During the Allotment & Assimilation Era (1887-1930) the U.S. government moved to assimilate Native peoples into American society and the economy. One of the most devastating tactics was the Indian Boarding School, which aimed to strip Native children of their culture and train them for manual or domestic labor. Students resisted in many ways: attempting to run away, stealing food, and even setting fire to their schools. Students also formed their own kinship networks.Although the schools changed over time, some remained in operation until the 1980s. Among the many long-term impacts, these institutions disrupted the intergenerational transmission of knowledge and practices related to traditional diets. For some community members today, reconnecting to ancestral foodways helps them reclaim parts of their identity and history.

Topics covered in this episode:


Min 1:08: Meet Eric Hemenway

Min 2:00: What are Indian Boarding Schools?

Min 6:13: Creation of the Indian Boarding School system

Min 8:37: Varied reasons for attending the schools

Min 13:00: Boys’ vs. girls’ education

Min 15:54: Funding the schools

Min 17:41: Stories of resistance

Min 22:19: Why should we share the stories of Indian Boarding Schools?

Min 25:33: Eric’s personal path

Min 31:18: Parting words from Eric



Spirit Plate is part of the Whetstone Radio Collective. Learn more about this episode of Spirit Plate at www.whetstoneradio.com, on IG and Twitter at @whetstoneradio, and YouTube at /WhetstoneRadio.