Repatriating Native American Children: The Legacy of the Carlisle Indian Industrial School
The Carlisle Indian Industrial School, established in 1879, was part of the U.S. government's assimilation efforts to erase Native American identities by enrolling children from various tribes. Recently, the Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes of Oklahoma repatriated 16 children who were buried in a Pennsylvania cemetery, bringing them back to their tribal cemetery in Concho, Oklahoma. Another student, Wallace Perryman, was returned to the Seminole Nation of Oklahoma.
The school's records and documents from Dickinson College shed light on the experiences of the students at Carlisle. The children underwent drastic changes upon arrival, including having their long hair cut, wearing military-style uniforms, and being forced to speak English. They received education in various subjects and were also sent to work in farms and homes as part of their schooling.
The causes of death for the students included tuberculosis, spinal meningitis, typhoid fever, and complications from surgery. The records often lacked accurate information about the students' names, ages, and families, highlighting the challenges in documenting their histories. The boarding school system was used by the U.S. government to exert control over Native people, with some students being closely related to tribal leaders.
The Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes had endured years of violence and battles for survival before their children were sent to Carlisle. The students' experiences at the school varied, with some facing harsh conditions and others having slightly better experiences. The legacy of the Carlisle Indian Industrial School remains complex, with efforts ongoing to repatriate the remains of Native American children buried at the school.
Since repatriations began in 2017, 58 students' bodies have been returned, but challenges remain in identifying and returning all the Native children buried at boarding school graveyards. The process of exhumation is complicated and costly, requiring support from the federal government and Christian churches involved. Tribes seeking repatriation under the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act have faced obstacles, including U.S. Army policies regarding the return of bodies in cemeteries.
Efforts to bring home the remains of Native American children buried at boarding schools continue, with tribes and families working to honor and remember their ancestors. The journey of repatriation is ongoing, with the hope of providing justice and healing for the families and Tribal Nations impacted by the boarding school era.