Photographs of Indian Boarding School Students
These pictures show the conversion of an Indian into a Christian. The “civilizing” program is controversial, not only because many indigenous nations had converted to Christianity hundreds of years before the boarding school practice, but because Indian boarding schools practiced a “White” and “Other” doctrine. It is to the credit of Friend’s Meetings to review this practice in the Light of Quaker teaching.
We are concerned that,
Contact Your FCNL Representative Here
Write Congress to ask for the Truth and Healing Commission on Indian Boarding Schools.
Various meetings around the country have raised concerns about Quaker treatment of indigenous people. Primarily, these concerns revolve around mistreatment of students by staff at Indian boarding schools. This concern arises from the testimony of simplicity. That is, Quakers want honest speech about what happened at those places, in those times.
The majority of Meetings that have Minutes of Concern concerning indigenous Americans have written to affirm the need for Congress to establish The Truth and Healing Commission on Indian Boarding Schools. This effort is part of the work of this Meeting’s FCNL representative. You have the opportunity to write Congress in favor of establishing this commission using the button to the left.
The need for involvement by Friend’s Meetings isn’t obvious until it is known that Friend’s Meetings were involved in running and staffing boarding schools for indigenous people. Having faced persecution as a religion in England and the America’s themselves, Quakers then began to persecute Indians.
Founded in 1652 as the Religious Society of Friends, Quakers were persecuted by the English government from 1662, when the Quaker Act was enacted, until 1689, when the Act of Toleration replaced it.
It is because of the early history of religious persecution of Indians that modern day Quakers have concerns. Many of us do not know our history of persecution under the English and the Americans.
This chart provides a timeline of persecution suffered by Quakers in relation to persecution suffered by Indians
The Meeting’s Minute of Concern for Indian Boarding Schools
We are called to action by the following testimonies of our faith,
- Peace -The duty of a person to live a simpler life, that is to bring the kingdom of God to Earth, just as the lion lies down with the lamb. (cf. Edward Hick’s painting, “The Peaceable Kingdom.”)
- Equality -Statements of faith made from testimony reflect God’s light according to each other person and not according to a theological or authoritarian standard. As Christians we are all equal. We believe in the ability of each and every person to live the Christian faith.
- Integrity -The duty of a person to encourage others to take action against ignorance, living conditions that are inhumane, orders of justice that are oppressive.
Other Testimonies that Guide the Meeting's Concern for Indian Boarding Schools
To a greater or lesser extent this Meeting is guided by other testimonies to act regarding concern for Indian boarding schools. Those testimonies are as follows, Peace – that there is a conflict between what is "Indian," and what is "American," and that that conflict needs to find a resolution; Stewardship -the partnership between Indians and Americans be a just partnership and also a partnership that recognizes each parties interest in conservation and sustainability. <br><br>Together, these testimonies allow us to act to publish this letter, "The Meeting's Concern for Indian Boarding Schools."
Discussion
We see guidance, both for the early Quakers who took part in supporting, administering, and working at boarding schools, and in later Friends who questioned whether the schools were helpful or harmful to the people for whom they were intended.
Additionally, the committee sees a concern from early Quakers that the denial of their Christian views not be allowed in the treatment of Indians. In later Friends, this sense is extended to embrace Indian views that are non-Christian. This extension may be a recognition of the practice among Indians to believe an Indian religion as well as a Christian religion.
In taking action this committee recommends the following actions,
- Support the passage of the bill to establish the Truth and Healing Commission on the Indian Boarding School Era
- Participate in and contribute to the work of The National Native American Boarding School Healing Coalition
- Participate in and contribute to the work of The Native American Rights Fund
- Read and familiarize yourself with the “Federal Indian Boarding School Initiative
Investigative Report, vol. I, II. - Include the following resources on the Indian Boarding School problem in your library,
- The Friend’s Peace Teams’ “Toward Right Relationships with Native People’s”
- The Native American Rights Fund, “Let All That is Indian Within You Die!”
- QIBS, ” Epistle from the Quaker Indian Boarding School (QIBS) Research Group.”
- New England Monthly Meeting’s “Indigenous Boarding and Day Schools Supported by
the New England Yearly Meeting of the Religious
Society of Friends.”
Conclusion
This Meeting says that action can be taken by it regarding the problem of the legacy of Indian Boarding Schools. This Meeting sees the legacy of Indian Boarding Schools intricately ties to the legacy of the Quaker Movement. Just as Quakers were persecuted for their religion, Indians were persecuted for their religion. The difference is that in the work of Quakers towards Indians, Quakers were led to invite Indians to practice the Christian faith. In order to do this Quakers participated in the civilizing mission the United States undertook as the Indian Civilization Fund Act. In modern times Friends have rewritten their understanding of Quaker faith. Friends teach “Spirit” as more than Christian. Today’s Friends say they harmed Indians by encouraging them to deny their belief from their faith in “Spirit.” The ecumenicism from the days of Indian Boarding Schools has changed. Friends now allow “Spirit” to speak from other religions, even non-Christian religions. This Meeting affirms the practice of embracing Spirit while leading people into the religion. This Meeting states the Indian Boarding Schools of Quakers were meant to be a good work. We affirm the need for a correct ecumenicism. We wish to bring Indians into our faith as people already civilized.
This Meeting says that action can be taken by it regarding the problem of the legacy of Indian Boarding Schools. This Meeting sees the legacy of Indian Boarding Schools intricately ties to the legacy of the Quaker Movement. Just as Quakers were persecuted for their religion, Indians were persecuted for their religion. The difference is that in the work of Quakers towards Indians, Quakers were led to invite Indians to practice the Christian faith. In order to do this Quakers participated in the civilizing mission the United States undertook as the
In addition, join The Friend's Worship Center's GoodReads book reading group. In addition to other titles the group will read selections from Native American authors
Use the button below to join your Meeting's GoodReads group. suggest titles in the Native American literature genre, both non-fiction and fiction. Read and discuss these titles and authors with your friends from your Meeting.
A Note on the Saying “Kill the Indian, Save the Man.”
A rallying cry for initiatives and calls for healing commissions, this saying has brought people to concern out of fear for what Americans undertook in the activities of Gen. Pratt and others who “solved” the Indian problem.
In witness, this Meeting has heard this message “in the light” and calls to testimony its true meaning. Indian is no longer considered an indigenous American seen apart from indigenous people of any and every continent. Man is no longer a reference to “White” civilization, a civilization that cannot be entered into, but can only lead. Save, only, remains from this statement and continues to bear the true light of Christ. This Meeting testifies that the salvation of each and every man woman and child is to bear witness to the light of Christ that we are held up to as a revelation of God who is in us, equally.
The Committee on Concerns asks all Friend’s Meetings to hold this statement in the light and bear true witness to its message.
The soul would see no Rainbows if not for the eyes’ tears.
loose translation/interpretation by Michael R. Burch
I greatly appreciate this Minute of Concern and find the resources contained in it useful.