According to author Joseph Boyden, “Attawapiskat is a microcosm of intergenerational trauma.” The community is plagued with issues of suicide, poverty, substance abuse, and painful memories of the country’s residential school era. Boyden elaborates with, “You can’t attempt cultural genocide for 140 years, for seven generations—the last of these schools closing their doors in 1996—and not expect some very real fallout from that. Attawapiskat is a brutal example.” Education, both informal and formal is one of the solutions to help First Nations people heal. Including traditional knowledge in the curriculum is an important step. Encouraging cultural participation and education outside the classroom is equally important. This significant investment won’t completely eradicate the damage within the community, but it is a necessary tool to reclaim culture and begin the healing process.
Source: Joseph Boyden. “The true tragedy of Attawapiskat.” April 13, 2016. Maclean’s. https://www.macleans.ca/news/canada/attawapiskat-and-the-fallout-of-intergenerational-trauma/
