Medicine River

A Story of Survival and the Legacy of Indian Boarding Schools

De: Mary Annette Pember

Narrado por: Erin Tripp

A sweeping and deeply personal account of Native American boarding schools in the United States, and the legacy of abuse wrought by them in an attempt to destroy Native culture and life

“With a government that is rewriting history in real time, Medicine River stands as a testament to the truth.”—The New York Times

“Powerful. . . . An important work.”—Los Angeles Times

“Everyone, absolutely everyone, should read this book."—Javier Zamora, author of Solito

LONGLISTED FOR THE CARNEGIE MEDAL FOR EXCELLENCE

From the mid-nineteenth century to the late 1930s, tens of thousands of Native children were pulled from their tribal communities to attend boarding schools whose stated aim was to "save the Indian" by way of assimilation. In reality, these boarding schools—sponsored by the U.S. government, but often run by various religious orders with little to no regulation—were a calculated attempt to dismantle tribes by pulling apart Native families. Children were beaten for speaking their Native languages; denied food, clothing, and comfort; and forced to work menial jobs in terrible conditions, all while utterly deprived of love and affection.

Amongst those thousands of children was Ojibwe journalist Mary Pember's mother, who was was sent to a boarding school in northern Wisconsin at age five. The trauma of her experience cast a pall over Pember's own childhood and her relationship with her mother. Highlighting both her mother's experience and the experiences of countless other students at such schools, their families, and their children, Medicine River paints a stark but hopeful portrait of communities still reckoning with the trauma of acculturation, religion, and abuse caused by the state. Through searing interviews and careful reporting, Pember traces the evolution and continued rebirth of Native cultures and nations in relation to the country that has been intent on eradicating them.

Heartfelt

What a heartfelt book this is. Mary Annette Pember has put an amazing story and history together in her book Medicine River. She is so strong and incredibly brave in so many ways. I strongly recommend this book. All walks of life can gain from this book and walk away a better person having read it.

Great

It is an incredible story of truth, told with facts and personal life trauma and healing!

Medicine River really brought a lot of feelings to the surface from my own experience with my family.🪶💔🥀

I finished listening with tears of remembrance falling down my face.. if you know, you know. Gratitude to Mary Annette Pember.🙏🏽♥️🌿🪶

Eye opening

The author does an amazing job interweaving their personal experience and family history with the tragic and horrible abuse the US Government and Catholic Church perpetrated/ perpetrates on native people.

Well worth the uncomfortable read

All I can say is that this book hits you right in the heart. So many times I wanted to walk away from this book but that was just my white privilege showing. Native Americans can’t close this book and walk away. It’s their life story. Their history. I’m so glad I finished this book. I learned so much and am moved to tears. Now as I sit here with my new found knowledge I am left wondering how the hell can we ever make proper amends for the atrocities we did to the indigenous people. And we’re still doing the lies and the broken promises.

Please read this well written and informative book. I hope it calls people to action.

great!

this was well written and covered a subject that is not easily talked about in a well a respectful way!

Government treatment of natives

Too much detail. Not enough about life in boarding schools. Railed on the government. Complaining but no solutions.