How Getting Stoned With My Dad Helped Us Heal

The complex, evolving relationship between writer Julian Brave NoiseCat and his father, Ed Archie NoiseCat, centers on the intergenerational trauma stemming from the Canadian residential school system. Julian’s father, a renowned Indigenous artist, struggled with alcoholism and abandonment, leaving a profound void in Julian’s childhood. By moving in with his father at age 28 to collaborate on a documentary and book, Julian gained perspective on his father’s past, reframing him as a "trickster" figure whose survival mechanisms were shaped by systemic oppression. This process of reconciliation and shared creative work allowed for a long-awaited apology and a deeper understanding of their bond. As Julian transitions into fatherhood himself, he confronts the fear of repeating past mistakes, striving instead to break cycles of trauma and cultivate a present, supportive relationship with his own son.