Indigenous storytelling: who is controlling the narrative?
Whether it's film, fiction or history, when it comes to storytelling who is doing the telling is just as important as what the story is about. When it comes to Indigenous story more often than not we are not the ones doing the telling. As more Indigenous storytellers pick up the pen, camera or microphone that is changing.
Whether it's film, fiction or history, when it comes to storytelling who is doing the telling is just as important as what the story is about. But when it comes to Indigenous story, more often than not, we are not the ones doing the telling.
That has led to misconceptions, skewed views and outright misrepresentations. As more Indigenous storytellers pick up the pen, camera or microphone that is changing.
Of the North is a 74-minute film mash-up of snow, snowmobiles, hunting and family life. But there are also clips of Inuit appearing drunk, crashing an ATV, vomiting, and one very sexually explicit scene. The film's director, Dominic Gagnon, admitted that he has never been to the North but used clips from publicly-available videos posted online and edited them together. This week a Montreal film festival apologized for screening the film last year.
Last week on the show we broadcast a special episode from the camps at Standing Rock. We introduced you to some of the people who call themselves water protectors. This week, at the Manitoba legislature, MLA Wab Kinew stood up and made it clear he stands with Standing Rock.
And tears and praise for In Search of April Raintree by Beatrice Mosionier — our second book in our Indigenous Reads book club. The panelists share why they feel this classic is still relevant today.
The Chieftones - I Shouldn't Have Did What I Done
Tagaq and Shad - Centre
Rex Smallboy - Stand with Standing Rock
Andrea Menard - Halfbreed Blues