Rhymes for Young Ghouls

Set against the backdrop of the Red Crow Mi'kmaq reservation in Canada during the 1970s, the movie "Rhymes for Young Ghouls" is an intensely poignant tale of resilience, survival, and the haunting complexity of post-colonial indigenous identity. Directed by Jeff Barnaby, the movie premiered at the 2013 Toronto International Film Festival and has received critical acclaim for its powerful storytelling and compelling performances.

The movie revolves around the life of the sharp-witted and fiery-spirited protagonist Aila, played by Devery Jacobs. Aila, a fifteen-year-old Mi'kmaq Indian girl, navigates her life in the troubled milieu of the Indian reservation, caught between her cultural roots and the brutal oppression unleashed by the Indian Act enforced by the Canadian government. The deep-seated residues of residential schools, the intent to "civilize" the native populations, and the downright disregard for indigenous ways of life forms the grim societal fabric that Aila has to adeptly navigate to keep her individuality and spirit intact.

Jacobs' stellar performance brings an exquisite depth to Aila's character, reflecting the irrepressible spirit of a young girl caught in a maze of systemic oppression, racial abuse, and harsh life on the reservation. Aila's father, Alphonse, played by Brandon Oakes, is a former boxer and residential school survivor who has his haunting past that took away his wife and a younger child in a terrible accident. Glen Gould plays the corrupt and villainous Popper – the Indian Agent in the Red Crow reservation, who exploits his authoritative leverage over the Mi'kmaq people.

Aila maintains a precarious balance in life by peddling weed, a pragmatic streak inherited from her father. However, her carefully woven existence is thrown off-kilter when her father ends up in prison, and she is left with the looming threat of being sent to a dreaded residential school. Aila, escorted by her friends, embarks on a daring mission that weaves a tale of rebellion, payback, dignity, and survival. The movie's title itself is a subtly profound statement about the disenfranchised youth in the Red Crow community- referred to as 'ghouls.' Through Aila and her friends, Barnaby encapsulates the prevalent condition of numerous indigenous youths that straddle the painful chasm between endurance and revolt.

"Rhymes for Young Ghouls" is not a mere retelling of history through a fictional narrative but delves deep into an underexplored sphere of post-colonial trauma and its intergenerational repercussions. Barnaby's deft storytelling combines an unflinching portrayal of reality with an infusion of mystical elements derived from Mi'kmaq traditions, striking a unique stylistic balance, bearing testament to the enduring power of indigenous beliefs and folklore. He ventures into this narrative with a layered approach, rekindling the memory of the collective suffering of the natives while shedding light on individual battles, dreams, fears, and the undying spirit of survival, identity, and tradition.

The movie also paints a stark portrayal of the grim realities faced by indigenous children stripped away from their homes and placed in residential schools under the guise of assimilation policies. These schools, in reality, were sites of cultural genocide where indigenous children were forbidden to speak their languages or practice their traditions, and were subjected to various forms of abuse. This bitter history is vividly portrayed in the movie, showing its chilling effects on the Mi'kmaq community of Red Crow.

"Rhymes for Young Ghouls" is not an easy watch. It is a gut-wrenching and visually compelling narrative of resilience against the systemic machinery geared to erode indigenous identities. All the actors, especially Devery Jacobs, deliver impressive performances, capturing the spirit, despair, resistance, and complexities of life in the Red Crow Mi'kmaq reservation.

It is not just a movie, but a hauntingly beautiful, painful and yet resilient narrative of the Red Crow Mi'kmaq community's life in all its raw and unvarnished reality. It lends a powerful voice to the indigenous narrative that has been drastically overlooked and dismissed for so long. "Rhymes for Young Ghouls" is, indeed, a must-watch exploration into indigenous realities, strip-mining the veneer of forgotten history to expose the raw and profoundly human story beneath.