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

Tile #15 Assimilation

Teaching Statement

The physical appearance of children in residential schools was often brutally altered to meet institutional standards of uniformity, without permission. Cutting long hair into bowl-shaped short cuts was one of the first steps toward the removal of self-identity upon entry into these schools.

Reflective Questions:

How might you feel if someone cut your hair without permission? Would a child feel humiliated by the forced hair cut? What was the intention behind the cutting of hair?