Beginning in the late 19th century, thousands of Native American children were sent far away from their homes to government and church run boarding schools, founded on the philosophy, “Kill the Indian within him, and save the man.” They were forced to cut their hair, dress like white men and women, and forbidden to speak their languages.  In the process, many lost touch with their families, their communities and their cultures. While at school, some died of disease or abuse, and their remains were never returned to their families.

 

This powerful documentary follows the journey of Eleanor Hadden, a native Alaskan woman, who tries to learn what happened to her great aunt who attended the Carlisle Indian School, the first federally run Native American boarding school, and never returned home. We also meet members of the Rosebud Sioux Tribe in South Dakota whose ancestors were among the first pupils at Carlisle. Along with present-day boarding school survivors, they testify to the historical trauma resulting from this education system which continued into the 1960s. The story is also a testament to the resolve of Native peoples as they seek repatriation of ancestral remains and revitalization of their culture through traditional practices.

​