Canada: Schools censor 5,000 books deemed inappropriate for indigenous people
Nearly 5,000 comics, novels for young people, documentary books were withdrawn from some 30 school libraries in southern Ontario, because they used stereotypes or inappropriate terms towards Native people.
(Illustrative Image) Getty Images via AFP - JOHN MOORE
Text by: Pascale Guéricolas
2 min
The censorship exercised by a group of Canadian primary and secondary schools on 5,000 books available in school libraries that spoke of the Aboriginal world continues to make waves.
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From our correspondent in Montreal,
A Radio-Canada journalist discovered that nearly 5,000 comics, novels for children and teenagers, documentary books were withdrawn two years ago from some thirty school libraries in southern Ontario.
A committee ruled that albums by Tintin, Lucky Luke, or contemporary fictions that were finalists for literary prizes, used stereotypes or inappropriate terms towards
the natives
.
For example,
Conquest of the West
has been withdrawn, because it speaks precisely of conquests.
A book that explained how to dress like a native is no longer part of the documents to borrow since we must not appropriate this culture.
A few dozen books have even been burned, and their ashes buried in the ground, to "
bury the ashes of racism, discrimination, and stereotypes
".
A decision made by a woman claiming to be from several indigenous communities
The organization, which brings together around thirty schools, has recruited a counselor who calls herself the guardian of knowledge.
It was this woman who came from several indigenous communities who suggested this way of initiating reconciliation, a very sensitive topic in Canada at the moment.
However, no one knows her among the nations to which she claims to belong, and the genealogists consulted do not find any Aboriginal ancestors in her after the 18th century.
In addition, she co-chaired the Indigenous Peoples Commission of the Liberal Party of Canada, which is supposed to guide this ruling party in its relations with this part of the population.
Caution on the side of the candidates running for the next elections
The reactions are very varied and numerous.
If a large part of the columnists and the population were indignant at the censorship of books which they consider harmless and harmless, the candidates in the running who aspire to lead the next government have been cautious, very cautious.
For
Justin Trudeau
, for example, the outgoing Prime Minister, non-natives should not dictate to natives their mode of action to approach reconciliation.
The problem is that apparently the main stakeholders played no part in this story.
And that many are indignant, moreover, that their identity is being usurped.
Basically, finding ways to dialogue or to reconcile is proving more and more complex.
In the meantime, the school organization has suspended its pruning operation, perhaps time for everyone to come to their senses.
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To read: Residential schools in Canada: a belated awakening
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