Kakakaway & Associates

An Indigenous Way of Life

Our program is designed to deal with dysfunctional behaviours while introducing a traditional way of life. Robert found it.

Thou Shalt Not Be An Indian – Summary

Robert attended Marieval Indian Residential School for six torturous years. His powerful memoir is more than just a glimpse, so prepare yourself, as you witness his daily experiences and the hardships, he faced inside the prison walls of this notorious residential school. Sadly, his story is a common theme in most residential schools: it was wrong to be an In

dian. Robert had a very happy childhood until he was six when his life changed for the worse. Most children have no concept of hell. The happy times became memories replaced by loneliness, fear and abuse. He endured the bullies and lived each day in fear of being punished for something he did or did not do. As he learned a different way of life his parents became strangers. The great outdoors he knew as a child was replaced by foreign teachings from the Bible. Robert learned it was wrong to be an Indian. This is a very powerful story of a young boy and how he survived a year in the Marieval Indian residential school. A sad and emotional story of how he was ripped from his home and forced to attend a school completely foreign and frightening; a story of loneliness, betrayal and abuse. Marieval was an Indian residential school I attended for six years. I was sentenced to this prison for being an Indian. The conditions were so harsh and traumatic for me as a child, a little boy in grade-one, that they can never be forgotten. The following is my story and first-hand account of the time I spent there. It was run by Catholic priests and nuns who controlled the students with a strict code of conduct. Parents were discouraged from visiting their children during the school year to separate them from their families. At school, life was unbearable as I described it after returning from my summer holidays. My home was more than a hundred miles away. I would not hear Grandpa’s stories for a very long time as I was stuck at this residential school. Today, my name would be replaced by a number, and I would have to come running when they called it. Any mention of my culture was forbidden, so I would have to be careful not to break this rule. After all, my pagan ways were considered to be the work of the devil, and I was told to pray for my ancestors because they were probably burning in hell. Another thing I learned was to watch out for bullies because of the lateral violence here. Some of the older boys liked to pick on the younger ones and make them cry. This violence stemmed from the nuns, priests, and staff who hit the students with rulers, keys, and straps to vent their anger. I lived in constant fear of making a mistake that was going to get me into trouble. In other words, I had to live a perfect life. There was only one person who lived a perfect life, and he was crucified. When he died on the cross, everyone was happy. I couldn’t understand why Christians killed their god and celebrated it as a good thing. I would long for the days of being at home where it wasn’t wrong to be an Indian. I would miss my mom’s home-cooked meals where I didn’t have to wait for the sound of a bell to tell me I could start eating. Back home, no one talked about going to hell where a devil waited for us with a pitchfork. Grandpa said we didn’t commit sins. He called them “learning experiences,” and each one was sacred because they taught us about life, and life is sacred. Grandpa was a very wise man and there were many things the nuns and priests could learn from him. Oh, I forgot. We were heathens and our cultural ways were forbidden because they were the work of the devil.

08/09/2024

‼️The First Nations Child and Family Services Program, Long-Term Reform Final Agreement regional engagement session will begin here in Saskatoon on August 20-21, 2024.

The government of Canada has committed $47.8 billion to reform the First Nations Child and Family Services program. AFN will be here to discuss the draft settlement agreement with First Nation leaders in the SK region.

For more information and questions you may have, contact information is on the poster.

05/25/2024

The following modules are based on holistic health and wellness. These traditional teachings, are offered with manuals and certificates of completion.

Dealing with Addictions
Explanation of the marking ceremony;
The story of our first smudge;
Our deal with Creator;
The root causes of addictions;
Traditional forms of treatment;
Traditional and contemporary offerings;
Helping a loved one deal with addictions;
Protecting yourself and your home from addictions;
Ceremonies to maintain health and wellness;
Our traditional journey to the spirit world.

Su***de Intervention
The root causes of su***de;
Addictions leading to su***de;
The difference between religion and spirituality;
The soul after su***de;
The role of elders when dealing with su***des;
The grieving process and lost souls;
Preparing willow offerings;
Putting out traditional offerings;
Ceremonies necessary to maintain balance and harmony.

Traditional Parenting
Understanding the impact of residential schools;
Vision quests and fasting ceremonies;
The role of a helper;
Preparing for a mate;
Male and female roles in a traditional family;
Understanding childhood ceremonies;
Knowing the difference between a senior and an elder;
The difference between spiritual and ancestral feasts;
Knowing the difference between your spirit and soul;
Learning about sacred tools such as the drum, rattle and pipes.

These cultural teachings will help our children & future generations deal with the alcohol & drug problems plaguing our communities.

Send a message to learn more

03/05/2022

"To Hell and Back" is a memoir of the time I spent at Marieval I.R.S. I survived the journey while many others never made it home. This is our story.

08/18/2021

I am currently going through the first editing stage of my 3rd book about Marieval IRS entitled, "To Hell and Back." It was emotionally draining and it will be my final book about the time I spent at Marieval.

07/12/2021

Another book about the time I spent at Marieval IRS. Now for sale!! Here are the links:
US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09BDHBGCJ
CA: https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B09BDHBGCJ

Residential school survivor shares story

06/28/2021

https://saskatoon.ctvnews.ca/video?clipId=2230344&binId=1.1165954&playlistPageNum=1

Residential school survivor shares story WATCH: Robert Kakakaway spoke to CTV Saskatoon's Miriam Valdes-Carletti about the trauma that still haunts him.

Survivor speaks about residential school monument

02/05/2021

https://regina.ctvnews.ca/video?clipId=2132499

Survivor speaks about residential school monument WATCH: As Stefanie Davis reports, one residential school survivor has some concerns about the location of a new monument.

12/02/2020

I'm working on my 2nd book, "Torn Between Two Worlds." It's about my experiences at Marieval Indian Residential School.

10/26/2020

"Thou Shalt Not Be An Indian" - A Review

A story of a harsh and brutal reality Robert Kakakaway with his self-published book “Thou Shalt Not Be An Indian: A Residential School Survivor’s Story.” Photo supplied Robert Kakakaway has self-published his memoir “Thou Shalt Not Be An Indian” about his experiences at Marieval Indian Residential School du...

01/01/2020

HAPPY NEW YEAR. This year I would like to try my hand on making podcasts about residential schools and traditional teachings. I would also like to finish editing my book, "Marieval Indian Residential School" and have it published and on store shelves.

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+13062441081

Website

http://www.kakakaway.com/

Address

Whitecap
Saskatoon, SK
S7K2L2