Fieldnotes and Boarding Schools

Carol A. Hand

Fieldnotes and boarding schools
Both tools of colonial control
One freezes culture
The other freezes soul

Emotions come to the surface
As I travel through the past
Perhaps sharing these stories
Will unburden me at last

But there are so many more stories
That still need to be told
As my fingers click the keyboard
Past suffering and resilience unfold

My task is just the telling
Sometimes using colonial tools
They form the foundation
Of the things we teach in schools

May we learn to value life
In its many wondrous expressions
May the words I write today touch hearts
And leave lasting impressions

Listening with loving intention
Can help heal broken hearts
Peace and joy are possible
Knowledge and compassion are the place where it starts

Photo: My Mother (After Attending Boarding School) – Lac du Flambeau Ojibwe reservation

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