| It is apparent from the literature surrounding literacy and acquisition of literacy that historical experiences, culture, and shifts in culture may cause differences in how literacy is acquired and the beliefs one forms about literacy. The purpose of this study is to determine what understandings of literacy, literacy values, and literacy practices have been formed by the complex and conflicting traditions that have affected Native people within a First Nation community.;The experiences of Native people, who attended residential school, where the social, emotional, and physical conditions necessary for the development of literacy were devoid, was collected through a semi-structured interview. Interviews were also conducted with Native people who did not attend a residential school, but lived at home and attended school within the provincial system. The remarkably different experiences of these two groups were compared and contrasted as they relate to meanings Native people attach to literacy, how literacy was acquired, and how past experiences with literacy affect decisions Native people make about present literacy values, practices, and choices.;The study reveals literacy is valued for different purposes among those who attended residential school and those who lived at home and attended school within the provincial school system. Literacy for the five respondents was seen as important to economic well-being, culture, and communication.;In addition, interviews reveal a resurgence in the importance of literacy for Native people and the necessity for literacy skills in a changing world. Participants further expressed a sense of "loss" in not being able to speak the Ojibwe language. It was a connection to their culture that was missing.;The meanings attached to literacy in this Native in community contributes to a broader understanding of literacy for Aboriginal people. |
