Aboriginal perspectives understanding and comparing the lived experiences and resilience of aboriginal men and women attending higher education

Abstract

Through an in-depth examination and review of the traumatic impact of colonialism and oppression faced by Aboriginal peoples, trends being to appear within the literature. These trends include the intergenerational cycles that foster negative outcomes for Aboriginal Peoples, specifically for those who were forced to endure the physical, emotional, mental, spiritual and sexual abuse within the Residential school system. The survivors of this era experience lifelong trauma which is then passed on through the generations to their children, grand-children, great grand-children etc. The numbers of Aboriginal students attending University level, higher education are increasingly low and the research has indicated that this is, in large part, due to the impact of the residential school system and the outlook that Aboriginal Peoples now have towards the education system. Factors of resiliency both positive and negative are described throughout. Positive resiliency, from a western perspective, include the ability to overcome adversity (Scarpino, 2007). This research project utilizes a qualitative method of open-ended one-on-one interviews with Aboriginal men and women who are students at Laurentian University in order to better understand their lived experiences and the aspects that have fostered positive resiliency for them to pursue higher education.