The unjustified and long-running conduct towards Native Americans and the Indigenous people of Canada by colonists from all over, is relatively known across the world. However, it seems not enough has been done, specifically regarding that of Canadian residential schools. From their beginning in 1876 to the closure of the last school recently in 1996, residential schools were seen on the surface as a way to teach Indigenous children to abandon their roots & take on the beliefs of Christianity. This was done by removing them from their families, beating and shaming their heritage out of them. This has left a lasting mark of Indigenous people taking on a life of alcoholism, drug abuse and other ways to effectively shut out the nightmares of their childhood. Richard Wagamese’s book Indian Horse, now a film screening at the Edinburgh film festival, tells the story of what life was really like in these schools, and the effects in the aftermath.

Saul is a young Indigenous boy who after losing all of his family to either death or abandonment, is taken from the Canadian wilderness where his family hid from the authorities, to a Catholic residential school. He has his long hair cut (long hair is of spiritual importance for Indigenous people) and is forced to speak English as the priests and nuns tell him his way of life is no more, and that looking to god is the only way forward, or the only way to avoid a beating. While Saul keeps his head down, he is witness to many horrors, including endless shame and violence on behalf of their guardians. In order to escape he finds a love for hockey, and after encouragement by the only kind priest in the school and of his own self-teaching, he is taken away in order to start his hockey career. However escaping the school does not shield him from the endless abuse. Supporters of opposing teams mock and sneer Saul’s heritage and physical violence is also enacted as a “remember your place” ritual after a game. After years of similar treatment, Saul abandons hockey and replaces it with alcoholism as he struggles to shut out the past and deal with the present. Leaving the viewer to wonder, what hope can one get from a life-like Saul’s?

Richard Wagamese sadly passed away before seeing his novel played out on-screen. However his voice is heard as he narrates as an older Saul, telling the story of his life throughout the film. His powerful words accompanying the action on-screen emphasises the meaning of the film as Wagamese himself has close relatives who are residential school survivors. The stories acted out and told on-screen are accumulated from real accounts from survivors, this is something difficult to grasp as you watch in disbelief at the mistreatment that occurs. Sladen Peltier plays the youngest Saul at the beginning of the film and is undoubtedly the star, bringing so much depth of feeling at a young age to a narrative difficult for anyone to take on. To emphasise his devotion to the character and to telling the truth of the past, Sladen agreed to his hair being cut for real in the film. A great upset for him and his family, but something that shows the seriousness which was felt by the actors and crew in giving a powerful message through the film. While the story is full of upsetting material, it gives an aspect of hope, and a notion that even after all of the events of the past Saul and others like him can find a way out of the nightmare they were forced into at a young age. Indian Horse is a must see for anyone who looks to understand even a small part of the history of Indigenous Canadians. Beautifully and honestly told, it strips bare and simply tells a story that should be heard across the world.

Director: Stephen S. Campanelli
Writers: Dennis Foon, Richard Wagamese (based on the novel by)
Stars: Sladen Peltier, Forrest Goodluck, Ajuawak Kapashesit
Stephanie Allard
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