The Education of Ruby Loonfoot

by Paxton Riddle

Native American Times 2002 Read of the YearIn the fall of 1957, Ruby was at crossroads. Despite continual debasement of her race and culture, and sexual and physical abuse, Ruby struggles to retain her Indian identity. Sharing the story are the two central women in her life: her mother Theresa, an ardent Catholic who is determined to shed everything Indian from her life and escape the reservation, and her grandmother and spiritual rock, Cecilia Pitwoniquot, a respected Ojibwe elder. Th schism between these two generations widens when, despite Theresa's strong feeling against it, Cecilia plans Ruby's Ojibwe coming of age ceremony, hoping to solidify her Indian identity, to inoculate her against the Robes. When Ruby returns to St. Nicholas, she is the first to experience the chair, the school's latest punishment. If the madness at St. Nics is to be stopped, it will be up to her. Careful research, including interviews with boarding school survivors and the guidance of a respected Ojibwe spiritual leader, make this novel timely, relevant and haunting.

Genres: Fiction

Paperback

First published October 1, 2002

Reviews

[Carrie Kellenberger · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a difficult read, but it's a necessary read. Anyone who has been following the news in 2021 who is horrified by the mass graves of children that have been discovered should read this book to try and gain a better understanding of what happened. This is not the only book I've read about residential schools, by the way. If you'd like to see my First Nation's author list, please click on the indigenous tab on my profile to see the books I've read on this topic.

Ruby Loonfoot has been sent to Saint Nicholas boarding school to get her Catholic education in 1957. She has been ripped away from everything and everyone she knows and loves and thrust into a school system were she and her fellow students are starved, physically abused, debased, and molested.

It blows my mind how long this went on for. While US residential boarding schools were starting to close down by 1957, this kind of treatment of First Nations people continued in Canada until the 1970s.

Given the news about the bodies of children found at residential schools in locations across Canada in 2021, I'm surprised by the number of people responding to this news who claim they didn't know. The stories of the atrocities that young indigenous children suffered at the hands of the church are there. The stories have always been there. This is one of those stories.

TW: There are graphic scenes of torture and sexual molestation in this book.

[Jim · Rating 3 out of 5]

It is difficult to read, even fiction, when the victims of abuse are children. In this decent, though not spectacular, story of an Anishinaabe girl and her family in the 1950s, dealing with the issues of boarding school (Catholic) abuse, Americanization efforts, poverty, government mistreatment, and a host of other difficulties faced by Native Americans in this country. The author describes fairly well the competing pressures, as well as inner feelings (I think) of Native Americans through his characters, though I wonder if he is himself native or if he researched the material. People should read about the Carlisle and religious schools, and how many administrators and teachers, and missionaries, attempted to destroy Native culture. It is a frustrating story too, because it is onstantly jumping about as to narration, and I don't like that much. I almost gave this two stars, but I did finish it and was interested in the characters, so bumped it up. I think it would be a perfect story for middle school or high schoolers in order to stimulate discussion of the issues and history.

[H.L. Gibson · Rating 3 out of 5]

A sad and eye-opening tale of the evil done by a corrupted religion.

[Mya Goss · Rating 3 out of 5]

Wow, this book is extremely heart-wrenching! Tells about the happenings to Indians in Catholic schools, and you just want to scream at all these teachers and bishops,and nuns. It's sad to think there's parents in the world that won't listen to their children about beatings, molestations, and starvation that goes on. It really opens your eyes to the fact that just because it is a Catholic school, doesn't mean it is Holy in ANY way. Very good read. I give it 3 1/2 stars

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a disturbing, emotional, eye-opening and beautiful story of a young Native American girl growing up in 1957. Told from a multi generational aspect. Exceptionally written, especially considering the author is a male and the story is told from a female perspective. Such a good book!

[Ruby · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is definitely a must-read if you want a first hand glimpse of the atrocities even Native American children were forced to face in a not so distant past.

[Earthing · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an important book on such a confronting topic. Warning - Scenes are extremely explicit. Definitely an insightful and amazingly well constructed novel.