Change Quote by Dennis Banks
“It was like a complicit - there was complicity between the churches and the state in taking care of the 'Indian problem,' solving the 'Indian problem,' and trying to change who we were.”
About This Quote
Source Interview: “The American Indian in the 20th Century” with Dennis Banks, 1990
Banks describes a collusion between churches and the state that perpetuated the “Indian problem” by imposing cultural change and control.
In simple terms: Institutions worked together to suppress Native identity.
Key Takeaway
Support Indigenous autonomy and cultural preservation.
Themes
colonialism
cultural oppression
collaboration
identity
resistance
Mood
somber
determined
Type
historical
activist
When to use this quote
- education policy
- religious influence
- government legislation
- community activism
- reparations
Key Concepts
postcolonial theory
power dynamics
Questions to Reflect On
- What steps can restore Indigenous self-determination?
- How can societies dismantle lingering collusion?
A Different Perspective
The statement may simplify complex historical interactions.
![“I want to get rid of the Indian problem. [...] Our objective is to continue until there is not a single Indian in Canada that has not been absorbed into the body politic and there is no Indian Question and no Indian Department.” quote by Duncan Campbell Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/e5f/duncan-campbell-scott-90950_absorbing_i-want-to-get-rid-of-the-indian-problem_1546260.jpg)
