By Sima Chowdhury
(Co-creator of MakeMindfully)
This month, join us for the Neighbour Night Movie series on Thursday, June 1st and a special Neighbour Day themed Neighbour Night on Thursday, June 15th (more details to follow!). Neighbour Night runs every 1st and 3rd Thursday of the month from 5:30pm-7:30pm. Check out our calendar for all HSCA programs, recreation, and events.
When we couldn't get together in the community during the pandemic, I was able to offer online movie screenings via ZOOM from CBC Gem. Guest speakers joined for a couple of the screenings, C-Jae Breiter stars in Arctic Vets and Uytae Lee hosts Stories About Here. I love short films and was happy, Shaye (HSCA’s Community Connections Coordinator) asked for some movie night ideas for June.
To celebrate Indigenous People's Month, I have a few films picked out. We always start with the Calgary Foundation Land Acknowledgement, because it allows Indigenous people to talk about their stories and in a small way show us our connection to the land. The first two are Alberta stories where we will recognize familiar landscapes. Then because I've been to Thompson, Manitoba and Daniel Roher won an Oscar this year, I chose Becoming Nakuset. More than Gold peeks into Yukon Indigenous cultural connections to the land. Lastly, if we have time and interest Shaman's Apprentice is the only animated, subtitled and fictional film in the line-up.
If you can't join us on June 1, all the film selections are available for free on CBC Gem.
From the Farm Crime series (20 min)
My Father's Horses (Stoney Nakoda)
When a Nakoda Elder discovers three of his beloved paint horses missing, he turns to his daughter, who has her own unique connection to the animals, for help.
Stuff the British Stole (22 min)
The Crow Flies (Blackfoot)
Sign a deal with Queen Victoria or face disease and devastation? That was a choice facing one of Canada’s proudest leaders. But did the British forces then literally steal the shirt from his back?
Becoming Nakuset (Cree) was produced by academy award winner Daniel Roher (13 min)
As a small child, Nakuset was taken from her home in Thompson, Manitoba and adopted into a Jewish family in Montreal. The story of how she reclaimed her Indigenous identity, with help from her Bubby.
More than Gold (12 min)
Meet Indigenous business-owner, Joella Hogan who uses her soap company to preserve the culture and language of the Yukon’s Northern Tutchone people.
Shaman's Apprentice (subtitled) (20 min)
A young shaman must face her first test—a trip underground to visit Kannaaluk, The One Below, who holds the answers to why a community member has become ill.