We Were Children (2012) Characters, Setting & Themes Explained

The documentary is set in Canada, primarily in Saskatchewan, within Christian-run residential schools. These institutions were large dormitory campuses where hundreds of Indigenous children were taken from their families, often far from their home communities and traditional territories.

• saskatchewan
• canada
• residential schools
• setting
• boarding school

We Were Children primarily depicts the 1950s through the mid-1960s, focusing on Indigenous children sent to residential schools during this period. The film references the earlier establishment of these schools in the late 19th century and situates the events within the broader history of cultural suppression that continued until the system was finally closed in 1996.

• 1950s
• 1960s
• time period
• mid-20th century
• history

The documentary explores three interconnected themes: trauma (the emotional and physical abuse survivors experienced and the intergenerational impact on families), colonialism (the systematic erasure of Indigenous languages, cultures, and identities through institutional policy), and resilience (how survivors preserved memory, family bonds, and cultural continuity despite brutal conditions).

• trauma
• colonialism
• resilience
• themes
• assimilation

The documentary centers on two survivors: Glen Anaquod and Lyna Hart. Glen is a survivor who carries years of residential school trauma while striving to protect his family, grappling with anger and grief. Lyna narrates her experience as a child at the school and later as an adult fighting to preserve her sense of self and connection to her ancestors.

• glen
• lyna
• survivors
• main characters
• protagonists

For over 130 years until 1996, more than 100,000 First Nations children in Canada were compelled to attend government-funded residential schools operated by Christian organizations. These approximately 80 schools across the country were located far from children's families and traditional territories, with the explicit goal of assimilating Indigenous populations into Canadian society by erasing their culture and language.

• residential schools
• canada
• first nations
• indigenous
• assimilation
• history

The film depicts residential schools as tools of colonial policy designed to erase Indigenous languages, cultures, and identities. It connects personal suffering to broader institutional systems that prioritized assimilation over the well-being of Indigenous children. The narrative frames the legacy of this oppression as a continuing wound that affects Indigenous communities today.

• colonialism
• assimilation
• oppression
• cultural erasure
• institutional harm

Despite brutal conditions, the documentary highlights how survivors preserved memory, family bonds, and cultural continuity. The stories show acts of courage and small acts of resistance. The film emphasizes communal healing and the path toward recognition and reconciliation, showing survivors finding hope while reconnecting with their home and ancestors.

• resilience
• healing
• reconciliation
• survival
• hope
• cultural continuity

Christian organizations, primarily Catholic and Protestant churches, operated the residential schools on behalf of the Canadian government. The film shows how religious figures, including nuns and priests, enforced strict routines, language suppression, and discipline. Many survivors describe abuse and harm inflicted by those representing these institutions, highlighting complicity in the colonial system.

• church
• religious institutions
• catholics
• nuns
• priests
• abuse
• complicity

We Were Children has a dark and serious tone reflecting the disturbing themes of child abuse and forced assimilation. However, it is not entirely bleak due to the underlying thread of survivor resilience and dignity. The film uses a restrained approach, letting survivors' quiet dignity carry the emotional weight rather than sensationalizing their experiences.

• tone
• emotional impact
• dark
• serious
• documentary style
• restraint

The film presents residential school trauma as intergenerational, affecting multiple generations of Indigenous families. It shows how survivors' childhood experiences shape their adult lives, family dynamics, and identities. The narrative acknowledges this ongoing impact while also depicting the path toward healing, recognition, and reconciliation, including reference to the 2008 Canadian government apology.

• legacy
• intergenerational trauma
• healing
• apology
• reconciliation
• truth and reconciliation