Broken Circle

Theodore Fontaine lost his family and freedom before his seventh birthday, when his parents were forced to leave him at an Indian residential school. Twelve years later, he left school frozen at the emotional age of seven. He was confused, angry and conflicted, on a path of self-destruction. At age 29, he emerged from this blackness and began a journey of self-exploration and healing. In this powerful and poignant memoir, Theodore examines the impact of the loss of his language and culture and, most important, the loss of his family and community. He goes beyond details of the abuse of Indian children to provide readers with an understanding of why most residential-school survivors have stress disorders and why succeeding generations of First Nations children suffer from this chapter in history. Told as remembrances described with insights that have evolved in his healing, his story resonates with his resolve to help himself and other survivors and to share his enduring belief that one can pick up the shattered pieces and use them for good.