🎧 Chapter 2 – Part 3: Holding On, Moving Forward

In this final part of Chapter 2, Francis brings us into the present with moving reflections on loss, resilience, and survival. He shares the rare fortune of his father — a stolen child who, unlike many, was allowed to know his birth parents. While this helped preserve some cultural knowledge, much was lost. And for many others, like Francis’ friend and fellow storyteller Pauline McLeod, the pain of separation lasted a lifetime.

Yet Francis also offers hope. He tells of becoming a cultural ambassador, crossing oceans to share Aboriginal stories, and standing before nearly 300,000 people during the Walk for Reconciliation in 2000. From being hidden in a sulky as a baby to becoming a voice of remembrance and healing, Francis’ journey is living testimony to both the grief and strength of his people.

This episode reminds us that history is not just what’s written in textbooks — it lives in people. It hurts. It heals. It carries forward. And, as Francis makes clear, it must never be forgotten.