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David Nicholas: From 1893 until 1934, the Mount Pleasant Indian Industrial Boarding School carried out the goal of assimilating Native American children into Euro-American society. Children were taken from families and forced to abandon their history, language, and culture. The discovery of hundreds of undocumented deaths has led to a continuing search to find the remains of these children.
A former indigenous issues and culture reporter from northern Michigan has written a book about the documents and how she learned about members of her family being taken to the Mount Pleasant facility. Sierra Biidaaban Nadeau spoke with me last week.
When did you first learn more of your ancestors, your relatives' experience at these so-called schools?
Sierra Biidaaban Nadeau: As I discussed in the book, it was when I was doing research on Indian boarding schools following the rediscovery of the bodies found at Kamloops, a former Indian boarding school in Canada. I had received a master list of students that attended Mount Pleasant Industrial Indian Boarding School, where I found my great-grandfather, Cletus Antoine.
DN: And in the research, did you come upon a figure of the total number of schools nationwide and how prevalent this was, or was your focus specifically on Michigan to trace your own family and then discovering the ties to the boarding school of Mount Pleasant?
SBN: So, the information was newer. I do discuss very heavily in the book how this is something for decades that elders and tribal leaders in our tribal nations have spoken out against. After the rediscovery, there was more of a spotlight on Indian boarding schools. So, a lot of the information was constantly being updated with the Department of the Interior and information regarding Indian boarding schools in Michigan.
I didn't specifically go out looking for my family. I was a journalist first, and I was trying to provide information for the general population as best as I could.
DN: Are there at this point, do you know, ongoing searches and investigations?
SBN: The Saginaw Chippewa tribe has been at the forefront for decades in this research. I also know that there has been a lot of movement regarding Holy Childhood in Harbor Springs. There's been a lot of demand that the Diocese of Gaylord release records so that people can get accurate data regarding these children.
DN: As you prepare for the opening book talk event that'll be September 29th in Detroit, what is the message that you hope to bring? I would imagine that in the audience there would be people familiar with the story, but perhaps many many more who are not. How do you plan to reach them with this story that you have?
SBN: My hope for readers is that they come with a very curious mind and I've never claimed to be an archivist or historian. I myself am a very curious person, especially when it comes to history.
So, my hope with people wanting to read this book or have read this book is they take what they need from it and they stay curious. They continue asking questions. They continue wanting to dig into Michigan's history, whether it regards Indian boarding schools, whether it regards the Anishinaabe nation or whatever is of interest to them. But my hope for my indigenous readers is that they feel seen, that they feel that their voices are uplifted, whether they've experienced similar situation as myself, whether they've experienced something completely different. I hope that readers of all sorts are able to take something from this book.
DN: The book is What the Ancestors Say by Sierra Biidaaban Nadeau. Thank you very much, Sierra. We appreciate the time and wish you all the best as the book tour begins.
SBN: Thanks for having me here today.
DN: Sierra's next book talk is scheduled for tomorrow in Detroit, followed by an event in Petoskey on October 3rd.
