We Were Children

Pediphiles in the Catholic Church. Cruelty in the Catholic Church. This time innocent Native American children are victims of terrible crimes. Taken from their homes and abused in the name of God. These were not Gods people. Quite the opposite. Their reckoning must have been blazing.

At times, the interspersed interviews with the real life Glen Anaquod and Lyna Hart seemed intrusive. That's because the dramatizations were so strong. However, without this real life touch by the two children as elders, the overall impact of the film would have been lessened. The abuse (psychological, physical, spiritual, emotional, sexual, cultural) of the girl from Manitoba and the boy from Saskatchewan was so similar the viewer gets the sense that their experience was typical of all residential students at that time. The director, Tim Wolochatiuk, does a good job of bringing these parallels together. I also enjoyed the symbolism Wolochatiuk employed, especially that of Lyna's horses in her secret place. In the midst of the Idle No More and similar grass roots movements, this docu-drama is very timely. Showing Prime Minister Stephen Harper's parliamentary apology at the end of the show seemed to be done tongue in cheek, the irony apparent to all who know of Mr. Harper's plans to dismantle the First Nations people's rights.

Hello my name is Julian, I am currently 17 years old and born 1997 to let you know my age for the future. It was an experience to see my people back in the day, and also sad. I am a Cree Native and never really got to learn my language fully, though I believe the people in my community gave up on that since we aren't getting classes for it now from grade 9 to 12. But focus on the movie. This movie is a must-see for those who want to know our history. I believe race shouldn't matter, it's sort of stupid to judge someone based on their skin. What if aliens exist? They would say we are stupid for fighting each other. Sorry if this review isn't mostly about the movie, but I have to speak my mind on how it made me think through it, not to mention I don't want to spoil too much. Just watch it, trust me.

Edit: I corrected and deleted a few sentences from this review. I'm updating this in 2025, but want the review to remain somewhat the same. I still believe this movie is a must-watch given the global acknowledgement of residential schools from when I update this.

Really heartbreaking to see the true story of the extreme conditions of child abuse in Indian Schools by christian priests. Children forced from their parents into hellish conditions under the false truth that they were to become better people, like their perpetrators thought themselves because of a faith they only misused for their own benefit. People should see this movie. With child abuse still happening all over the world. There should be a lot more focus on getting an end to violence and abuse from people with power over innocent children and people. Sad story. Though very well made.

I first viewed this movie at Haskell Indian Nations University during an event titled, A Time of Healing and Restoration, in November 2013. I have personally worked with the Native American people for nearly 20 years, and the historical accounts of the atrocities they endured were not new to me. Therefore, I anticipated the film's content with familiarity. However, this movie was new in that it so authentically retold the very real stories of two survivors of the atrocities so brutally committed. I found myself sobbing, unable to stop. I have long loved the Native American people with all my heart. To see this movie so candidly display these brutalities broke me all over again.

I firmly believe that every individual needs to see this film, especially lay people who are perhaps uneducated regarding Native American history, or who have an unresolved and stereotypical prejudice against them. What most common people do not understand is that these acts were not exclusive to Canada. The United States is equally guilty as well. This film, I believe, needs to be viewed with adult supervision. But nevertheless, it needs to be seen by anyone willing to acknowledge and digest what has happened. And by all means, above all, it should be shown in every educational institution.

The movie should evoke a response other than personal grief. It should awaken compassion and move us toward change: a place of acknowledgment, repentance, and restoration with the host people of this land (in both Canada and the US).

Again, this film was shown at Haskell Indian Nations University in November 2013, and the response was overwhelming by Natives and non- natives alike. Many Native American students did not realize what happened to their parents and grandparents because few speak of it for the grief they endure, and the educational system has either watered it down, omitted it, or re-written it. With this being said, the film was shocking evidence to their history, which opened many young eyes and hearts. This film even served as a beneficial tool to reach our state government, in which an official proclamation was made by our Governor on behalf of the Native American people - one which had never before been decreed.

I fully support the film and its endeavors. The acting was superb; the storyline gripping and accurate; the filming professional and artistic. The testimonies are real and untarnished. It's time they be heard. May God bless it to the fullest extent of its reach.