identities in the face of adversity.
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