Tommorrow My Sister Said, Tomorrow Never Came - Hardcover

Bercier, Metha Parisien

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1479784435 ISBN 13: 9781479784431

Publisher: Xlibris, 2013

Synopsis

TOMORROW My Sister Said Tomorrow Never Came Metis language translated into English That s the train you ll ride on Papa said Mama muffled sounds as she pulled me close to her then my two sisters My little girls I m going to miss you so much I was very confused I wanted to cry I didn t like seeing my Mama cry Why aren t Mama and Papa coming with us I thought as we were guided onto the train I tried looking out the window wanting to see Mama and Papa once more and was told to sit As the train blew its loud whistle we slowly began to move Once more I jumped up and pressed my face to the window Mama Papa I cried until their faces faded in the distance I was five years old I didn t understand where I was going Several long hours came to pass as an overwhelming sadness continued to engulf me I could not control my tears I wanted to go home I wanted my Mama I wanted my Papa The more my sisters Helene and Lucy tried to console me the harder I cried Shhh Helene whispered As I closed my heavy eyes and laid my head on her lap I heard her softly say Tomorrow tomorrow we ll go home My sisters were big girls They were much older than I They would know when I would get to see my Mama and Papa and my Brother Tommy again After all Helene was eight years old and Lucy was seven They would take care of me Papa told them to watch over me My world as I knew it no longer existed We were shipped off to a government boarding school It was 1927 Indians must be civilized The Indians must be divorced from his primitive ways We must recreate him Make a new personality Teach them the white man s ways Helene Lucy Where are you As time passed I began to forget my Mama and Papa and all that was before Did the government succeeded in recreating me I was now eight years old We were told we would get to go home for the summer I wanted to stay at school I would miss my friends Again another unknown world was thrown at me A sadness engulfe

About this title

About the Author

"That's the train you'll ride on" Papa said. "My little girls, I'm going to miss you so much" cried Mama. As the train blew its loud whistle, we slowly began to move. I cried until their faces faded in the distance. Helene tried to console me and whispered, "Tomorrow my sister . . . tomorrow we'll go home" We were shipped off to a government boarding school. Indians must be civilized! We must recreate him! Teach them the white man's ways! As time passed, I forgot Mama and Papa and all that was before. Did the government succeed in recreating me? When we were told we would go home for the summer, sadness engulfed me. A sadness I knew I felt before. I tried to picture home, but the memories seemed to be forgotten. Three long years had passed since Helene said, "Tomorrow my sister". Metha Parisien Bercier has written numerous documentaries and historical publications of the Metis culture. She taught in the schools on the Turtle Mountain Indian Reservation sharing her love of their unique language, legends, songs and dance. Now she has written her childhood autobiography of what it was like for her to be taken away from her family and forced to attend a government boarding school in the 1920's. Metha is 90 years young and lives on the Turtle Mountain Reservation, Belcourt, North Dakota, and still shares her childhood memories, stories, and culture to family and friends.

Edition details

• Publisher: Xlibris
• Publication date: 2013
• ISBN 10: 1479784435
• ISBN 13: 9781479784431
• Binding: Hardcover
• Language: English
• Number of pages: 92