VIDEOS OF THE MONTH! FREE ONLINE SEPT. 30 – OCT. 31
For this year’s National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, we asked Heather George, Executive Director of the Woodland Cultural Centre, to select a video from Vtape’s distribution catalogue for us to present from September 30th through the month of October. To coincide with the National Day, the WCC is unveiling the site of the former Mohawk Institute Residential School as a site of conscience. Thanks to Heather, and congratulations to the whole team at the WCC for successfully completing this huge and transformative project!
Heather couldn’t narrow it down to one title, so we’re presenting two videos for the month! Enjoy Danis Goulet’s Divided by Zero (2006) and Amanda Strong’s How to Steal a Canoe on demand until October 31st).
Divided by Zero, dir. Danis Goulet (2006, 16 min.)
Ashley, a young Indigenous crusader of all causes, is stopped in her activist tracks after an awkward conversation with her boyfriend’s well-meaning mother. In a determined attempt to reassert her “cultural authenticity,” Ashley builds a tipi in her suburban bedroom using internet instructions.
How to Steal a Canoe, dir. Amanda Strong (2016, 4 min.)
A song telling the story of a young Nishnaabeg woman and an old Nishnaabeg man rescuing a canoe from a museum and returning it to the lake it was meant to be with, and on a deeper level, of stealing back the precious parts of us that were always ours in the first place. The spoken lyrics are by Nishnaabeg poet Leanne Betasamosake Simpson, and the original score is by Cree cellist Cris Derksen.
Heather George shared her thoughts on the works and her selection:
“As someone who grew up ‘off reserve,’ Danis’s work spoke deeply to me – the struggle of accessing and practicing Indigenous knowledge alongside the expectations of non-Indigenous folks that you will represent ‘all things Indigenous’ reminded me of many moments in my own life. It also reaffirmed my belief in the work we do at Woodland Cultural Centre, where at the site of the former Mohawk Institute Residential School, we are welcoming Indigenous and non-Indigenous visitors at all different levels of knowledge and experience to come and learn through stories, art and interactive workshops and language lessons. Spaces like Woodland are essential to reclaiming and rebuilding the knowledge that Residential Schools tried to take away from us. I connected with the angst, anger, sadness and determination of the main character and her search for connection to her nation, and it reminds me of how lucky I have been to have the opportunity to continue my learning and growth and support opportunities for others to do the same.
“I first encountered Amanda Strong’s work in 2018 on a visit to Wanuskewin; artistically her work is magical and moving. The theme of this short film, in particular, spoke to me as someone who has worked for over two decades in the museum sector, often finding the practices, protocols and methods of museology at odds with Indigenous teachings about material culture and belongings (artifacts). The idea that some of these institutions hold precious beings hostage, away from their purpose, community and ‘natural environment’ continues to be deeply troubling to me and I hope that organizations like Woodland can become a middle ground and a new type of museum space that views collections and belongings as living entities deserving of affection, care and ongoing use in community. In 2022, the Canadian Museums Association responded to TRC #67, reviewing the relationship of Indigenous people and museums, and came up with recommendations, promising practices and training for the sector – but without better funding for all museums and galleries, especially those based in Indigenous communities, the work continues to be a monumental challenge.”
Image credits: home page: Divided by Zero, Danis Goulet (2006); How to Steal a Canoe, Amanda Strong (2016)