WaaPaKe, directed by Dr. Jules Arita Koostachin, offers a compelling exploration of the intergenerational impact of residential schools on Indigenous families, shedding light on a dark chapter in Canadian history.
WaaPaKe (Demain) is a compelling documentary directed by Dr. Jules Arita Koostachin. The film premiered at the Vancouver International Film Festival in 2023 before making its Quebec debut at the 26th Montreal International Documentary Festival (RDIM).
In this documentary, the director gives a voice to her mother, a survivor of residential schools, as well as to her own son and two other descendants of survivors. Residential schools were government-funded, religious institutions designed to forcibly assimilate Indigenous children into Canadian culture. Over a span of more than 150 years, children from First Nations, Inuit, and Métis communities were taken from their families and forced to attend schools often far from their homes. Living conditions in these schools were extremely harsh, with many children falling victim to violence. It is estimated that over 150,000 children attended residential schools, and a significant number of them never returned. This dark chapter in Canadian history only came to an end in 1996 when the last residential school closed its doors.
Since the closure of these schools, former students have sought recognition and reparations, leading to the Indian Residential Schools Settlement Agreement in 2007 and public apologies from Prime Minister Stephen Harper in 2008. The impact of these schools extends beyond the children who attended them, affecting their families, communities, and descendants. Traumatized survivors have kept silent for far too long.
Through intergenerational testimonials, the director illustrates how the traumas of survivors continue to have profound repercussions on subsequent generations. The film is predominantly shot in a neutral and safe space, allowing for the liberation of voices. It serves as a means for the director and those sharing their experiences to articulate the emotions they feel, ranging from anger and incomprehension to empathy and the desire to heal from these traumas. It becomes a personal journey but also a plea to finally give voice to those who have remained silent for too long. The director punctuates the film with family photos, archival footage, and scenes shot in the territories of her community near Vancouver. This serves to bring the narrative to life.
WaaPaKe (Demain) provides insight into a sensitive topic that remains largely unknown to the general public, raising awareness about the trauma and the challenging yet necessary quest for identity within a segment of the Canadian population. However, it is regrettable that at times, the director employs somewhat artificial cinematic effects, such as an overly evocative soundtrack and occasionally irrelevant lighting effects, which might diminish the strength of the narrative. The strength of the participants’ voices would likely have sufficed, easily dispensing with these stylistic embellishments.
