No. 75
An infographic publication that highlights the loss of identity and culture of the Indigenous children who attended residential schools.
/01 CHALLENGE
Communicate the effects and harm caused by residential schools.
For many of us, our first few days of classes are always exiting. However, if you’re an Indigenous child attending a residential school this is not the case.
To me, meaningful reconciliation engages children and youth in learning about Canada’s history of colonization.
As I continued doing my research for this project and reading about personal stories, the horrors and abuses faced at the residential schools kept getting worse. Every story narrated the fear of these children. The fear of forgetting who they are and where they come from.
According to a report released by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, each child was assigned a particular number. Teachers would often refer to students only by their number instead of their Aboriginal name.
/02 SOLUTION
Convey a child’s innocence into the visual language.
Having my infographic translate into a journal/diary form felt appropriate and more personal.
Choosing to integrate the narration of a child going through their first week of residential school helps shed light on the issues. A young child’s innocent observations and interpretations expose the flaws and abuse of these “schools”.
By focusing on personal identity rather than the full history of the residential school system, readers will be able to connect, and resonate with these stories.
