"These stories are love letters to the places we are from:" Stories from the Land
Inspired by Anishinaabe comedian Ryan McMahon's hit podcast series, Stories from the Land is a four-part series that brings viewers deep into the connections that First Nations people have between land, culture and community.
"These stories are love letters to the places we are from," says McMahon.
The series features four different communities to paint a picture of First Nations identity. Each episode is a collection of documentary stories, interviews and landscapes woven together by an inspired visual tapestry, featuring music by Mohawk musician DJ Shub.
Wiigwaasabak: The Tree of Life
Helen Peltier, who is Anishinaabe from Fort William First Nation, has reconnected to her culture and community through the humble birch bark tree.
For Anishinaabe people, the birch tree is a cornerstone of the culture. For generations, birch bark has been used in many different applications. Learning about this tree, the seasons and how its parts all work together has re-connected Helen to the land and her community. Along with Audrey Duroy, a knowledge keeper, Helen strives for a deeper understanding about the tree of life: Wiigwaasabak.
Kay-Nah-Chi-Wah-Nung
Ryan McMahon visits the sacred site of Kay-Nah-Chi-Wah-Nung in Northwestern Ontario.
The sacred burial mound site was protected as part of an original land claim in the 1980s and 90s. It has since become a source of community and cultural pride among youth and elders.
We meet Casey and Seth, two youth from neighbouring Manitou Rapids, one of two communities within Rainy River First Nations. They've reconnected to their culture through their jobs as tour guides at the mounds site.
We also meet Art Hunter, a knowledge keeper from Rainy River First Nations, who talks about the deep connection between culture and this land.
Next we meet Sonny, a former chief who was present when the negotiations over protecting the mound site were part of the land claim settlement.
Finally, Ryan shares his own reflections on what this place and this land means to him and the Anishinaabe people of the area. This episode paints a clear picture of how land and the protection of sacred sites is crucial to the cultural strength of First Nations people.
The Last Fishermen
In Fort Frances, Ont., the long-standing commercial fishing industry on one of the largest lake systems in North America is on the verge of disappearing.
The Tucker family has the only two remaining active fishermen on Rainy Lake inside their ranks.
Brian and Blaine Tucker have seen the fishing operations dwindle to a slim shadow of what they used to be.
For Brian and Lynn Tucker the operation is more than just a business. It's a reason for family to come together, rally and re-form the familial bonds broken by the residential school system.
Blaine Tucker knows that this multi-generation livelihood and way of life could soon come to an end — he doesn't see anyone in his family taking over when he retires.
Industry pressures, government restrictions and conflict from locals all add to the reasons this industry is faltering, but it does not change the fact that this family will always have a deep connection to this lake and this land.
Corn Soup
The making of traditional corn soup is knowledge that has been passed down through multiple generations of the Six Nations of the Grand River in Ontario.
For Karl Docksteader, making the soup represents a chance for his old life as a Red Seal Chef and new life as a community leader to come together.
He, along with Edgar Ahosenae, a knowledge keeper, work together to create this soup using the traditional methods.
As we learn about the soup and how it's made, we also learn about how the process is deeply rooted in the culture. From the way the corn is harvested, to the way hardwood ashes are used as part of the process, to the way the soup is distributed to the elders of the community as an acknowledgement of the work they do. All from a humble bowl of corn soup.
Watch the entire series on CBC Gem.