We received this account from one of Harvey's family. I broke it up into paragraphs, otherwise didn't alter anything. I also asked her family what they know of the claim of a Nuager that she was trained by Harvey.
Since Harvey has passed on, we should discuss what to do with this thread, if we should move it to Archives.
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I was surprised to come across this post questioning SammyJo's authenticity. I am sure you are aware of the deep-rooted impact of Indian boarding schools and forced relocations, and how these historical events continue to affect families to this day. Let me share with you some information about her grandfather, Sam.
Sam was born in Havre, Montana in 1889. His childhood was marked by a tragic chapter in her family's history. The Pony Soldiers, a military unit, arrived at Sam’s tribe, the Pembina -Little Shell Band , and deliberately distributed blankets infected with smallpox. The disease claimed the lives of many of his people, including friends and family.
His Mother Caroline died when she was 46 after suffering paralysis after having been experimented on in hospital for “Insane Indians” in Warm Springs, Montana. Many were just spiritual people who were treated as crazy. A
s a result of this devastating event, her grandfather was forcibly sent to a Catholic Orphanage/boarding school. There, he was subjected to the suppression of his native language and culture, which was an incredibly difficult experience for him. It was here he was abused. While carrying ashes from the wood stove, the Priest berated and beat him for being "uncivilized" and not genuflecting. His hands were burned.
This incident deeply affected her grandfather and ultimately led to his decision to escape. He found work as a cook for a chuckwagon and embarked on a journey of self-reliance and independence. Despite his fluency in Anishinaabemowin (the language of our tribe), French, and English, he made a conscious choice not to teach his children their Native language. Instead, he firmly believed that in order for them to navigate and succeed in this predominantly white society, they needed to embrace the ways of the white man. He often said, "Children, this is a white man's country and culture now, and in order to survive, you must learn their ways.”
These traumatic experiences profoundly shaped her grandfather's life and the lives of subsequent generations in her family. Many abused children grew up and wrote “white” when asked what race they were due to lasting scars and deeply ingrained pain. It is important to understand and acknowledge the historical context and the ongoing repercussions of such actions on Indigenous communities. So, when discussing SammyJo's heritage, it should be done with empathy, sensitivity, and respect for the historical trauma that her family endured.
Sammy Jo has walked on. She was my Father’s cousin. Her Father also died young and tragically. It’s because of my grandmother’s example in the short time that she was here and her influence that I’m able to speak Michif and Anishinaabemowin. Sammy lived in Ventura with my Grandmother- the same grandmother who collected rain water in buckets and sang when she washed our hair. The same grandmother who despite her Father’s suffering taught me to bead and told me stories of the rugaroo and the teachings of the medicine wheel.
Kimberly indizhinikaaz Maang indoodem Esens Ojibwe indaaw
