Fresh Air Best Of: Julian Brave NoiseCat / Laufey
Oct 18, 2025
Julian Brave NoiseCat, a filmmaker and author, shares his profound journey exploring the history of Indigenous residential schools, revealing shocking truths about his father's birth. He discusses cycles of colonial trauma and cultural resilience while touching on his family's hidden history. Meanwhile, Grammy-winning singer-songwriter Laufey, known for her unique blend of jazz and classical music, performs captivating songs and reflects on her biracial identity. She recounts her rise during COVID and the influences that shaped her artistry, bridging cultures through music.
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Birth Found In Incinerator
- Julian Brave NoiseCat recounts his father being found alive in a trash incinerator at St. Joseph's Mission in 1959.
- He learned this origin only while making the documentary Sugarcane and writing his memoir We Survived the Night.
Colonial Trauma Shaped Family Choices
- NoiseCat links parental abandonment to colonization and residential-school trauma that disrupted parenting skills.
- He frames his grandmother's action within systemic routines at St. Joseph's rather than as isolated wrongdoing.
Breaking Family Silence On Camera
- NoiseCat describes confronting his grandmother about his father's birth on camera, which broke her silence and led to emotional release.
- The film includes a scene where his ke'ah (grandmother) cries and struggles to speak about the pain.
