My Story - 1935, September 24th
My name is Waawaate Ukub. I live in Canada. This is my journal, but I want to treat it like a brand new novel that I wrote myself! My baby brother Ininaatig was named after the word Maple because of how proud we are to be Canadian. I am eight. He is 8 months. I also have an older brother named Waubun. He is in a Residential School right now, but everyone has started calling him Caleb. He doesn't speak to any of us when he arrives home from the school year. He can't. Nimaamaa says he forgot our language!
I tried talking to Waubun after I wrote the first half of this chapter. He could only say yes and no in our language. How can you forget a language? "Me forget. School make me forget." That was all he could say in our language! "Waubun, what is it like to go to school?" I asked. He understood and said, "Fine." What is up with that guy?
"Nimaamaa, why do you look worried?" I wondered. "Do you really want to go to school?" She asked, ignoring my question. I nodded. Nimaamaa is weird. She then told Nindede that they can't hide me anymore. From school? I dream of going to school! I wonder what she means, so it is best for me to pretend to be asleep now and just listen in. Updates tomorrow.
Sincerely,
Waawaate Ukub
YOU ARE READING
Olivia Is Not My Name
Tarihi KurguWaawaate Ukub was a First Nation Child when Residential Schools were made. After arriving at the school, they gave her a white name - Olivia Hilton. Olivia was faced with no choice but to survive the year in the Residential School.
