The Road Forward
Marie Clements
2017
| 101 min 09 sec
Prizes and awards
Synopsis
In this inspired musical documentary, writer/director Marie Clements connects a major turning point in Canada’s civil rights history—the beginnings of Indian Nationalism in the 1930s—with the powerful momentum of First Nations activism today.
Interviews with key members of Canada’s oldest First Nations organizations, the Native Brotherhood and Native Sisterhood, reveal the starkly racist politics that inspired the movement as well as how a humble newspaper became a powerful force for change. The Native Voice established a lifeline between the First Nations of British Columbia, uniting them to advocate socially, politically and legally in order to effect profound change on a national level.
The documentary’s stunningly shot musical sequences, performed by an ensemble of some of Canada’s finest vocalists and musicians, bring to life the past 80 years of politics and protest on the West Coast and across the country. Inspired by articles from The Native Voice, the superbly produced story-songs range from heartbreaking ballads about the missing and murdered Indigenous women to inspirational anthems for moving forward, seamlessly connecting past and present with soaring vocals, blues, rock, and traditional beats.
Interwoven throughout the documentary are deeply moving interviews with the musicians and singers speaking intimately about what it means politically and personally to be contemporary First Nations artists, and the passion behind their work.
The Road Forward is a rousing tribute to the fighters for First Nations rights, a soul-resounding historical experience, and a visceral call to action.
Short Synopsis
The Road Forward, a musical documentary by Marie Clements, connects a pivotal moment in Canada’s civil rights history—the beginnings of Indian Nationalism in the 1930s—with the powerful momentum of First Nations activism today.
Clements paints an electrifying picture of how a tiny movement, the Native Brotherhood and Native Sisterhood, became a powerful voice for social, political and legal advocacy, eventually effecting profound change at the national level. The Road Forward’s stunningly shot musical sequences, performed by an ensemble of some of Canada’s finest vocalists and musicians, seamlessly connect past and present with soaring vocals, blues, rock, and traditional beats.
The Road Forward is a rousing tribute to the fighters for First Nations rights, a soul-resounding historical experience, and a visceral call to action.
Trailer
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Q & A WITH FILMMAKER MARIE CLEMENTS
1. This film had an unusual evolution. Could you tell us a little bit about how it grew to become this fabulously inventive and inspiring feature-length musical documentary?
This project originally began as a 10-minute live performance piece commissioned by the Vancouver Cultural Olympiad for the Aboriginal Pavilion in conjunction with the 2010 Winter Olympics.
The idea was to honour B.C.’s history, so I started researching and reading online and came across the archives of the Native Brotherhood and Sisterhood, the oldest Native organization in the country. Their parent organization, the Native Fishing Association, is located in West Vancouver, close to me.
Bill Duncan gave me access to their archives—actually a huge boardroom, filled with stacks of 60 years’ worth of their newspaper, The Native Voice. It was profoundly moving to read our history written by Aboriginal news editors and news stringers, mostly activists grounded here in BC, but also spanning across Canada and into the United States.
It made sense, then, that these stories should somehow be expressed in voice, because that is what they were bearing witness to. The story songs I wrote for The Road Forward drove a narrative inspired by The Native Voice articles. I reached out to Jennifer Kreisberg as a lead composer, not just because of her immense talent, but also because of the legacy of her work: the layering of voices that come together in harmonies, which again mirrored the will of the Native Brotherhood and Sisterhood that their voices be brought together in unity.
I also felt strongly that this project should be female-led, as The Native Voice newspaper was probably one of the only newspapers at the time led by women. Not only the founders of the newspaper, but also top editors and news writers were women, which is extremely rare today, never mind in the 1930s. I think this lent itself to a certain distinct viewpoint.
After the 10-minute performance in the Aboriginal Pavilion at the 2010 Winter Olympics, it became clear that the aesthetic for The Road Forward was less theatrical and more musical; there was a natural evolution toward adding more songs, more stories and more singers and musicians. Other male guest composers collaborated with Jenn and with me on new songs, and we began to form a really tight ensemble committed to the stories and how they came to be vocalized. So the first 10-minute performance in 2010 turned into a workshop production in 2013 at the PuSh International Performing Arts Festival in Vancouver, which later evolved into a live-performance production that premiered to sold-out crowds at the PuSh Festival in 2015.
These shows featured some of our finest Aboriginal talent from across Canada and the US, many of whom are featured in the film we are talking about now.
2. So after working with many of the same artists in various incarnations of The Road Forward over the years, what do you feel that this collaborative process brought to the project?
Many of us have worked together artistically on different projects over a long period of time, so the process was natural in the sense that we knew each other, or knew each other’s work, or appreciated each other’s commitment and practice. There was a strength in musically bringing together traditional and contemporary artists from different parts of the country: everyone had the understanding that their own personal, cultural and political histories contributed to the larger vision of The Road Forward.
3. Your background as a writer/director for live performance and theatre probably freed you to turn the conventions of historical documentary upside down when making this film. Can you talk about how you chose which historical moments to highlight, and how you decided to weave the story elements together?
The Road Forward was a beast, but a beautiful beast. I wanted to replicate how we experience information from newspapers: how we read, how we are caught by certain headlines, how that draws us in and how we can be so affected by a headline and story that we begin to see it, to imagine what it might have been like. The Road Forward has always been led by word: I selected newspaper articles that inspired me, wrote lyrics for the story songs based on those articles, then worked with the composers to fuse together both the intention and the musicality so we could get inside the mind of the witness. The Road Forward became its own distinct form, encircling documentary—those early activists and those who followed—and integrating stories through song that were told musically and cinematically.
The best thing about coming from a writer/director practice and a highly visual live/performance background is that it is very disciplined. The bones of the story, the script or words, are the structure, and the responsibility of finding how that is executed comes in the layering of a story that is always changing, yet demands precision in intention, rhythm, visuals, sound and music. The process of how that manifests in live performance versus film is very different, but they are both disciplines that are very alive, each insisting on an unrelenting vigour.
4. In the conservative, racist times of Canada in the 1930s, the Native Brotherhood and Native Sisterhood used their newspaper, The Native Voice, as a powerful grassroots vehicle for political activism. Against staggering odds, they managed to effect profound change. How did you come up with the idea to bring the hope and energy of those times to life using the very powerful (and incredibly catchy) “story-songs” you wrote for the film?
It’s hard not to be influenced by the Native Brotherhood and Sisterhood in an extremely positive way. I think there is something so profound about being able to resist in a way that has grace and dignity, and yet brings incredible and lasting change. The legacy of this is why we are seeing the power of current movements, from Idle No More to Standing Rock.
We are literally standing on the shoulders of giants.
5. Along with hearing from some of the founders of the Native Brotherhood and Sisterhood, you integrate past and present by interviewing some of the best Indigenous musicians, singers and performers in the country. You have said, “Being an artist is an act of activism.” Can you talk a little bit about your connection to that idea from your perspective as an Aboriginal artist?
A good friend once told me when I was starting out that a brown person just standing on a stage was an act of activism. I didn’t totally get the depth of that until later, but it has definitely stayed with me because it is a simple and hard truth. I think there is a time in every Aboriginal artist’s life where you just want to practise your art, but you come to realize that you will have to fight for that right on every level imaginable. This realization brings its own hardship, but also its own purpose and artistic freedom. The Road Forward features some of our most renowned musical talent; it also speaks to their ability to survive and their commitment to fight for change through their own individual work.
6. The Road Forward not only revitalizes a very important trajectory in our country’s history, but also celebrates and honours the shift happening now as First Nations, Métis and Inuit peoples step into their power as rightful stakeholders in our country’s present and future. You have described the film as “a tribute and a call to action…”
I think Aboriginal activism in Canada is a multigenerational experience. It is deeply personal and often ignited by the injustices suffered by our grandfathers and grandmothers, our fathers and mothers, our sisters and brothers. In this way, it is rising not just from a political ideology or cultural perspective, but from a cellular cry for justice—that every human has a right to experience humaneness.
HISTORICAL OVERVIEW AND TIMELINE OF INDIGENOUS ACTIVISM
Native Brotherhood of British Columbia (NBBC)
The Native Brotherhood of British Columbia (NBBC) is the oldest active Indigenous organization in Canada. It was founded in 1931 in response to the conditions of the Great Depression. During that time, the price of fish had plummeted and Indigenous people were not eligible for relief. The situation was dire; Aboriginal leaders knew they had to organize in order to advocate for their people. Alfred Adams (Haida) led the formation of the NBBC and modelled it on the Native Brotherhood of Alaska. At the time, it was illegal for groups of Indigenous people to meet, but the NBBC got around the law by organizing under the umbrella of the Church. For this reason, the Brotherhood’s anthem was “Onward, Christian Soldiers.”
The Native Brotherhood ushered in a new phase of Indigenous activism that focused on the socioeconomic improvement of Indigenous lives.
The Native Sisterhood of British Columbia was formed in 1933. It used already established women’s auxiliary groups to form the basis of its membership. The Sisterhood worked at the local branch level, holding meetings and raising funds for the Brotherhood.
The Native Voice Newspaper
Launched in 1946, The Native Voice newspaper featured stories about and by Native people. It was technically the “official organ of the Native Brotherhood of British Columbia” and originally served as a kind of newsletter about the group’s activities, providing a larger social context as well through pieces from across North America. Because of its affiliation with the NBBC, The Native Voice offered an excellent record of the changes to the fishing industry in B.C. and to the numerous canneries that served as a major employer for Coastal First Nations people.
The Native Voice featured a number of notable activists as regular columnists and editors. Maisie Hurley was instrumental in getting The Native Voice started, and served on the editorial board as publisher and director for years. Without her commitment, it’s doubtful the paper would have existed as a forum for Natives and non-Natives to discuss issues relevant to the Indigenous communities in BC. Kitty Carpenter, the President of the Native Sisterhood of British Columbia, was a regular columnist, reporting on the group’s activities. Jimalee Burton, an artist well known for her poetry, prose, and graphics, served as an editor for 15 years, sharing her stories and relevant news from Oklahoma.
The last issue of The Native Voice was published in 2002.
The Constitution Express
In 1867, the British Parliament passed the British North American Act, legislation that outlined the Constitution for the new Dominion of Canada. The Act was British law and therefore could only be changed in British courts.
In the early 1980s, Prime Minister Trudeau began the process of patriation; transferring the Act from the authority of the British government to the Canadian government.
After reviewing the position of the federal government in the proposed patriation of the Constitution, the Union of British Columbia Indian Chiefs (UBCIC) discovered that First Nations people would lose their Indigenous rights through this new legislation.
Led by George Manuel, the UBCIC decided to take action. They launched the Constitution Express, a massive movement to fight any attempt at patriation that left out the rights of Indigenous people. Two trains were chartered to make the 4,360-km trek from Vancouver to Ottawa and deliver a message to the federal government: that First Nations peoples have rights, and that these rights have legal basis through treaties and historical agreements with the British government.
The Express did not receive any federal funding. First Nations fundraised for train fares, and First Nations communities from all across Canada came together to support the cause, making the Constitution Express a people’s movement as well as a political lobby.
The final result was the addition of Section 35 to the Constitution. It entrenched the rights of Indigenous people into law.
Timeline
1876 |
The Indian Act is made law by the Parliament of Canada. The Act defines who is and who is not considered an Aboriginal person in Canada. This determines who is eligible to live on reserve lands. |
1884 |
Attending school becomes mandatory for Aboriginal children; the federal government begins to oversee residential schools. |
1888 |
The Fisheries Act restricts Aboriginal fishermen to fishing for food; sale and barter of fish is prohibited. Commercial fishing requires a license, issued to canneries. |
1895 |
The Indian Act is amended to outlaw all dances, ceremonies and festivals that involve the wounding of animals or humans, or the giving away of money or goods. |
1906 |
Skwxwú7mesh Chief Capilano, Quw’utsun Chief Charley Isipaymilt, and Secwepemc Chief Basil David travel to London, England, to discuss the need to settle land claims with King Edward VII, and are given an audience. |
1911 |
The Indian Act is amended to allow municipalities and companies to expropriate portions of reserves, without surrender, for roads, railways, and other public works. |
1913 |
Nisga’a Land Committee travels to Ottawa to present a land-claim petition. |
1915 |
The Interior Tribes of BC is formed in southern British Columbia. They support the Nisga’a petition and send a petition of their own to Ottawa. |
1916 |
The Allied Tribes of BC is established to defend Aboriginal rights and title. |
1920 |
Indian Act is amended to allow the Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development (DIAND) to ban hereditary rule of bands. |
1923 |
Aboriginal peoples are allowed to become commercial fishermen in BC. |
1927 |
A provision added to the Indian Act curtails the ability of Aboriginal peoples to secure legal representation by requiring the Superintendent General to approve any legal appointments. |
1927 |
Allied Tribes of British Columbia collapses. |
1929 |
Black Tuesday: stock market crash triggers the Great Depression (1929–1939). |
1931 |
The Native Brotherhood of British Columbia is founded by Alfred Adams (Haida) and modelled on the Native Brotherhood of Alaska. |
1933 |
The Native Sisterhood of British Columbia is formed. Brenda Campbell from the Heiltsuk Nation is its first president. |
1936 |
The Pacific Coast Native Fishermen’s Association is formed by the Southern Kwakiutl and Nootka. Membership includes the entire Kwakiutl linguistic group, making it the strongest and most effective Aboriginal organization of that time. |
1939 |
Canada enters WWII. Indigenous peoples from every region of Canada serve in the armed forces, fighting in every major battle and campaign of the conflict. |
1942 |
First head office of the Native Brotherhood established in Vancouver by Business Agent Andrew Paull (Skwxwú7mesh). |
1942 |
Native Brotherhood of British Columbia and Pacific Coast Native Fishermen’s Association amalgamated. |
1944 |
Wales-born Maisie Hurley is named an associate life member of the Native Brotherhood of British Columbia. She was the first woman admitted to the political organization. Maisie and her husband, Tom Hurley, advocated equal justice for First Nations and other disenfranchised people. |
1945 |
End of WWII. |
1945 |
Native Brotherhood revises its constitution and becomes incorporated, becoming a legally chartered organization with specific rights and obligations. |
1946 |
The first Indigenous newspaper, The Native Voice, is established.
The paper is launched with Maisie Hurley’s investment of $150. |
1946 |
A special joint committee is formed to revise the Indian Act.
This is the result of social awareness partly brought about by Indigenous involvement in WWII. A delegation from the Native Brotherhood appears before the committee on May 1, 1947. The Brotherhood presents on a wide range of issues with carefully thought-out goals for achieving a better future for Indigenous peoples. |
1949 |
Aboriginal males receive the right to vote in BC. Frank Calder (Nisga’a) becomes the first Aboriginal person elected as a Member of the Legislative Assembly in BC. |
1958 |
Prime Minister Diefenbaker appoints Canada’s first Aboriginal Senator, James Gladstone (Kainai Nation). |
1960 |
Aboriginal persons are granted the right to vote in federal elections. |
1982 |
The Constitution Act recognizes the rights of Aboriginal people. |
1985 |
Bill C-31 amends the Indian Act by changing the meaning of “status.” This eliminates discrimination against women and allows for reinstatement of status to those who lost or were denied it in the past. This amendment allows Indian Bands to determine their own membership rules. |
2002 |
Last issue of The Native Voice is published. |
The Constitution Express |
1980 |
September 1980 |
George Manuel orders review of the federal government’s position on patriation of the Canadian Constitution. |
October 1980 |
A “state of emergency” is declared In Indian World, the official voice of the UBCIC. This mobilizes First Nations communities to join the fight. The Constitution Express movement is formed. Its goal is to mobilize Aboriginal people from across the country to demand inclusion in the new Constitution. |
|
Significant grassroots fundraising takes place to pay for expenses related to travel. |
November 5, 1980 |
The UBCIC News Bulletin releases the Constitution Express schedule. |
November 24, 1980 |
Constitution Express trains depart. Two trains leave Vancouver and head for Ottawa. At 8 p.m., the first half of the Constitution Express, Train #104, leaves Vancouver for Ottawa via Calgary and Regina. At 9:45 p.m., the second half of the Constitution Express, Train #102, leaves Vancouver for Ottawa via Edmonton and Saskatoon. Train #104 makes 14 stops prior to arriving in Winnipeg and train #102 makes 16 stops prior to arriving in Winnipeg. |
November 26 |
The First Nations community in Winnipeg shows up with soup, bannock, and drums to greet both trains. |
|
RCMP agents pose as porters on the train after it departs from Winnipeg. When the train arrives at a remote location, the agents instruct the leaders to evacuate it, claiming there’s a bomb threat. All passengers, including children and elders, are forced to stand outside in the dark while the train is searched. Participants believe the purpose of the bomb scare is to allow the RCMP to search for weapons due to concerns over whether Constitution Express demonstrations will be violent. |
November 28
|
The train arrives in Ottawa at 9:30 a.m. with almost 1,000 First Nations people aboard. Despite the fences put up by the Trudeau government, a peaceful protest ensues. Organizers hold conferences, workshops, and demonstrations until December 5. |
December 6 |
The Constitution Express continues on to New York to raise awareness and ask United Nations officials to intervene as mediators between the Indian governments of Canada and the Canadian and British governments. |
1981 |
November 1, 1981 |
The Constitution Express delegation heads to Europe. Stops include the UK, Germany, Holland and Belgium. British Parliament is called on not to patriate the Constitution until it includes Aboriginal rights. |
1982 |
|
Section 35 is added to the Constitution Act. Section 35 recognizes Aboriginal rights, including rights related to the historical occupancy and use of the land by Aboriginal peoples. It also recognizes and affirms treaty rights. |
April 17, 1982 |
Canadian Constitution written into law with Section 35 included. |
REFERENCES
The Road Forward: History. Red Diva Projects http://www.theroadforward.ca/about1
The Indian Act, 1876. Government of Saskatchewan and First Nations. Retrieved from http://www.tidridge.com/uploads/3/8/4/1/3841927/the_indian_act.pdf
Enns, C. (2015, April 30). The Journey of the Constitution Express to Ottawa. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.14288/1.0103579
Brown, P. T. (1993). Cannery Days: A Chapter in the Lives of the Heiltsuk (Thesis). University of British Columbia. Retrieved from https://open.library.ubc.ca/cIRcle/collections/ubctheses/831/items/1.0087322
Fortney, S. Entwined Histories: Exploring Native-Newcomer Relations via The Native Voice. North Vancouver Museums & Archives and The Squamish Nation. Retrieved from http://nvma.ca/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/Newcomer_Relations_Online_Materials.pdf
Government of Saskatchewan and First Nations. The Indian Act, 1876. Retrieved from http://www.tidridge.com/uploads/3/8/4/1/3841927/the_indian_act.pdf
O’Donnell, J. P. (1985). The Native Brotherhood of British Columbia 1931–1950: A New Phase in Native Political Organization (Thesis). University of British Columbia. Retrieved from https://open.library.ubc.ca/cIRcle/collections/831/items/1.0096506
red diva projects. The Road Forward: History. http://www.theroadforward.ca/about1
Images
Photo : © Rosamond Norbury
Photo : © Rosamond Norbury
Photo : © Rosamond Norbury
Photo : © Rosamond Norbury
Photo : © Rosamond Norbury
Photo : © Rosamond Norbury
Photo : © Rosamond Norbury
Photo : © Rosamond Norbury
Photo : © Rosamond Norbury
Photo : © Rosamond Norbury
Photo : © Rosamond Norbury
Photo : © Rosamond Norbury
Photo : © Rosamond Norbury
Promotional Materials
TEAM
Marie Clements
Writer, Director
Biography
Photo
Photo : Emily Cooper
Marie Clements
Marie Clements (Métis/Dene) is an award-winning writer, director and producer of film, television, radio, new media and live performance. Her work as a filmmaker includes the award-winning 2015 docudrama Number 14 and the 2013 short drama Pilgrims, which screened at TIFF and Telefilm Canada’s Not Short on Talent program at the Cannes Market. Her short documentary The Language of Love was an official selection at Hot Docs in 2012. The film production of Clements’ screenplay Unnatural and Accidental premiered at the MoMA Film Festival in New York and also screened at TIFF.
Her theatre productions as writer/director include Tombs of the Vanishing Indian, The Unnatural and Accidental Women, and The Edward Curtis Project. Her plays Burning Vision and Copper Thunderbird were shortlisted for Governor General’s Literary Awards. Clements is an alumnus of Women in the Director’s Chair, the President of MCM, and the Artistic Director of red diva projects.
Her latest documentary, The Road Forward, has screened at more than 200 venues in North America and received the Best Director Award at the American Indian Film Festival in San Francisco, in addition to being nominated for the Writers Guild of Canada’s Documentary Screenwriting Award in 2018. Her short doc Looking at Edward Curtis premiered at DOXA and the Yorkton Film Festival, received four nominations for best documentary, and aired on the Knowledge Network in the summer of 2018. She is currently in post-production on her feature drama Red Snow, winner of the Women in the Director’s Chair Feature Film Award. Clements’ multi-award-winning films have screened at Cannes, TIFF, MOMA, VIFF, the Whistler Film Festival, and the imagineNATIVE festival.
Clements also owns and operates MCM, an independent media-production company specializing in the development, creation and production of innovative works of media that explore an Indigenous and intercultural reality.
Her latest documentary, The Road Forward, has screened at more than 200 venues in North America and received the Best Director Award at the American Indian Film Festival in San Francisco, in addition to being nominated for the Writers Guild of Canada’s Documentary Screenwriting Award in 2018. Her short doc Looking at Edward Curtis premiered at DOXA and the Yorkton Film Festival, received four nominations for best documentary, and aired on the Knowledge Network in the summer of 2018. She is currently in post-production on her feature drama Red Snow, winner of the Women in the Director’s Chair Feature Film Award. Clements’ multi-award-winning films have screened at Cannes, TIFF, MOMA, VIFF, the Whistler Film Festival, and the imagineNATIVE festival.
Shirley Vercruysse
Producer, Executive Producer
Biography
Photo
Photo : Emily Cooper
Shirley Vercruysse
Shirley Vercruysse is the Executive Producer of the National Film Board of Canada’s BC & Yukon Studio, where she leads the team producing documentary and animation projects. The studio’s latest projects include the feature-length documentaries The Whale and the Raven and Because We Are Girls; the musical documentary The Road Forward; the animated shorts Shop Class and The Zoo; the short documentaries Way of the Hunter and Now Is the Time; and the Webby Award-winning documentary series True North: Inside the Rise of Toronto Basketball.
Jenn Strom
Editor
Biography
Photo
Photo : Gene Lin
Jenn Strom
Jenn Strom is a filmmaker, editor and mixed-media animator based in Vancouver, BC. She has worked as an editor on John Bolton’s Debris and Katherine Monk’s Rock the Box, among other films. Her short film Assembly was given the KODAK Images Award for Artistic Achievement by Women in Film & Television Vancouver. Also, two of her shorts were part of 12 Takes, which was nominated for a Gemini Award for Best Arts Documentary Program.
Wayne Lavallee
Composer
Biography
Photo
Photo : Mark Maryonovich
Wayne Lavallee
Wayne Lavallee is an award-winning recording artist, singer-songwriter and producer from the Métis Nation of St. Laurent, Manitoba. He has received two JUNO nominations, was named best Aboriginal singer-songwriter in 2006 by the Canadian Folk Music Awards and has won multiple Canadian Aboriginal Music Awards. Wayne garnered international acclaim when his album Trail of Tears was released by the Dixiefrog label in France. Lavallee has also composed music for dance and film projects. His original music scores for the award-winning NFB documentaries The Road Forward and Holy Angels both received Leo Award nominations. He is inspired to make music that’s rooted in his Indigenous culture—a hybrid of unique sounds that evoke the ancient spirit within. Lavallee is currently working on his next studio album and the original music score for the feature drama Red Snow, written and directed by Marie Clements. He is based in Vancouver, BC.
Mike McKinlay
Director of Photography
Biography
Photo
Photo : Mike McKinlay
Mike McKinlay
As a director of photography, Mike McKinlay has worked on projects in various genres and subjects: vérité, drama, historical topics, environmental awareness, and wildlife. Mike has carved out a respectable niche as a cameraman, bringing to the table a distinct and recognizable style of cinematography from project to project. Some of his most recent clients include National Geographic, the NFB, the Knowledge Network, the Wilderness Committee and Greenpeace.
James Boatman
Production Designer
Biography
Photo
Photo : Paula Boulanger
James Boatman
James Boatman is an artist, designer and filmmaker, making him perfectly suited to take on the roles of production designer, art director and set decorator. Over the past three years, James has worked on more than 15 different productions in the Canadian film industry.
Troy Slocum
Sound Designer
Biography
Photo
Photo : Troy Slocum
Troy Slocum
Troy Slocum is a highly acclaimed sound designer, producer and electronic music composer. His work has been heard in live performances, films, installations and numerous productions at Canada’s National Arts Centre. Most recently, he worked on the film The Language of Love (Frog Girl Films), screened in Toronto at Hot Docs and the imagineNATIVE film festival, and Karen Chapman’s short film Stain (Small Axx Films/NFB).
Chelsea Graham
Costume Designer
Biography
Photo
Photo : Rachel Bradbury
Chelsea Graham
Chelsea Graham is a Toronto-based costume designer originally from Victoria, BC, where she completed her BFA in Theatre. Most recently, Chelsea designed the short Ticket (Buck Productions, 2016) and had the pleasure of assisting on productions such as Haunters (Fauxheim Productions) and You Got Trumped (Mr. President Inc.).
ENSEMBLE
Richard E. Brown
Singer, Drummer
Biography
Photo
Richard E. Brown
Richard Brown has been an active drummer on the Canadian music scene for many years. He has worked with countless acclaimed and beloved artists, including Wanting Qu, Big Sugar, Pee Wee Ellis, Ernest Ranglin, Alannah Myles, Gino Vanelli, Nadine Sutherland, the Beach Boys, Hawksley Workman, Dave Swarbrick, Pacifika, Yaz Alexander Steele, Ken Whiteley and many more. Richard is of African American and Cherokee descent and can trace his Native American roots back to the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma. He is based in Vancouver, BC.
Ronnie Dean Harris
Singer
Biography
Photo
Ronnie Dean Harris
Ronnie Dean Harris, also known as Ostwelve, is a Stō:lo/St’át’imc/Lil’wat/N’laka’pamux multimedia artist based in Vancouver, BC. He has appeared on the TV series Moccasin Flats and starred in the made-for-TV movie Moccasin Flats Redemption. Ronnie has also toured internationally as a hip-hop performer and composed music for TV and film. He has been a director, programmer and producer at the Vancouver Indigenous Media Arts Festival and is now the Project Director for “Reframing Relations,” a national conversation around reconciliation.
Shakti Hayes
Singer
Biography
Photo
Shakti Hayes
Shakti Hayes is a multi-award-nominated musician, songwriter and performer from the Cree Nation (George Gordon band) of Saskatchewan. She has performed as a solo artist and supporting musician at the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian, the Kennedy Center Millennium Stage, the Vancouver 2010 Olympics and many national and international festivals. Her TV appearances include Rez Bluez 2, Rez Tunez and The Mix on APTN. Shakti is based in Bellingham, Washington.
Jennifer Kreisberg
Singer
Biography
Photo
Jennifer Kreisberg
Jennifer Kreisberg is a Genie Award-winning singer, composer, producer, and teacher. She’s created music for a long list of films that includes Unnatural & Accidental, Smoke Signals, The Business of Fancydancing, and Elijah. Jennifer has also been a member of the acclaimed a cappella trio Ulali for more than 20 years. She’s won several awards, including a Genie, a Native American Music Award, and two Independent Music Awards for her song “Have Hope.” “Deer Song,” which she wrote and performed, was featured on the Grammy-nominated DVD 1 Giant Leap. She recently worked with co-composer Michelle St. John to create a new vocal score for the play The Ecstasy of Rita Joe. Jennifer occasionally tours with Buffy Sainte-Marie as a background vocalist.
Jeremy James Lavallee
Singer, Fiddle
Biography
Photo
Jeremy James Lavallee
Jeremy (JJ) Lavallee, a Métis musician from St. Ambroise, Manitoba, started singing at the age of six. When JJ turned 16, he began playing with the family groups the Lavallee Tradition and the Darren Lavallee Band. As a solo artist, JJ has released three albums and received several nominations. He also won the Aboriginal People’s Choice Music Award for best fiddle album in 2006 and 2010. JJ is based in Surrey, BC.
Wayne Lavallee
Composer
Biography
Photo
Photo : Mark Maryonovich
Wayne Lavallee
Wayne Lavallee is an award-winning recording artist, singer-songwriter and producer from the Métis Nation of St. Laurent, Manitoba. He has received two JUNO nominations, was named best Aboriginal singer-songwriter in 2006 by the Canadian Folk Music Awards and has won multiple Canadian Aboriginal Music Awards. Wayne garnered international acclaim when his album Trail of Tears was released by the Dixiefrog label in France. Lavallee has also composed music for dance and film projects. His original music scores for the award-winning NFB documentaries The Road Forward and Holy Angels both received Leo Award nominations. He is inspired to make music that’s rooted in his Indigenous culture—a hybrid of unique sounds that evoke the ancient spirit within. Lavallee is currently working on his next studio album and the original music score for the feature drama Red Snow, written and directed by Marie Clements. He is based in Vancouver, BC.
Cheri Maracle
Singer
Biography
Photo
Cheri Maracle
Cheri Maracle is a Gemini-nominated actress and a CAMA-, APCMA- and ISMA-nominated vocalist. She is Mohawk/Irish from the Six Nations of the Grand River Territory. Selected television credits are Four in the Morning (CBC), DeGrassi (CTV) and Blackstone (APTN). Most recently, her one-woman show Paddle Song was nominated for Best Solo Performance (Calgary Theatre Critics’ Awards). Cheri’s critically acclaimed albums can be found on iTunes. She is based in Toronto, ON
Shamantsut/Amanda Nahanee
Singer
Biography
Photo
Shamantsut/Amanda Nahanee
Shamantsut/Amanda Nahanee is a descendant of the Squamish and the Nisga’a Nation. She is an actor, model, singer and dancer. Well versed in Coast Salish language, mythology, history, rituals, protocols and village sites, Amanda was the Vancouver Public Library’s Inaugural First Nations Storyteller-In-Residence in 2009 and spoke at the Opening Ceremonies of the 2010 Winter Olympic Games. In 2012, Amanda was the recipient of the Emerging Artist Mayor’s Arts Award for Community Engaged Art. She is based in Vancouver, BC.
Delhia Nahanee
Singer
Biography
Photo
Delhia Nahanee
Delhia Nahanee is from the Nisga’a and Squamish First Nations. She has been singing with the Chinook Song Catchers for the past 20 years. Many of the Nisga’a songs she performs come from her father, Chief Chester Moore, an Elder of the Nisga’a. An activist and cultural leader, Delhia is also a member of The Road Forward Ensemble and a Downtown Eastside advocate who works for Raincity Housing at a building called the Budzey. She has a Bachelor of Arts with a major in Psychology and a Bachelor of Social Work. Delhia lives in North Vancouver, BC.
Marissa Nahanee
Singer
Biography
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Marissa Nahanee
Marissa Nahanee is an ambassador from the Nisga’a and Squamish First Nations. She has been a member of the Chinook SongCatchers for the past 20 years as a singer, dancer, choreographer, storyteller, model and public speaker. She has travelled around the world as a speaker, including to events such as the WHO’s Indigenous Social Determinants of Health conference. Nahanee’s television appearances include First Talk, Creative Native, My TV and Tribal Tracks, as well as three documentaries. Marissa is based in Vancouver, BC.
Latash-Maurice Nahanee
Singer, Hand Drummer
Biography
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Latash-Maurice Nahanee
Latash-Maurice Nahanee is a member of the Squamish Nation and lives in North Vancouver, BC. A lifelong learner and practitioner of Squamish culture, he is proud to share his culture locally and internationally. As a traditional artist, Latash enjoys wood sculpture, painting, performing traditional music, and storytelling. He also continues to perform with his wife and daughters in Chinook SongCatchers, a traditional dance/singing group.
Corey Payette
Singer, Hand Drummer
Biography
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Corey Payette
Corey Payette is proud of his Oji-Cree heritage from Northern Ontario and has worked as a playwright, actor, composer and director across Canada. He is the Artistic Director of Urban Ink and founder of Raven Theatre in Vancouver. Corey was the 2014–2015 Artist-in-Residence at the National Arts Centre English Theatre, and his original musical Children of God will close out the NAC English Theatre’s 2016–2017 season in June 2017.
Murray Porter
Singer, Keyboard
Biography
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Murray Porter
JUNO Award-winning musician Murray Porter is a Mohawk piano player from the Six Nations of the Grand River Territory. Mixing blues, country and a sense of humour, Murray sings not only of the history and contemporary stories of the Aboriginal peoples of Canada but also about the universal theme of love, lost and found. He has spent over 30 years playing his foot-stomping, hand-clapping blues piano around the world.
Michelle St. John
Singer
Biography
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Michelle St. John
Michelle St. John is a two-time Gemini Award-winning actor with more than 35 years of experience in film, television, theatre, voice work and music. Michelle has focused on producing since 2009, working on several projects directed by Marie Clements and, more recently, working with Shane Belcourt on films made for the production company The Breath. She recently directed her first feature documentary, Colonization Road.
Russell Wallace
Singer, Hand Drummer
Biography
Photo
Russell Wallace
Russell Wallace is a composer, writer, producer and a traditional Lil’wat singer from the Lil’wat Nation. Russell’s music has been part of the soundtracks for several film, video, television and theatre/dance productions. He studied at Capilano University and the University of British Columbia, focusing on creative writing and ethnomusicology. Currently, Russell teaches at Native Education College, Simon Fraser University and Capilano University.
DOCUMENTARY SUBJECTS
Edwin Newman
Documentary Subject
Biography
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Edwin Newman
Chief Edwin Newman is a hereditary chief of the Kwagu’ł and Heiltsuk and Chief of Bella Bella and Fort Rupert. Edwin served for many years as President of the Native Brotherhood of British Columbia and was a long-time spokesperson and negotiator for his people. He was also an early contributor to The Native Voice newspaper. Edwin is a leading Aboriginal activist and community leader.
Henry Clifton
Documentary Subject
Biography
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Henry Clifton
Henry Clifton is a fisherman and the current President of the Native Brotherhood of British Columbia, the oldest active Indigenous organization in Canada. He is the fourth generation of Cliftons who have held the position of Brotherhood President. Henry is from the Gitga’at Nation and lives in Hartley Bay, BC.
Thomas Berger
Documentary Subject
Biography
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Thomas Berger
Thomas R. Berger, O.C., Q.C., O.B.C., is a former justice of the Supreme Court of British Columbia and a practising lawyer. His landmark law cases have successfully changed policy in Canada, particularly his work around Aboriginal rights. Notably, he argued Calder v. BC before the Supreme Court of Canada in 1971, leading to the Supreme Court’s recognition of Aboriginal title as a part of Canadian law. In 2013, he successfully argued the case of the Manitoba Métis, in which the Supreme Court of Canada affirmed the failure of Canada to fulfill its constitutional promises. In addition, he has led many important inquiries in the country. In particular, the Mackenzie Valley Pipeline Inquiry (1974–1977) garnered Berger an international reputation for reason and justice. He has also led inquiries in Alaska (1983–1985) and for the World Bank in India (1990–1992).
Vera Newman
Documentary Subject
Biography
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Photo : Rosamond Norbury
Vera Newman
Vera Newman comes from the ‘Namgis and Mamalilikala tribe, from the Kwakwala people of Alert Bay. She is a former President of the Native Sisterhood and was also a member of the Native Brotherhood. Today, Vera is a cultural teacher and storyteller, carrying on the storytelling tradition of her grandmother Axu Agnes Alfred. Vera’s passion is to ensure that the Kwakwala language does not disappear.
Karen Jeffrey
Documentary Subject
Biography
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Karen Jeffrey
Karen Jeffrey comes from the Ganhada tribe, Tsimshian Nation, of the North Coast of British Columbia. Karen’s grandfather, George Jeffrey, was one of the original founding members of the Native Brotherhood of British Columbia, and Karen worked as a recruiter for the Native Brotherhood for many years during the 1970s. Today, she is an active community leader and activist.
Moira Movanna
Documentary Subject
Biography
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Moira Movanna
Moira Movanna is a fourth-generation activist and the granddaughter of Maisie Hurley, who founded The Native Voice newspaper in 1946. She is currently editing the book With the Mystic Totem People, written by her great-grandmother Amy Campbell-Johnston, who along with her husband and Chief Weymannassac were responsible for the first documented Native land claims, as part of the McKenna-McBride Commission (1912). Moira currently lives in New Westminster, BC.
Doreen Manuel
Documentary Subject
Biography
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Doreen Manuel
Doreen Manuel is the daughter of Grand Chief Dr. George Manuel and Marceline Manuel. She has received the Governor General of Canada Medal Award for academic excellence and the Women in Film & Television Leadership in Education Award. She has directed for television and worked as the Canadian Correspondent for The Native Heartbeat and NorthWest Indian News. Doreen owns Running Wolf Productions and is based in Vancouver, BC.
Vicki Lynne George
Documentary Subject
Biography
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Vicki Lynne George
Vicki Lynne George developed and produced The Constitution Express: A Multimedia History (2005–2006), a joint project with UBC’s First Nations Studies program and the Union of BC Indian Chiefs. Generational activism has deep roots for Vicki, the daughter of an Indigenous leader. Her father, Ron George, was a key participant in the Constitution Express, and Vicki’s multimedia project started an archive for this historical movement. She comes from the Wet’suwet’en Nation and is based in Vancouver, BC.
Lorna Williams
Documentary Subject
Biography
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Lorna Williams
Dr. Lorna Williams, Ed.D., O.B.C., LL.B. (Hons), is Lil’watul from Mount Currie, BC. She retired from the University of Victoria where she was Associate Professor in Curriculum and Instruction and Canada Research Chair in Indigenous Knowledge and Learning in the Faculty of Education and Department of Linguistics. She has held a number of senior positions, including Director of Aboriginal Education at the University of Victoria and Director of the Aboriginal Enhancements Branch in the British Columbia Ministry of Education.
Credits
Written and Directed by
Marie Clements
Producer
Shirley Vercruysse
Editor
Jenn Strom
Composer
Wayne Lavallee
Director of Photography
Mike McKinlay
Production Designer
James Boatman
Sound Designer
Troy Slocum
Costume Designer
Chelsea Graham
Story Song Cast (in alphabetical order)
Indian Man
Ed Nahanee, Evan Leslie Adams
Native Voice Stringer, Leonard George
Native Voice Stringer, Ronnie Dean Harris
Native Voice Stringer, Wayne Lavallee
Native Voice Stringer, Jeremy James Lavallee
Tom Hurley, Stephen E Miller
Native Voice Stringer, Latash-Maurice Nahanee
Native Voice Stringer, Corey Payette
Native Voice Stringer, Murray Porter
Native Voice Stringer, Russell Wallace
This is How it Goes
Maisie Hurley, Patti Allan
Husband, Glen Andrew Brkich
Hotel Manager, William J Croft
Daughter, Amber Georgeson
Daughter, Kimowin Lavallee
Mother, Cheri Maracle
Restaurant Manager, Joseph Patrick Keating
Good God
Choir Singer, Shakti Hayes
Young Boy, Makwa Kewistep
Young Boy, Pawaken Koostachin-Chakasim
Fiddle Player, Jeremy James Lavallee
Guitar Player, Wayne Lavallee
Keyboard Player, Murray Porter
Choir Singer, Delhia Nahanee
Young Girl, Shekayah Lynn Silvey
Choir Singer, Russell Wallace
1965
Mother, Michelle St. John
Mourning Mother, Jennifer Elizabeth Kreisberg
Mother, Cheri Maracle
If You Really Believe
George Manuel, Ronnie Dean Harris
Herself, Doreen Manuel
My Girl
Mother, Michelle St. John
Daughter, Imajyn Cardinal
The Road Forward
Singer, Drummer, Richard E. Brown
Singer, Ronnie Dean Harris
Singer, Shakti Hayes
Singer, Jennifer Elizabeth Kreisberg
Singer, Fiddle, Jeremy James Lavallee
Guitar, Wayne Lavallee Singer
Singer, Cheri Maracle
Singer, Shamantsut Amanda Nahanee
Singer, Delhia Nahanee
Singer, Marissa Nahanee
Singer, Hand Drummer, Latash-Maurice Nahanee
Singer, Hand Drummer, Corey Payette
Singer, Keyboard, Murray Porter
Singer, Michelle St. John
Singer, Hand Drummer, Russell Wallace
Documentary Subjects, Vancouver (in order of appearance)
Edwin Newman
Henry Clifton
Latash-Maurice Nahanee
Thomas Berger
Wayne Lavallee
Richard E Brown
Russell Wallace
Jeremy James Lavallee
Ronnie Dean Harris
Murray Porter
Corey Payette
Vera Newman
Karen Jeffrey
Delhia Nahanee
Moira Movanna
Marissa Nahanee
Cheri Maracle
Shakti Hayes
Michelle St. John
Jennifer Elizabeth Kreisberg
Shamantsut Amanda Nahanee
Doreen Manuel
Vicki Lynne George
Lorna Williams
Documentary Subjects, Prince George
Shelby-Lynn Davis
Marion Erickson
Stephanie Erickson
Morgan George
Karista Olson
Lorretta J. Pelletier
Joan B. Sutherland
Jody Thomas
Ashley Wilson
Martha Wilson
Bonnie Wisla
BC & Yukon Studio
Associate Producer
Teri Snelgrove
Production Supervisor
Jennifer Roworth
Studio Administrator
Carla Jones
Technical Coordinator
Wes Machnikowski
Production Coordinator
Kathleen Jayme
Justin Mah
Kristyn Stilling
Production Crew
Production Manager
Nick Wade
Caroline Coutts
1st Assistant Director
Kate Weiss
2nd Assistant Director
Matthew Tingey
Sound Recordist
Brent Calkin
Jeffrey Henschel
Boom Operator
Lisa Kolisnyk
Sound Assistant
Daphne Chung
Assistant Production Designer
Andrew Pommier
Set Decorator
Rebecca Sjonger
Sancha Alicia Tatlock
Assistant Set Decorator
Hunter Cheveldave
Graham Talbot
Manzoor Ahmed Wani
Head of Props
Dana Dolezsar
Props Assistant
Kasha Toolsee
1st Assistant Camera
Lukas Fournier
Margot Guirado
Wes Machnikowski
2nd Assistant Camera
Mikael Bidard
Odessa Shuquaya
2nd Camera Operator
Jared Brendan Boyce
Daniel Rocque
Digital Technician
George Faulkner
Key Grip
Owen Stambuck
Gaffer
Paul T. Murakami
Grip/Electric Swing
Terrance Azzuolo
Movement Coach
Wendy Gorling
Script Supervisor
Nisha Platzer
Wardrobe Assistant
Kevin Eade
Mika Laulainen
Hair & Make-Up
Ashley Seymour
Hairstylist
Magdalena Kelly
Hair/Make-Up Assistant
Keesha Dawson-Harrison
Location Manager
Nick Wade
Odessa Shuquaya
Location Scout
Rachael Dudley
Location Assistant
April Johnson
Kassia O’Connor
Craft Service
Stefan A. Skoronski
Researchers
Amanda Burke
Thanh Nguyen
Mary Doherty
Sandra Mendenhall
Paloma Hazel Pacheco
Paula Sawadsky
Transcription
Tracy Sitter
Stills Photographer
Rosamond Norbury
Production Assistant
Colin Van Loon
Richard Wilson
Milena Salazar
Story Editor
Paula Danckert
Extras Casting
Rosemary A. Georgeson
Community Coordinator, Prince George
Janet Rogers
Visual Effects and Animation Supervisor
Jenn Strom
Animators
Prajay Mehta
Jenny Breukelman
Elisa Chee
Jenn Strom
Visual Effects Artists
The Sequence Group
Bun Lee
Jenn Strom
Trevor Gent
Jenny Breukelman
Storyboard Artist
Lauren Budd
Online Editor
Serge Verreault
Re-Recording Mixer
Jean Paul Vialard
Marketing Manager
Leslie Stafford
Publicist
Katja De Bock
Music
Indian Man Chant
Written, Composed and Arranged by Wayne Lavallee
Performed by
Jeremy James Lavallee
Latash-Maurice Nahanee
Ostwelve / Ronnie Dean Harris
Murray Porter
Russell Wallace
Leonard George
Indian Man
Written by Marie Clements
Composed and Arranged by Wayne Lavallee
Performed by Wayne Lavallee
with Murray Porter
Russell Wallace
Jeremy James Lavallee
Latash-Maurice Nahanee
Ostwelve / Ronnie Dean Harris
Leonard George
This is How it Goes
Written by Marie Clements
Composed and Arranged by Jennifer Elizabeth Kreisberg
Performed by Cheri Maracle with Jennifer Elizabeth Kreisberg and Michelle St. John
Good God
Written by Marie Clements
Composed and Arranged by Jennifer Elizabeth Kreisberg
Performed by Shakti Hayes
with Jennifer Elizabeth Kreisberg
Cheri Maracle
Michelle St. John
Murray Porter
Russell Wallace
Ostwelve / Ronnie Dean Harris
Jeremy James Lavallee
1965
Written by Marie Clements
Composed and Arranged by Jennifer Elizabeth Kreisberg
Performed by Jennifer Elizabeth Kreisberg with Cheri Maracle and Michelle St. John
The Grandmother’s Song
Written and Performed by Michelle St. John
If You Really Believe
Written by Marie Clements
Based on speech by George Manuel
Composed and Arranged by Jennifer Elizabeth Kreisberg and Wayne Lavallee
Performed by Ostwelve / Ronnie Dean Harris
My Girls Song
Written by Marie Clements
Composed and Arranged by Jennifer Elizabeth Kreisberg
Performed by Cheri Maracle and Jennifer Elizabeth Kresiberg
The Road Forward
Written by Marie Clements and Jennifer Elizabeth Kreisberg
Composed and Arranged by Jennifer Elizabeth Kreisberg
All My Relations – Arranged by Ostwelve / Ronnie Dean Harris
Performed by
Jennifer Elizabeth Kreisberg
Cheri Maracle
Michelle St. John
Ostwelve / Ronnie Dean Harris
Jeremy James Lavallee
Wayne Lavallee
Russell Wallace
Corey Payette
Murray Porter
Shamantsut Amanda Nahanee
Shakti Hayes
Delhia Nahanee
Marissa Nahanee
Latash-Maurice Nahanee
The Road Forward Band
Drums, Richard E Brown a.k.a. RB
Bass, Marie-Josée Dandaneau
Bass, Shakti Hayes
Violin/Fiddle, Jeremy James Lavallee
Guitar, Wayne Lavallee
Keyboards/Piano, Murray Porter
Music Recorded at the Warehouse Studios
Audio Engineer Sheldon Zaharko
Filmed on location
Vancouver
Fort Langley
West Vancouver
Delta and Prince George, British Columbia
Executive Producer
Shirley Vercruysse
BC & Yukon Studio – English Program

Press Relations
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About the NFB
The NFB is Canada’s public producer of award-winning creative documentaries, auteur animation, interactive stories and participatory experiences. NFB producers are embedded in communities across the country, from St. John’s to Vancouver, working with talented creators on innovative and socially relevant projects. The NFB is a leader in gender equity in film and digital media production, and is working to strengthen Indigenous-led production, guided by the recommendations of Canada’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission. NFB productions have won over 7,000 awards, including 27 Canadian Screen Awards, 21 Webbys, 12 Oscars and more than 100 Genies. To access this award-winning content and discover the work of NFB creators, visit NFB.ca, download its apps for mobile devices or visit NFB Pause.