‘I LOST MY TALK’: THE IMPACT OF RESIDENTIAL SYSTEM

Reading Time: 3 minutes

 

Rita Joe’s poem “I Lost My Talk” is evocative and reflects the profound impact of the residential school system on Indigenous language and identity in Canada.

The poem opens with the line, “ I lost my talk,” which is also the poem’s title. When the poet says, “I lost my talk,” she means she lost not only her voice but also her identity and roots. She did not lose her talk accidentally; it was forceful and deliberate – “the talk you took away.” By “you,” she may be referring to the authorities or individuals responsible for running Canada’s residential school system. She lost her talk as a little girl. This emphasises the vulnerability of Indigenous children in the residential schools. The first stanza ends by naming the specific residential school, “Shubenacadie”, in Nova Scotia, Canada, where the poet studied. This school, like many others, played a role in the forced assimilation of Indigenous children.

In the second stanza, the poet uses strong expressions like “You snatched it away” to convey the forced removal of language and roots from the native tribes. As a result of this forced assimilation, she speaks the dominant language, “I speak like you,” instead of the indigenous language. In addition to speaking, she “thinks” and “creates” in the dominant language and culture. This resulted in the erosion of the native identity and the loss of cultural creativity and traditional practices. The poet concludes the stanza by comparing her identity/language to a “scrambled ballad”. This suggests that her identity has been distorted or fragmented, making it difficult to understand.

In the next stanza, the poet accepts that forced assimilation has created duality: “Two ways I talk/ Both ways I say.” She can communicate in two languages, but also realises that “Your way is more powerful.” This emphasises the unequal power dynamics at play, where the dominant culture holds more power and influence in society.

In the concluding stanza, despite the loss and assimilation, the poet extends a hand in a gesture of reconciliation: “So gently I offer my hand.” She strongly desires to rediscover her native language and culture, to “find my talk,” so that she can “teach you” about herself.

One remarkable aspect of this poem is its universality. Though rooted in the experiences of the Mi’kmaq people in Canada, its themes of cultural loss and the struggle to reclaim what was taken resonate with Indigenous communities worldwide. The poem highlights that language loss is not merely about words; it represents the loss of an entire way of life and a profound connection to one’s roots. The short, fragmented lines mirror the fractured and fragmented lives of those who endured the residential school system. The poem’s rhythm and repetition emphasise the sense of loss and the difficulty of reclaiming what was taken.

The Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s report on residential schools in Canada included four lines of this poem: “I lost my talk / The talk you took away. / When I was a little girl / At Shubenacadie School.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

WORKS CITED

Joe, Rita. Song of Eskasoni: More Poems of Rita Joe. Ragweed Press, 1988. ISBN: 9780920304948.

Joe, Rita, with Lynn Henry. Song of Rita Joe: Autobiography of a Mi’kmaq Poet. University of Nebraska Press, 1996. ISBN: 9780803293236.

https://poetryinvoice.ca/elementary/read/i-lost-my-talk

https://www.amazon.in/Lost-My-Talk-Rita-Joe/dp/1774710056