My project:

I want to tell the story of the sixties scoop through the perspective of one Aboriginal person. I will be making up stories based on the research I have done and through the experience of other Aboriginal people. I will be writing diary entries that show the struggles faced by Aboriginal children during this period of time. 

Some background knowledge:

The Sixties Scoop was a period of time when thousands of Aboriginal kids were taken from their families and put into the Children Welfare System. The term “Sixties Scoop” came from a BC social worker who felt as if she was scooping children out of their parents arms. It was later classified as cultural genocide as the government was forcibly transferring children from one group to another that caused a loss of cultural and ethnic identity.

March 13, 1960

Dear diary,

My name is Akuna Crystal. I was born in the Lake Simcoe reserve. I live with my mom, dad, grandma, grandpa and three brothers. I have lived in this reserve my entire life. My brothers are 4, 8 and 10 and I am 14 years old. Today was a great day until the officer came. Mom said it was a social worker and they were going to keep us safe. If they were going to keep us safe why were mom and dad crying so much? My brothers and I were all separated and taken away by white men and women. We arrived at this big house with other kids who looked like me! They were all standing quietly. The white man started to speak, I could not fully understand what he was saying but he said he was going to put us into a welfare program. (Continued on next page)

He said new mommy’s and daddy’s were going to come and choose us. Once they choose us we could live with them and they would take care of us. The white man asked everyone what their names were. When I told him my name was Akuna he spanked me and said that I am not allowed to say that ever again. He gave me a new name, Jessica. After that I was put into a small room with another girl whose new name was Emily. I couldn't sleep all night because I missed my brother and my parents but I closed my eyes because the white man was watching.

-Akuna

March 27, 1960

Dear diary,

I have been in this home for about two weeks now. Emily and I have become really good friends. We are not allowed to talk about our culture or speak our language. I have been learning English and it is very difficult. We follow the same schedule everyday; wake up, get ready, pray, eat, school, eat, clean and stay in our rooms unless the white man says we are allowed to leave. However, today was a very different day. Today the white man said that everyone has to come out of their rooms and meet in the lobby. I got to see all the other kids. They have changed a lot since the first day I saw them, all the boys cut their hair (Continued on next page).

The white man said that the new mommy's and daddy's are going to come and choose us today. I was hoping that my mommy and daddy would come and take me back home, I haven't seen them in a long time. The parents came and chose children. One white woman came to me and whispered in her husband's ear. Thirty minutes later I was told to take my stuff and leave. I was chosen by a new mommy and daddy. I said goodbye to Emily. I hope I will see her again. We left and my new mommy and daddy took me into a new house and put me to bed. 

-Akuna

June 6, 1960

Dear diary,

Living in this new house has been such a challenge. Mommy and daddy don’t understand my culture. All they do is teach me to be “white”. I'm scared of them because they are starting to remind me of the white man. It's almost my 15th birthday and I plan on running away. I cannot take it anymore. They always spank me for speaking about my past. Also, my new siblings hate me. They don’t like me staying in their house and they always do things without me. When everyone falls asleep I will leave.

-Akuna