Métis Memories of Residential Schools — A Testament to the Strength of the Métis

Tile #3 Nobody’s Child

Dedicated to Julie and Maitom – (Magee Shaw’s Story)

Teaching Statement:

Magee is a victim, a survivor, and someone who was fiercely proud. Determined, she tried to make a better life for her and her children but her tragedies became theirs. The Métis were often denigrated through racial slurs and were landless, but were finally recognised as Indigenous people in the 1982 Canadian Constitution.

Reflective Questions:

What is the effect of relentless racial discrimination on children? Who am I? The shame of residential schools trickled down several generations, leaving families wondering who they really are. How did colonialism work to erase pride in Métis culture? How did colonialism work to limit an individual’s personal growth?