In 2021, the United States Secretary of the Interior, Deb Haaland, announced the Federal Indian Boarding School Initiative to address the troubled legacy of federal Indian boarding school policies and the intergenerational impact of these mostly forgotten experiences.
The Indian boarding school system left an indelible mark on Native American communities, shaping cultural identities and altering the trajectory of countless lives. Claudina “Hopper” Teller, Glendora Snow Homer, and Benn Pikyavit’s reflections provide a deeply personal look into the experiences of the Kaibab Paiute community and the lasting impact these institutions had on Native culture.
Lasting Impact Of Indian Boarding Schools Video Project
This oral history project–conducted by Pipe Spring National Monument, and made possible by a grant from the National Park Foundation–was inspired by Secretary Halaand’s initiative. This November for National Native American Heritage Month, learn about the boarding school experience from the perspectives of three elders from our neighboring Kaibab Paiute Reservation: Claudina “Hopper” Teller, Glendora Snow Homer, and Benn Pikyavit.
As children growing up on the Arizona Strip, Hopper, Glendora, and Benn were deeply connected to their cultural heritage, learning the Paiute language from their grandparents and playing near the pond at Pipe Spring. There, they developed a strong sense of identity, deeply rooted in Paiute traditions. However, the cultural fusion between their community and that of the Mormon settlers started to shape their understanding and view of the world. They interacted and shared meals at the homes of their neighbors and began to see for themselves the cultural differences, which they would soon learn firsthand when they arrived at the boarding schools.
The transition to Indian boarding schools was a significant disruption in their lives. At just nine and ten years old, Hopper and Glendora were sent to the Keams Canyon Indian Boarding School on the Hopi reservation. They were removed from their families and placed in a world of strict routines and assimilationist education, with a prison feel. Their native language was suppressed and although they formed friendships with other Native children from diverse tribal backgrounds, they were taught a Euro-American worldview focused on marginalizing their cultural heritage. They share stories of having lice removed from their hair and all receiving the same short haircut, an experience that stays with them some sixty years later.
Glendora and Hopper went on to participate in Utah’s Indian Student Placement Program, where they lived with Mormon host families during the school year. This program, aimed at assimilating Native children into white society, again highlighted the stark cultural differences. For Glendora, these experiences only intensified her awareness of her Paiute upbringing. Though the program exposed her to new perspectives, it did not address the profound loss of connection to her community and its traditions.
Benn Pikyavit’s experience at Santa Fe Indian School further illustrates the alienation of these students. The vast distance from home and unfamiliar landscapes compounded his sense of separation. However, like Hopper and Glendora, Benn found solace in meeting peers from other tribes, forging bonds that offered a sense of solidarity.
As they entered their teenage years, their boarding school experiences began to diversify. Hopper attended the Sherman Institute in Riverside, California, where she found moments of joy in activities like the Pom Pom squad and outings with friends. While, Glendora transitioned to the Stewart Indian School in Nevada and later an all-girl school in Phoenix, which she described as a stabilizing period in her life. For all three, Phoenix Indian High School became the final chapter of their boarding school journey where they experienced a friendlier environment filled with opportunities to develop skills for their future.
Although there were a few moments of adaptation and connection, overall the boarding school system most definitely disrupted the cultural connection of these children. The policies that were forced upon them, severed ties with their Paiute heritage, leaving a long legacy of cultural loss and generational trauma. Yet, through their resilience, Hopper, Glendora, and Benn have preserved and shared their stories, ensuring that the lasting impacts of these schools on Native American culture are documented. Their oral history serves as a testament to the survival and strength of Indigenous communities.
