Kevin Caliao (facebook)
Before the sun rose, an old wooden wagon slowly rolled down a dusty road. Inside sat three Native children—scared, silent, confused. Just yesterday, they were taken from their homes. Their mothers’ cries still echoed in their hearts.
This wasn’t a mistake. It was a system—designed to erase who they were. Schools like Carlisle, Chilocco, Haskell, and Sherman had one goal: to take the Indian out of the child.
These children came from proud nations—the Sioux, Navajo, Apache, Ojibwe. They carried ancient languages, sacred songs, and names full of meaning. But at the school gates, all of it was taken.
Their long braids were cut off. Their traditional prayers were banned. The smell of cedar and sage was replaced with bleach. If they spoke their native language, they were punished. If they cried, they were silenced.
Some of them were just five years old.
Some forgot who they were. Some whispered their truth under scratchy wool blankets. And some held on to their roots, waiting for the day they could grow again.
Today, we remember them—the survivors. The quiet children who grew into strong voices. The ones who turned pain into power.
Because you can take a child away from their land, but you can never take the spirit out of their people.
Message to all: Never forget the past and always honor those who stood strong when the world tried to break them.
