Boarding Schools, Klamath River History, & Elder Wisdom | Drum Circle News

In this 52-minute interview, I sit down with Mel Brooks, an elder in the Talowa Dee-ni' Nation, born in Requa at the mouth of the Klamath River. Mel shares his personal experiences growing up in Indian boarding schools, institutions where the U.S. government forced assimilation on Native children, stripping away their cultural heritage. This painful chapter in history contributed to the loss of traditional knowledge and culture among many Indigenous people.

We discuss what life was like for the Klamath River natives before colonization, and how the Gold Rush settlers, farmers, and loggers violently seized their lands, murdering native men by the hundreds. Mel, from a prominent family of headmen in Requa, shares insight into what it means to be a headman and the responsibilities that come with it. We end the conversation with some timeless e ...