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My Name Is Seepeetza
At six years old, Seepeetza is taken from her happy family life on Joyaska Ranch to live as a boarder at the Kalamak Indian Residential School. Life at the school is not easy, but Seepeetza still manages to find some bright spots. Always, thoughts of home make her school life bearable.
An honest, inside look at life in an Indian residential school in the 1950s, and how one indomitable young spirit survived it.
An honest, inside look at life in an Indian residential school in the 1950s, and how one indomitable young spirit survived it.
126 pages, Paperback
First published November 1, 1992
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 71 reviews
November 3, 2012
There isn't much of a plot here, but the writing is skillfully done. The story is told in the form of twelve-year-old Seepeetza's diary, which she keeps over the course of one year while attending an Indian boarding school in British Columbia in the 1950s. At the time, the law mandated that all Native American children should be sent to their schools, where they were given Anglo names (hers was Martha) and punished if they spoke their native languages. Seepeetza's school, run by nuns, was a bleak institution where the children's physical needs were taken care of and they got a decent education, but they were bullied and generally treated harshly by the nuns. But she did get to go home on vacations.
It's hard to write a novel in diary format and keep it realistic. Most writers go overboard and put way too much details in the diary, which moves the story along and lets the reader know what's going on, but you know nobody would write like that in their diary in real life. But Shirley Sterling struck the right balance here: Seepeetza's diary was detailed enough to be interesting, but short enough to pass for a real diary. It sounds like it really could have been written by a twelve-year-old girl.
It's hard to write a novel in diary format and keep it realistic. Most writers go overboard and put way too much details in the diary, which moves the story along and lets the reader know what's going on, but you know nobody would write like that in their diary in real life. But Shirley Sterling struck the right balance here: Seepeetza's diary was detailed enough to be interesting, but short enough to pass for a real diary. It sounds like it really could have been written by a twelve-year-old girl.
August 30, 2015
This is the story of Martha Stone and her primary school years at a residential school. It is written as a weekly diary so it is small snippets of her week. What I really enjoyed was that her diary continued when she was home and there were many descriptions of traditional life on her ranch. The story is set in BC and Martha's dance group even travels to Vernon to perform.
April 23, 2018
Highly recommended to anyone who wants to learn about the atrocities of the residential school system, though not particularly engaging as a novel, given that it's a diary structure with little plot.
December 21, 2008
Book Review My Name is Seepeetza
Sterling, S. (1992). My Name is Seepeetza. Toronto, ON: Groundwood Books/House of Ananasi Press.
Why the book was chosen
I chose My Name is Seepeetza a while ago. It was not easy for me to read at first.
Residential school has its impacts and effects that still linger in the lives of Native peoples,
commonly known as Intergenerational Trauma. On the cover was an old photo with an excerpt
from the diary. That photo is what caught my eye and is the main reason I chose the book to read.
Summary/Overview
My Name is Seepeetza is a detailed writing of a young girl's accounts of residential school.
Written in the current, My Name is Seepeetza spans a time frame from September, 1958, to
August, 1959, at the Kalamak Indian Residential School. We are introduced to Mr. Oiko who
taught Seepeetza to write journals. Seepeetza's name is changed to Martha Stone in residential
school in accordance to being acknowledged as a person with a Christian name. Seepeetza is to
never say her name “Seepeetza” ever again in the school. Martha introduces the Priest Father
Sloane who runs the school. Martha describes the building and grounds surrounding the
Residential School. The children are divided into grade groups. Martha has to write in her diary
in secret, as it is a rule not to write anything about the school.
Martha has to live in the girl's dormitory, which is separated from the boys. Rarely are girls and
boys in contact with each other. Special occasions are dances, holiday, and recitals. Martha learns to dance. The girls who dance are given exemptions from certain activities but they have to constantly practice. In My Name is Seepeetza, in her diary the author notes and shares with us,that the girls are isolated from most people and are continuously watched by the nuns who run the school. The nuns give the children ways to pray. They also share stories of devils that reside under their beds the stories scare the children from leaving the beds at night. Martha survives the whole year at Kalamak Indian Residential School. Martha is twelve years old and is in grade six.
Martha's favorite days are when she can go home and visit during the summer and at Christmas.
In her picture at the Kalamak Indian Residential School, Martha notices her smile, and comments
that she was never happy there. She is ostracized by many of the children because of her fair
complexion and green eyes. For example, Ruth, a girl in the school, is against Martha from the
beginning of Martha's time at residential school.
Specific Quotes from the text
“ Today my teacher Mr. Oiko taught us how to write journals. You have to put the date and place
at the top of the page. Then you write about what happens during the day. I like journals because
I love writing [whatever] I want.”
“I'll get in trouble if I get caught. Sister Theo checks our letters home. We're not allowed to say
anything about the school. I might get the strap, or worse.”
“We are divided into juniors grades one to four, intermediates grades five to eight, and seniors
grades nine to twelve. Each group stays in different dormitories called dorms, and recreation
rooms called recs. We're not allowed to leave our own rec or dorm except for meals.”
“[When the] lights turned off I was scared to move, even to breathe. I know those devils would
come and get me if I made a sound. I kept really still.”
“ I don't like school. We have to come here every September and stay until June. My dad doesn't
like it either, but he says it's law. All stratus Indian kids have to go to residential schools.”
“ I punched Edna today. I knew she was going to come after me because I told her to shut up last
week. All week she's been glaring at me and showing her fist.”
My questions, inferences, visual images, thoughts, reactions, feelings, opinions
I think to myself about residential school and wonder about the racism and how the total
denial of being an Indian is forced right from the first day, starting with a persons own name. I
felt scared to read much of the book. I am glad to know that Martha survived her first year and I
am afraid for the following years in the school. She tells us what that nun tried to do to her; I
hope she doesn't get sexually abused. My feelings are that since the boys are being abused and
trying to run away, the girls will also have a difficult time warding off abuses. When I think of the
oppression inside the school, I wonder that any person could lead a life close to normal once
outside of residential school.
Reevaluating the story with reference to values, ideals, beliefs, and/or institutions of Aboriginal
peoples
All Aboriginal beliefs and values were denigrated. It is a wonder that any of the kids who
did go home could see the beauty in their parents and their own lifestyle. In residential school the
“Indian” was not respected in any way. The children were being taken from the family, which
meant breaking up the Aboriginal institution of family, always held in high regard by Native people. The children suffered, the parents suffered, and the smallest of children were next in line
to suffer. The multiplicity of trauma I saw in My Name is Seepeetza were from strong influences
of society that was directly fueled by state, political, and religious affiliations.
My transformed thoughts: What is not written in the story but now I am thinking about...
I believe that the children had a felt sense of the way they were treated. Suppressing the
emotions was not only a way to protect themselves from abuses, but it also aided in denial of self.
How cunning it is to use children and have them then divide themselves internally from their
own emotions creating emotional numbing. Separating the Indian from the “child” was the policy of residential schools.
Sterling, S. (1992). My Name is Seepeetza. Toronto, ON: Groundwood Books/House of Ananasi Press.
Why the book was chosen
I chose My Name is Seepeetza a while ago. It was not easy for me to read at first.
Residential school has its impacts and effects that still linger in the lives of Native peoples,
commonly known as Intergenerational Trauma. On the cover was an old photo with an excerpt
from the diary. That photo is what caught my eye and is the main reason I chose the book to read.
Summary/Overview
My Name is Seepeetza is a detailed writing of a young girl's accounts of residential school.
Written in the current, My Name is Seepeetza spans a time frame from September, 1958, to
August, 1959, at the Kalamak Indian Residential School. We are introduced to Mr. Oiko who
taught Seepeetza to write journals. Seepeetza's name is changed to Martha Stone in residential
school in accordance to being acknowledged as a person with a Christian name. Seepeetza is to
never say her name “Seepeetza” ever again in the school. Martha introduces the Priest Father
Sloane who runs the school. Martha describes the building and grounds surrounding the
Residential School. The children are divided into grade groups. Martha has to write in her diary
in secret, as it is a rule not to write anything about the school.
Martha has to live in the girl's dormitory, which is separated from the boys. Rarely are girls and
boys in contact with each other. Special occasions are dances, holiday, and recitals. Martha learns to dance. The girls who dance are given exemptions from certain activities but they have to constantly practice. In My Name is Seepeetza, in her diary the author notes and shares with us,that the girls are isolated from most people and are continuously watched by the nuns who run the school. The nuns give the children ways to pray. They also share stories of devils that reside under their beds the stories scare the children from leaving the beds at night. Martha survives the whole year at Kalamak Indian Residential School. Martha is twelve years old and is in grade six.
Martha's favorite days are when she can go home and visit during the summer and at Christmas.
In her picture at the Kalamak Indian Residential School, Martha notices her smile, and comments
that she was never happy there. She is ostracized by many of the children because of her fair
complexion and green eyes. For example, Ruth, a girl in the school, is against Martha from the
beginning of Martha's time at residential school.
Specific Quotes from the text
“ Today my teacher Mr. Oiko taught us how to write journals. You have to put the date and place
at the top of the page. Then you write about what happens during the day. I like journals because
I love writing [whatever] I want.”
“I'll get in trouble if I get caught. Sister Theo checks our letters home. We're not allowed to say
anything about the school. I might get the strap, or worse.”
“We are divided into juniors grades one to four, intermediates grades five to eight, and seniors
grades nine to twelve. Each group stays in different dormitories called dorms, and recreation
rooms called recs. We're not allowed to leave our own rec or dorm except for meals.”
“[When the] lights turned off I was scared to move, even to breathe. I know those devils would
come and get me if I made a sound. I kept really still.”
“ I don't like school. We have to come here every September and stay until June. My dad doesn't
like it either, but he says it's law. All stratus Indian kids have to go to residential schools.”
“ I punched Edna today. I knew she was going to come after me because I told her to shut up last
week. All week she's been glaring at me and showing her fist.”
My questions, inferences, visual images, thoughts, reactions, feelings, opinions
I think to myself about residential school and wonder about the racism and how the total
denial of being an Indian is forced right from the first day, starting with a persons own name. I
felt scared to read much of the book. I am glad to know that Martha survived her first year and I
am afraid for the following years in the school. She tells us what that nun tried to do to her; I
hope she doesn't get sexually abused. My feelings are that since the boys are being abused and
trying to run away, the girls will also have a difficult time warding off abuses. When I think of the
oppression inside the school, I wonder that any person could lead a life close to normal once
outside of residential school.
Reevaluating the story with reference to values, ideals, beliefs, and/or institutions of Aboriginal
peoples
All Aboriginal beliefs and values were denigrated. It is a wonder that any of the kids who
did go home could see the beauty in their parents and their own lifestyle. In residential school the
“Indian” was not respected in any way. The children were being taken from the family, which
meant breaking up the Aboriginal institution of family, always held in high regard by Native people. The children suffered, the parents suffered, and the smallest of children were next in line
to suffer. The multiplicity of trauma I saw in My Name is Seepeetza were from strong influences
of society that was directly fueled by state, political, and religious affiliations.
My transformed thoughts: What is not written in the story but now I am thinking about...
I believe that the children had a felt sense of the way they were treated. Suppressing the
emotions was not only a way to protect themselves from abuses, but it also aided in denial of self.
How cunning it is to use children and have them then divide themselves internally from their
own emotions creating emotional numbing. Separating the Indian from the “child” was the policy of residential schools.
Read
October 8, 2021I read this for my children's literature class. The book is written in the form of journal entries written by a girl who attended a residential school in 1958. I really liked Seepeetza and I thought that the writing was very realistic as the journal of a young girl.
November 16, 2010
I wish I would've gone into it knowing more about these Indian schools to have a better background and be more drawn to the story. However, I love books that read like no other books I've read, and this is one of them. Seepeetza, or Martha as the white school calls her, tells a powerful story just through keeping a journal. The story feels the same way the protagonist feels, trying to be a child while at the same time experiencing things no child should have to. As with Watsons Go to Birmingham, the story is told without emotion-enducing tactics, just honesty and simplicity. Like Watsons, the pacing was slow, but served a purpose. SO although stories like this are not my personal favorite (I need a little more motivation to keep me reading), they are fascinating and powerful in an amazing understated way. This is one of those books that just SHOULD be read because of what it teaches you.
August 30, 2014
A friend gave me this book. My grandmother was part of the movement to Americanize the American Indians so I was interested in the premise.
It's a heartbreaking book which I think would be a difficult read for the average student unless (s)he had a strong, personal interest.
I liked it. It's so matter of fact yet there is a dissonance. It's difficult to believe this was still going on in the 50s. (it happened to Grandma in the 20s.) it's hard to read of a dying culture. (The dad could speak six Native languages; the narrator couldn't speak any.) The casual abuse by the nuns and other children is so contrary to her Native life.
I wonder if my mom would like the book.
It's a heartbreaking book which I think would be a difficult read for the average student unless (s)he had a strong, personal interest.
I liked it. It's so matter of fact yet there is a dissonance. It's difficult to believe this was still going on in the 50s. (it happened to Grandma in the 20s.) it's hard to read of a dying culture. (The dad could speak six Native languages; the narrator couldn't speak any.) The casual abuse by the nuns and other children is so contrary to her Native life.
I wonder if my mom would like the book.
June 8, 2017
How can a book about such an important topic be so utterly boring? This novel is presented as the diary of a twelve-year-old Indigenous girl at a residential school in 1958/9. Because it's a diary, there is literally no plot. It's a sequence of disconnected events. I picked this up as a supplement to my reading of the Truth and Reconciliation report, thinking that the story of an individual would bring the events to life, but it basically had the opposite effect; the government report is far more compelling. At only 126 pages, My Name is Seepeetza is short enough that I refused to abandon it, but getting through it was a struggle that took almost a year.
December 31, 2017
I was interested in this book because of the topic, First Nations residential schools, and I think it documents the details of that lifestyle well. But I found myself skimming most of the 126 pages hoping for any type of plot or character development. (Spoiler: there is none.)
September 15, 2022
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this book in exchange for an honest review.
I hadn't heard of this book before but it sounded interesting. Life at residential schools is very different from my childhood at public schools. I like that this is written in diary form and is easy to read, especially for younger kids.
I hadn't heard of this book before but it sounded interesting. Life at residential schools is very different from my childhood at public schools. I like that this is written in diary form and is easy to read, especially for younger kids.
February 4, 2021
Second book read for my Art of Writing Life class!! Bam.
May 12, 2022
literally read this again today how did it take our class so long
December 22, 2017
This book, set up as journal entries did not hold my attention. I am always glad to hear about historical stories of first nations people, but i could not finish it. There are some heavy issues, not just the forcing Native people to send their children to boarding schools, but also the death of children at the schools and some abusive behavior from the nuns.
December 2, 2018
Good use of a child's point of view. Some things are funny, some are sad. Touches on residential school abuse, but very lightly, so probably okay even for younger ages.
October 18, 2016
This book is in a recommended reading list for Aboriginal Resources for young people. I decided that I would read all the books in the list -- for my own interest and simply to take a look at the reading information available to young readers.
"My Name is Seepeetza" is a work of fiction, but it is based on Shirley Sterling's experiences as a young girl in residential school. Although this story provides the reader with a glimpse of life in the residential schools, I did not feel it exposed the reader to what was really wrong with this system. In fact, the children at the Kalamak Residential School appeared to have relatively good schooling and opportunities to play sports and to travel with the school dance troupe. Sterling does write about how hard the children worked and some of the rules and punishment, but nothing that really stands out.
The novel is written in a journal style by 12 year-old Seepeetza where she details their life for one year. I tried to evaluate the story remembering the intended audience -- the style of writing is very simplistic and at times, jumps around in thought and time.
One thing to note that is slightly different than many Aboriginal novels dealing with the residential schools is the fact that Seepeetza and her family did not live on a reservation. They were mixed race and owned a successful ranch in southern BC. Seepeetza's parents, although they spoke a native language, spoke English at home. Seepeetza's father was a WWII veteran, who in addition to running his ranch, spoke six native languages and worked as an Interpreter.
I am personally struggling with whether or not I would recommend this book as a resource. It does provide a good picture of daily life in residential school, some native customs, and also deals with the topic of Sepeetza's father's problems with alcohol. Is that a good topic for the intended reader?
"My Name is Seepeetza" is a work of fiction, but it is based on Shirley Sterling's experiences as a young girl in residential school. Although this story provides the reader with a glimpse of life in the residential schools, I did not feel it exposed the reader to what was really wrong with this system. In fact, the children at the Kalamak Residential School appeared to have relatively good schooling and opportunities to play sports and to travel with the school dance troupe. Sterling does write about how hard the children worked and some of the rules and punishment, but nothing that really stands out.
The novel is written in a journal style by 12 year-old Seepeetza where she details their life for one year. I tried to evaluate the story remembering the intended audience -- the style of writing is very simplistic and at times, jumps around in thought and time.
One thing to note that is slightly different than many Aboriginal novels dealing with the residential schools is the fact that Seepeetza and her family did not live on a reservation. They were mixed race and owned a successful ranch in southern BC. Seepeetza's parents, although they spoke a native language, spoke English at home. Seepeetza's father was a WWII veteran, who in addition to running his ranch, spoke six native languages and worked as an Interpreter.
I am personally struggling with whether or not I would recommend this book as a resource. It does provide a good picture of daily life in residential school, some native customs, and also deals with the topic of Sepeetza's father's problems with alcohol. Is that a good topic for the intended reader?
October 27, 2014
I rated 5 out of 5 stars because this book is completely positive and nothing I imagined before I picked this book. It takes you by surprise other then the Canadian history on Residential Schools in Canada, based on this story I learned that not all Residential School survivors had a negative experience in the years that they were in school.
Seepeetza (Martha Stone) was her white name the priests,nuns and others called her. She talked about her life in the Ranch, where she lived, how her life was, her family, how she grew up and I thought it was just incredible, because she didn't mention any problems she had other then certain things, like the nuns how they were neglecting her and calling her names.
She kept strong and tough for herself, she understood that some people were nice, understanding,strange and simply just like anybody else.
I suggest you read this book because its a part of Canadian History for the rest of our lives. Wether we like it or not, this is a book to read of how to understand and learn that this girl went through a positive experience in Residential School for Indian children. I thought it was a great.
Seepeetza (Martha Stone) was her white name the priests,nuns and others called her. She talked about her life in the Ranch, where she lived, how her life was, her family, how she grew up and I thought it was just incredible, because she didn't mention any problems she had other then certain things, like the nuns how they were neglecting her and calling her names.
She kept strong and tough for herself, she understood that some people were nice, understanding,strange and simply just like anybody else.
I suggest you read this book because its a part of Canadian History for the rest of our lives. Wether we like it or not, this is a book to read of how to understand and learn that this girl went through a positive experience in Residential School for Indian children. I thought it was a great.
October 27, 2014
This book is about a 12 year old girl named Seepeetza, she talks about her life and how everything in her life changed, she's forced to live in a place strict with nuns and priests and that place is Residential School. She likes to day dream a lot and what she day dreams about is her family and how much she misses them, how her life was before she came to residential school. She likes to dance and she knows many different kind of dances, different culture dances. She's sad but when she goes home for the holidays and the whole summer she's always happy and excited, Seepeetza is always looking forward to go home. Theres a lot to say about this book but i wasn't finish, i just need a few more chapters then I'm done.
I recommend this book because its about Residential school and its a really good book, i like finding out and reading about Residential school and if anyone is too they should read this.
I recommend this book because its about Residential school and its a really good book, i like finding out and reading about Residential school and if anyone is too they should read this.
November 17, 2017
While I appreciate what the writer was trying to convey about such a dark and horrendous aspect of Canadian history, this book itself is just awful. The writing was beyond bland.
August 2, 2016
Written as the secret diary of an 11-year-old girl attending a residential school in BC and based on the author's real life experiences, this is a short, simple and powerful story of one of the most tragic human rights abuses in Canadian history. This book would be a great in-road to the topic for both the parents and teachers of children ages 10 and up. As part of the diary covers journeys home during holiday times, it is possible to contrast the childhood and education forced upon Seepeetza/Martha with the life she might have had if residential schools did not exist. The abuses experienced by the children are discussed in detail in some cases and implied in others, but nothing is exceedingly graphic. Sterling does a wonderful job of conveying everything in the voice of a young girl. It truly feels like reading a diary carefully preserved over the years.
October 3, 2018
This was exceptionally eye opening and moving; it struck my heart and dealt with a lot - abuse, death, growing up, learning, etc. Seepeetza as a child, diarist, and indigenous young girl was incredibly written with a strong emotive voice which is partly due to Sherling autobiographical intent. Simply put: this was an amazing touching book about Indigenous identity and the hardships of residential schools... It shows that Canada needs to do better - there's always room for improvement - and equality is needed, this land was built on assimilation and inequality and we really need to recognize that as a progressive society!
July 29, 2019
Novel, but based on her own experiences at Residential School, in journal format. Feels like a very authentic child voice, telling her own story. Not super heavy in plot, but I don't think it's meant to be. While the stories of Residential school life are heartbreaking, the portrait of the community, the ranch, and the way her family interacts and supports each other is a lovely remembrance of a time past. I really enjoyed it.
October 31, 2016
Read on the recommendation of my 11-year-old daughter.
Very age-appropriate book dealing with a tough subject - my only criticism is of society: this book was published 20 years ago. Why wasn't it being shared in grade 6 classes, with mothers, with other educators, then? God, we still have such a long way to go. But so glad my children will not be as ignorant about residential schools as I was, and are already able to have calm, productive conversations about these particular injustices. Know better, do better.
Very age-appropriate book dealing with a tough subject - my only criticism is of society: this book was published 20 years ago. Why wasn't it being shared in grade 6 classes, with mothers, with other educators, then? God, we still have such a long way to go. But so glad my children will not be as ignorant about residential schools as I was, and are already able to have calm, productive conversations about these particular injustices. Know better, do better.
March 29, 2019
One day in 1950, a young elementary girl is sent away to the Indian residential camp in British Columbia. Her miserable life begins after she begins living with her new name "Martha Stone". Every day, she is beaten up by Sister Superior with a strap as they get blamed for no reason. In addition, they starve mostly every night and hope to return back to her familiy. However in Seepeetza's journal, she has one special happiness that she awaits each year..
February 15, 2015
This book felt very honest and looked at some deep issues in the way a child sees these things. It was very true to its narrator and I really loved the writing. I need to read more about the reserves, residential schools, and the lives of the native people in Canada, and the prejudices they have been and continue to face all the time.
March 7, 2008
an Indian girl who studied at Kalamak Indian Residential School, her name is Seepeetza or McSpoot, she had to speak and pretend that she's not native people. she was forced by Canada's colonists to be Roman Catholic. this book has its authoress signature! Shirley Sterling! : D
November 14, 2009
A moving account of life in residential schools. While what happens in this story is horrible, I hope people realise that even worse things went on in many residential schools. I guess that since this is a children's book, Sterling did not want to go into details about that.
April 29, 2023
This book should be required reading in all schools. An excellent capturing of one year at a Residential School. It is based on the author's actual experiences. I wish there had been more in the book. This is history that needs to be told.
June 7, 2007
I just read this for a class. It's a very short engaging read. The narrative is from the child's perspective, one that talks about both the good and the bad of residential schools.
May 5, 2012
It's not much of a story, but it kept me interested. I would recommend.
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