- You can be free in this room.
You can be free with me.
- Did you think you were above everything?
(gasping, screaming)
(crunching) - ow!
- I miss them. Tye... Was just a baby.
Perseverance is not missing.
She's dead.
Did you find out any more about perseverance's children?
- They were adopted out, you knew that.
They're in the states.
I told you that last week.
(solemn music)
(soft indigenous vocalizing)
(catholic prayers echoing)
(distant church bells tolling)
(reporter): It's a historic day and years in the making.
But finally, residential school survivors from canada
Are in here in rome, Italy.
To tell their truth about what happened at residential schools
To their people.
Friday is the general audience with the pope.
Where hopefully, all of the stories
And all of the information that's he's heard
From the delegates this week will make a difference.
And we'll be here to cover more stories
As we go through the week.
(bells chiming)
(speaking italian)
(inaudible whispering)
- His excellency would like to ask
If any of the residential school survivors
Would like to take this opportunity to speak
Or be heard by his holiness.
(inaudible whispering)
(clearing throat)
- My mother would like to speak in her language.
Our language, cree.
I will translate for her.
(speaking cree)
- My name is aline spears.
I am from the cree nation in manitoba, canada.
I am 86 years old.
(speaking cree)
- I would like to ask if cardinal thomas miller
Is the same cardinal thomas miller
Who was the head of the royal commission
On sexual abuse in canada?
(speaking cree)
- Then, the holy see on sexual abuse here at the vatican
And now the vatican treasurer.
- Yes. It is correct.
Cardinal thomas miller.
(aline speaking cree)
- I first knew him as thomas miller,
A 17-year-old piano teacher at the residential school
I attended.
(speaking cree)
- Then as deacon miller then as father thomas miller.
(speaking cree)
(solemn music)
- Then as the man who sexually abused me
At sixteen,
And impregnated me.
(suspenseful music)
(piano music playing)
(ominous music)
- My turn.
(discordant piano notes)
(gasping)
(moaning)
There, there.
(whimpering)
(suspenseful music)
(doves cooing)
(ethereal music)
- Are you all right?
- I'm fine. Just tired.
- You should get some sleep.
- I don't want to talk about it. - I wasn't going to ask.
- You were.
I'm ready to go home.
- I know.
I know you are.
You did good today.
(baby's cry echoing)
(panting)
- I want my baby.
(breathing heavily)
Give me my baby!
- He was born, stillborn.
- You heard him crying. He's alive and you know it.
- He's dead to you.
It's better this way. - For who?!
- I don't know.
- Where will they take him?
- They will take him and bury him down by the river.
- I will tell someone.
I will tell anyone who will listen.
(groaning)
- Do you think anyone would believe you?
- Why would you let them?
How could you let them?
- I didn't have a choice.
- You're a woman.
- A child who's had a child makes you a child no longer.
We're both prisoners of our own circumstances.
(wind blowing)
- If the future can be erased by a stamp of a boot...
(ominous music)
- I'm sorry.
If that's what you need to hear.
I'm sorry about everything.
- I don't need your sorrow.
I need your protection.
You owe me that.
You know he'll come at me again.
- You are an indian.
I don't owe you anything.
And even if I did,
How can I protect you when I can't even protect myself?
- You took my protection away...
When you broke the bones in my hand.
- I knew that.
I knew that.
(door locking)
(solemn music)
(insects chirping)
(sighing) - I'm so tired.
(grunting)
- You're almost there.
(suspenseful music)
You can go the rest of the way yourself.
(panting)
- Where am I going?
- You'll know soon enough.
(engine starting)
(breathing heavily)
(birds chirping)
(speaking cree)
Let's get you cleaned up.
(ethereal music)
(humming)
(indigenous vocalizing)
(sobbing)
(indigenous vocalizing)
(serene music)
- Sixteen is the youngest we can take them in.
Even with parental consent.
- She's sixteen, for sure.
- We have a train leaving tonight for montreal.
She'll be in basic training there.
We can get her on that if that's not too early.
- That's perfect.
(thunder rumbling)
- I don't want to go.
I want to stay. With you.
And... And see dad.
And perseverance and johnnie.
- I want those things too.
But the only way we can make sure
They don't send you back to that school is...
To send you to war.
It's funny, huh?
You promise me that you won't look back.
For us.
You're not being selfish, my girl.
We need you to because...
You are our tomorrow.
Hmm?
- Will you be here...
When I get back?
- Your dad and me will always be here.
- No! I mean, be here, be here.
- I'll see what I can do.
(thunder rumbling)
- Leave nothing left to see.
We are not us...
Without them.
(tearfully) they're not them...
Without us.
(train whistle blowing) - mom!
- Take this.
(sighing deeply)
There's gonna come a time
When your life is so perfect
And you'll feel the darkness
And it will threaten to take it all away.
You don't let it.
You don't let them win.
You be everything that you're meant to be.
Promise me.
Promise me!
- I promise.
(man): Boarding!
You remind me of her.
My mother.
- Hmm.
People say I remind them of you.
- Hmm.
(phone ringing)
(tense music)
(city soundscape)
- I wanted to see you before I left.
That was quite the dramatic reunion.
They're placing me on leave.
I'm flying back to canada tonight.
Face the music, as they say.
Even if I am charged,
Even if I am convicted...
Of sexual abuse,
The church council will likely drag it out.
And with any luck...
I'll be dead by then.
Or we both will be.
A surprising bit of grace offered at this old age.
Was there not one good thing
We gave you at residential school?
Not once ounce of goodness that came from me?
Surely, you learned something from us
That sustained you in your life.
- What I've learned
From defending indigenous survivors...
Who were defenceless children...
Is that they might have lived in poverty,
But they knew love.
What you taught them,
Was an education
In unrelenting cruelty.
- Of course. It's you.
Her daughter.
The lawyer.
What are you now?
- A truth and reconciliation commissioner.
- You must have been just like her when you were young.
I can see it in your face.
Did she ever play again?
Piano.
- Yes.
- Of course she did.
She could have been-- - she could have been
A lot of things.
But what she was and is...
Is an amazing mother.
What did you do with the child?
How did you make him disappear?
- I don't know what you're implying.
What kind of monsters do you think we are?
(laughing)
- Do you really want me to answer that?
- He was adopted.
By a family who couldn't conceive.
- How christian of you.
I would imagine there are no records.
One more thing,
Your eminence.
The indian residential school settlement
Is only the beginning.
The truth and reconciliation commission
Is gathering the voices
Of all the residential school survivors.
So that old age and time
Will offer you little grace.
Your name will live on
As the sexual molester that you are.
And as the protector of serial child abusers.
Your life's work.
Enjoy your flight.
- I've said all I've come to say.
You know everything about me.
Well, not everything. But you know.
Are we done here?
- Well, just take your mic off. - Oh, right.
- Is there anything we haven't asked
That you would like to tell?
I think the story goes on.
- Taylor. Bring me my purse there by my coat.
(soft music)
- You can give it to her, it's fine.
What do we have here?
It looks like a music score.
- It's a song that's a map.
It's the only way we could record it without them knowing.
The staff are the banks of the river,
Except they're curved.
Base cleft is south,
Treble is north, half notes are trees.
Whole notes is...
Is where they... They buried him.
The breath mark is where we thought they buried others.
- Who is "him"?
That's where they buried my brother, tye.
When he was eight.
(tearfully) when we tried to run away.
(somber music)
- Mom?
Mom.
- Yes, I can hear.
- Sorry.
I just wanted to make sure you were okay.
- I want to go home.
(sighs)
I'm tired.
This whole thing's tired me out.
My whole life has tired me out.
- We can just sit for a minute.
(exhaling deeply)
You should get married.
- What? Where'd that come from? You should get married.
- Never know. I just might get a new man now that I'm 86.
(chuckling)
- A rich family member would be nice for a change.
You can take a hit for the team.
(all laughing)
- There's so many things I didn't know.
- I didn't want you to carry more than you already did.
You were always so serious. Taking care of all of us.
You are my voice.
You, you're my dream.
- And jake?
- My fire.
- Granddad?
- My love.
- And those we've lost?
- My marrow.
My bones.
Our bones.
- You sound different.
- How?
- You sound like you're saying goodbye.
- We don't say goodbye. We say, nikawapamitin.
(solemn music)
- Nikawapamitin.
- Hmm.
- Hey.
- Thank you. - Welcome.
- Stephen called.
The guy I met from the university of winnipeg.
- You met a guy?
Intriguing.
(sighing)
- I told you, he's just a friend.
- Mm-hmm.
- Will you go?
(exhaling deeply) - I don't know if I can do that.
I'm working.
(sighing)
- I'm working.
- What about percy?
- Let's see.
Two kids, a husband, upcoming concert.
I think her hands are full.
Hey.
I think you should get your ass to winnipeg and help us out.
I'm a little busy.
- Anyone ever to tell you you're a bitch?
- No. - Liar.
- 'kay. Maybe twice. - Yeah.
(door slamming)
- We found 560 remains of different children.
Dates range from 1910 to '62.
These were at the site that your mother led us to.
There's also a cemetery at the residential school but...
That held double the amount of children buried there
Than previously known.
Most of the remains are registering
Deficiencies in proteins.
Meaning, they were nutritionally compromised and...
Probably died from diseases
That took advantage of that prolonged state.
Other causes that we weren't ready for
Were fractures, they were broken.
And they tell a different story.
(tense music)
These three children were around the ages
Your uncle tye would have been
In the area that your mother recorded.
They were so young.
We still have to run some tests
But you coming in here will help a lot.
Dr. Hues.
- Please have a seat.
I'll just get you to lean your head back.
Open your mouth wide.
We'll take a swab and run it against our findings here.
- Thank you, doctor.
Your mother must be quite the lady.
(chuckling)
I mean to have the presence of mind
To draw a map when she was what, 11, 12?
And to hang onto it after all these years.
- She wanted to come herself, but she's getting up there.
She'll be 87 next year. Her health is starting to fail.
- Yeah. And you tell her thank you, for me.
We've been searching for a lot of years.
We knew they were out there but didn't know where.
- So small.
- There's no records of their death,
Or at least ones that we can get to.
(tense music)
- You okay?
- Yeah. Just uh...
- Yeah.
I know.
- I want to go to the site if that's all right.
- Yeah.
I can do that.
(pensive music)
(door closes)
(indistinct chatter)
(doorbell ringing)
(indistinct chatter on tv)
- Hi. Hi. - Hi.
- Oh, thank you.
(chuckling nervously)
Oh, sorry. I just...
You just look so much like us.
- Um, these are my brothers, tyler and bron. I'm talia.
- Hi, talia. - Hi.
- I'm jake, this is my husband rod.
- Hi.
- Oh, and this is my daughter, percy.
- Percy? - Yeah, I named her...
I named her after your mother.
Perseverance. - Hi, percy.
- Hi.
- That's my husband over there. And my two kids.
- Come on in. - Sure.
- Um. Is your mum, is she here?
- Yeah. She's upstairs, I'll go get her.
- Okay.
- Uh, don't forget to take her purse with her
When she comes down for dinner. - Yeah.
- She has a thing with her purse lately.
I gotta give you a hug. - Oh.
(both chuckling)
- Can I take your jacket? - Yeah, sorry.
- No worries.
(all chuckling)
- Pleased to meet you. - You too.
- What do you got on the tv?
- Oh, we're just watching the game.
(indistinct whispering)
- Um.
Yeah, she hasn't been feeling well lately
Because she's overwhelmed by it all.
And... She's overwhelmed.
- Yeah. - Um, and she's been tired.
Um, but I mean, there's a lot going on, right?
- Plus, there's percy's concert after dinner
And it makes her anxious to leave the house.
- Mm-hmm. - She's only been out what,
Like, twice in the last ten years
Or something like that? - Yeah, but don't mention
Anything about it, it makes her weird.
(laughing) - weirder.
(laughing)
(doorbell ringing) - can you put these away?
- Yeah.
- Hi. - Hi.
- You made it. - Yeah.
(chuckling)
- Come on in.
(somber music)
- Are you ready to go downstairs?
Everyone's waiting.
- I guess they don't look the same.
- My sister's babies.
Neither do I, I suppose.
- They can't wait to meet you, kokum.
- Me too. Me too.
- Come on. Let's get up and go see them now.
- I'm scared.
(heartfelt music)
- There's nothing to be scared of.
The only thing we should be scared of
Is what else you got in that purse.
- You'd be surprised.
(laughing)
(speaking cree)
- To family.
(all): To family.
(gentle piano music playing)
♪ I will see you soon ♪
♪ I love you just like this ♪
♪ how the light hits you so ♪
♪ so beautiful I could cry ♪
♪ and I have all I have ♪
♪ because I've missed you so ♪
♪ you are my home ♪
♪ I'll meet you up ahead ♪
♪ where perfect days will remain ♪
♪ I'll meet you over the hill ♪
♪ wind in our hair ♪
♪ sun on our faces ♪
♪ whispering you are my home ♪
♪ you are my bones ♪
♪ shine on, shine on ♪
♪ you are so beautiful ♪
♪ I could cry ♪
♪ shine on, shine on ♪
♪ you are my home ♪
♪ you are my fire ♪
♪ you are my song ♪
(music crescendos)
(aline): In our dreams, in your dreams.
In our bones, in your bones.
This dream can take generations.
- Do you think wishes come true?
- It might seem impossible...
But make no mistake...
- Aline.
- I'm adam.
- We are here
(orchestral music, vocalizing)
(singing in cree)
♪ I've missed you ♪
♪ and I have all I have ♪
(laughing)
♪ you are my home ♪
♪ you are my bones ♪
♪ shine on, shine on ♪
♪ you are my voice ♪
♪ I promise you are ♪
♪ shine on, shine on ♪
(vocalizing)
♪ you are my home ♪
♪ you are my fire ♪
♪ you are my bones ♪♪
(man 1): I knew it wasn't gonna be a good place
The first step that I put into the building.
(woman 1): I went to the residential school,
Transported, you see in the truck,
Looked like a cattle truck.
(man 1): All of my siblings, we all went in together.
The priest and nuns came,
And my brothers went that way,
And my sisters went that way, and I never seen them again.
(man 2): The residential school system
Took away my language, my culture...
And my identity.
- Mental abuse, physical abuse,
Sexual abuse that I witnessed here,
No amount of money, no counselor
Could ever take that away from my mind.
- And then they scrubbed us down with disinfectants
Like we were diseased little animals.
- Sometimes they would get so sick
From the food that they ate, you know,
That they would vomit.
(man 3): The staff and the supervisors
Were being fed bacon and eggs
That was delivered to them at the head of the dining area.
And they would sit there like kings and queens.
(woman 2): The residential school was like being in jail.
(man 3): A life in prison for a crime you did not commit.
And my only crime was being born an indian.
- They didn't teach us love. They taught us fear.
I remember being awakened and taken out of the room,
And then being sexually abused by the priest.
(woman 3): The residential school kills
The feelings in you. The old saying,
You beat the indian out of the child.
Sometimes you beat the humanity out of the child.
- The priests and nuns failed us
As indian children put into their care.
Very badly.
They were the problem. I wasn't.
We weren't the problem as children.
(reporter): The truth and reconciliation commission
Identified 3,200 deaths of children
In residential schools, but the real number is higher.
So many records are lacking.
The chair of the commission, murray sinclair has said
The number of children who died could be as high as 6,000.
- But I don't look at being a survivor,
I want to be a warrior towards justice
And wellness and healing.
(solemn music)
(indigenous vocalizing)
Subtitling: Difuze