The Lower Kootenay Band invites everyone to join them for the remaining two presentations of the aboriginal film series at the Snoring Sasquatch, Windtalkers at 6 p.m. March 3 and Where the Spirit Lives at 6 p.m. April 14. Each film will be followed by a short discussion.
“The purpose for this initiative is to underscore the unique culture of aboriginal peoples, as well as to bring an understanding of the historical traumas and issues native communities are faced with,” explained Chief Jason Louie.
But it also provides an opportunity for some affordable family entertainment during the winter months.
The first of the three films, Smoke Signals (1998), was shown Feb. 11 to an appreciative audience, followed by an opportunity for discussion about the film, the issues it addressed and questions about First Nation’s culture. The lighthearted film was chosen to be presented first because it’s “funny and real” and has a local connection, as it is set largely on the nearby Coeur d’Alene reserve in Idaho where many local residents have friends. It generated considerable excitement locally when it was first released.
Windtalkers, starring Adam Beach and Nicolas Cage, is a 2002 movie about Navajo code talkers during the Second World War’s Pacific campaign. Native veterans, explained Chief Louie, contributed greatly to the war effort, but received little recognition and faced unfair treatment on coming home.
Where the Spirit Lives (1989) was chosen to be the last of the series because it will be the most difficult to watch, given the traumatic events it portrays. The film follows two native children who, in 1937, were taken from their village and forced into the Canadian residential school system.
The idea for the film series came about when Louie recently met Snoring Sasquatch co-owner Paul Hutcheson, who invited him to use the venue. The film series is sponsored by the Columbia Basin Trust.
Admission is by donation with proceeds going toward the annual Yaqan Nukiy Powwow.
—LOWER KOOTENAY BAND