Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland is in Arizona as part of her "The Road to Healing" tour. It's a chance for survivors and their families to talk about the impacts of federal Indian boarding schools.
In her opening remarks, Secretary Haaland said in part, “We need to tell our stories. Today is part of that journey... I’m with you on this journey. I will listen. I will grieve with you. I will weep alongside you."
She spoke to a room inside the Gila River Crossing Community School supporting those who wanted to share their experiences of these boarding schools.
She was joined by Gila River Indian Community Governor Stephen Lewis, Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs and others. This was the fourth stop on "The Road to Healing" tour. It is a painful experience for some to open up about.
April Ignacio is a member of the Tohono O'odham Nation. She spoke Friday about her grandmother’s journey. "The abuse they suffered during their time at escuela continues to impact our familia, in ways I’m still peeling back and processing," she shared.
She remembers her grandmother was severely punished when she was caught speaking her native language. She said, "The missionaries heard her and took out clothes pins to teach her a lesson."
This moved Secretary Haaland to tears. One after another, people spoke of the generational trauma they are still working through.
Pershlie Ami took the mic to acknowledge the parents who didn’t have a choice in sending their children to these schools. She said, “I want to honor all the parents of the children that were taken away. If you can just imagine watching your child, be yanked from your arms, not knowing if you'll ever see them again."
There were more than 400 federally run or supported Indian schools in the country, of those, 47 of them were in Arizona. This was the second most in the nation according to a federal investigation, behind only Oklahoma.
The investigation also found more than 500 children died while attending these schools, although that number is likely higher.
Nora Cherry got up to speak about her mother’s time at the Phoenix Indian boarding school. She says it’s been difficult to find out more about her mother’s time there and the more she looks at records, the more it strikes her how many have gone through the experience.
"I have looked upon ledger after ledger after ledger of names of children and their ages and their tribes,” she confessed as she choked back tears.
But not everyone’s experience is the same. Frances Porter was in the crowd and also attended the Phoenix Indian School. She says she had a good experience there but understands not everyone has been so lucky.
Stories can still be submitted by emailing roadtohealing@ios.doi.gov. In the meantime, Secretary Haaland’s next stop will be Sunday in the Navajo Nation.
