The 3rd annual
NATIVE SPIRIT FESTIVAL
30 Oct - 6 Nov 2009 LONDON
The 3rd annual
NATIVE SPIRIT FESTIVAL
The 3rd Native Spirit Festival is an annual season of films, talks and performances promoting the Cultures of Indigenous people. Through the arts, the festival aims to promote cultural exchange, self-respect, social and environmental awareness. For more than 500 years indigenous people have suffered the consequences of European invasion. The monopolisation of the mass media has perpetuated a false image of their culture in order to eradicate it. The festival intends to give back a voice the indigenous, to recount history from their perspective and to share their diverse cultures and wisdom. From dark peat gold mines to frozen Artic Planes, city streets to mountain pastures, this year’s festival takes us on a journey across the Indigenous landscape and what it means to be a Native in today’s fast changing world. Discovering lost identity whilst defending ancient rights for the generations to come, characterise this year’s selection of films made by and with indigenous communities from across the globe. The Festival is a project of the Native Spirit Foundation which aims to bring people closer to the truths and realities of the indigenous peoples and supports indigenous schools and educational projects in indigenous communities.
For more information and for the latest update of this year’s Festival programme please visit the website www.nativespiritfestival.com
THE ELDER GRANDPARENTS by Freddy Treuquil
They who always existed
First they were stars changed their light one became sun the other moon and the latter turned into earth The first chant was the murmur like the cry of a new born Before the word the heart beat was there Before the fire warmth already existed The moon with its tears formed the rivers and these the sea The volcanoes took the fire from the sun The earth was formed from the mixture of water and heat The second chant was the sound of the river of the sea and the roar of the volcano With this chant the earth grew hair From the hair the air and slowly the circle of the sacred equilibrium was taking shape.
Fri 30 Oct 18:00 AMNESTY
Fri 30 Oct 21:00 AMNESTY
INTERNATIONAL session 1
Festival Opening with Indigenous Poetry Presenting Albert Pellicer, Rikki Shields and guests
The Gift of Pachamama Kunturi is thirteen years old and growing up near the Salar de Uyuni in Bolivia. Here families still earn their living by harvesting salt and using it to barter for staples on the "Ruta de la Sal." Following a familial loss, Kunturi is deemed mature enough to join his father Sauci for the annual three-month journey along the salt route. Dir Toshifumi Matsushita | Aymara & Quechua People | BoliviaJapan-USA 2008 | cert. PG | 104min
INTERNATIONAL session 2
Share the wealth A Native woman (Casey Camp-Horinek) on an urban street encounters stereotyped misunderstanding. Dir Bennie Klain | Navajo Nation | USA 2006 | 8min
President Evo This film, co-narrated between the filmmaker and Evo himself, tells the story of how Bolivia’s first indigenous President managed to re-write the Constitution, re-distribute the land among poor peasants and nationalise the gas industry, as these events were actually unfolding. Dir Rodrigo Vazquez | Aymara and Quechua People | Bolivia-UK 2009 | cert. PG | 44 mins Followed by a Q&A with director Rodrigo Vasquez
Sat 31 Oct 18:00 AMNESTY
Sat 31 Oct 19:30 AMNESTY
INTERNATIONAL session 1
Meet the Prick Certainly a unique documentary about a unique man, this film offers a look at the clash of cultures, where one man, very openly outspoken, who would prefer to remain one of the "children of the mist," forces the question to be asked, what is wrong with not wanting to be part of today's modern societies? Dir Ilya Ruppeldt | Tuhoe-Maori People | New Zealand 2008 | 26mins | cert. PG
La Yerbabuena: A Community in Resistance In Colima, west of Mexico, peasant communities, who have lived for generations at the foot of the volcano, are now being evicted from their land. A few families decided to stay on their land and went into resistance with the support of the Zapatistas and other peoples. This is one of seven documentaries made by Terra Nostra Films www.terranostrafilms.com Dir Nicolas Defosse | Mexico 2007 | cert. PG | 39min
INTERNATIONAL session 2
Rightful Place In 1974, the Endorois community was evicted from their sacred lands to make way for a game reserve and tourist resort. Today the Endorois decide to take their claims for reparations and restitution to the highest regional human rights body, the African Commission on Human and People’s Rights. Rightful Place is an intimate film of a people in search of justice. Dir Endorois Community | Endorois People | Kenya 2007 | cert. PG | 16min
Pidlisan's Gold Amongst the tranquil rice fields in the North Philippines, world famous for the ancient irrigation systems, things are changing at a worrying pace. This UNESCO initiated “ICT4ID” film project aims at preserving indigenous peoples’ cultural resources, which are endangered by the globalisation process. Dir Wiek Lenssen and Igorot participants | Igorot People | Philippines-Netherlands 2006 | cert. PG | 40min Followed by a Q&A with director Wiek Lenssen
Sat 31 Oct 21:20 AMNESTY
Mon 2 Nov 18:30 16MM
INTERNATIONAL session 3
session 1
This is me
The Fantastic Fair
A personal story chronicling the filmmaker's experience with bullying. Dir David Sam (Ojibwe) | USA 2008 | cert. PG | 4min
Art video piece made from image and sound recordings taken in 1991 during the celebration of “Jocotenango’s Fair”, the most important popular feast in Guatemala City. Dir Igor de Gandarias | Maya People | Guatemala 1998 | 16min
Like Father Like Daughter Christine, like her father, battles with alcoholism. Dir Christine Rock | USA 2009 | cert. PG | 6min
American Outrage Two elderly Western Shoshone sisters, the Danns, have put up a heroic fight for their land rights and human rights for nearly forty years. American Outrage documents their courageous stand against the U.S. government's unlawful attempts to take over traditional Shoshone land in Nevada. Dirs George & Beth Gage | Shoshone People | USA 2008 | cert. PG | 57 mins
Sami Nieida Jojk Director Liselotte’s skilfully animated documentary is a road movie into Samiland. Armed in a Kolt she is determined to take her place among the people she belongs to. In spite of being Sami herself, she has stood outside the Sami community, bereft of the language and culture. In this film she documents the discovery and return to her roots. Dir Liselotte Waistedt | Sami People | Sweden 2007 | 58min + Ongoing: An exhibition of Indigenous art and craft will be showcased at 16MM
Mon 2 Nov 20:00 16MM
Tue 3 Nov 18:30 16MM
session 2
session 1
The Tunguska Project
Rez life
A century ago, an explosion the equivalent of 1,000 atomic bombs devastated over 2,000 km2 of forest where the Indigenous Evenki reindeer herders of central Siberia live. Internationally renowned Cree playwright Floyd Favel is seized by the need to understand, not what it was, but what it meant to the Evenki people. Dir Gisele Gordon | Cree & Evenki People | Canada 2005 | 82min
A group of young Native Americans question what it means to become a man. Dir David Aleck, Nick Clark and Martin Edwards | USA 2005 | 3min
Canoe pulling – A Lummi way of Life Young Indigenous people gather to practice this traditional art and keep their culture alive. Dir Sara London & Lummi Cedar Project | USA 2008 | 7min
Weaving Worlds An exploration of the intricate relationships between Navajo rug weavers and reservation traders, this insightful documentary reveals the delicate balance between maintaining cultural traditions, economic survival, and the artistic validation sought by many weavers. Dir Bennie Klain | Navajo People | USA 2008 | 57min
Tue 3 Nov 20:00 16MM
Tue 3 Nov 18:00 BOLIVAR HALL
session 2
session 1
Ullumi
Blossoms of Fire
In 50 years the Inuit have gone from the igloo to the internet. This film takes a critical look at the major challenges facing their future and their society. The importance of the Inuktitut language and the reconciliation between tradition and modernity are at the heart of their preoccupations. Dir Lena Ellsworth, Qajaaq Ellsworth, Evie Mark, Tunu Napartuk | Inuit People | Canada 2007 | 52min
This film celebrates the extraordinary lives of the Isthmus Zapotecs of southern Oaxaca, Mexico. The Isthmus Zapotecs, whose culture is rooted in a strong work ethic and fierce independent streak, have resulted not only in powerful women, but also in the region’s progressive politics and an unusual tolerance of alternative gender roles. Dir Maureen Gosling | Zapoteco People | Mexico-USA 2004 | 57min Followed by a Talk: ‘Indigenous Europe before patriachal society’ with Guillermo Piquero, Authr of The Aboriginal Path + guests
Taina-Kan, the Big Star This is an animated short which tells the Karajá legend about the start of agriculture and its connection with the appearance of a constellation. Dir Adriana Figuereiro | Karajá People | Brazil 2006 | 15min + Ongoing: An exhibition of Indigenous art and craft will be showcased at 16MM
Wed 4 Nov 18:00 16MM
Tue 3 Nov 20:00 BOLIVAR HALL
session 1
session 2
Indigenous Poetry by Rikki Shields, Albert Pellicer & Guests The Yaqui Assembly On October 24th, 2006, Sub-comandante Marcos visits the elder authority of Yaqui Indigenous People in Vicam village, Sonora, north-western Mexico. The Yaqui perform a Deer Dance on the stage reminding us that they keep their indigenous culture alive. This is one of seven documentaries made by Terra Nostra Films www.terranostrafilms.com Dir Nicolas Defosse | Yaqui People | Mexico 2006 | 20min
A Journey of the Spirit This films portraits a poetic haunting journey by an Aboriginal Australian who in 1985 brings his Ancestors message to Europe. He uses prose, adages, verse, and silence on a mesmerising trek of hope for this internationally acclaimed story. Dir Rikki Shields | Aboriginal People | Australia 1987 | 24min Followed by a Q&A with director Rikki Shields
Herdswoman Aina, Elisabeth and Lisa belong to different generations. Their stories reflect life in Sapmi (Lapland) and the transition from nomadic existence to modern society. When a court case questions their ancient rights to the reindeers’ pasture their life as reindeer keepers is at risk. Dir Kine Boman | Sami People | Sweden 2008 | 58min + Ongoing: An exhibition of Indigenous art and craft will be showcased at 16MM
Wed 4 Nov 20:30 16MM
Wed 4 Nov 19:15 16MM
session 3
session 2
The Whispering of the Trees A Peoples’ livelihood balances on the braches of the Monkey Puzzle Tree, the Mapuche Pehuenche – People of the Araucaria as it is known to the Native Mapuche of the Southern Chilean Andes. Beautifully shot this film tells the story of a family who leave their home each year and move to the forest in order to gather its fruits. Dir Tom Lemke | Mapuche People | Chile-Germany 2008 | 55min + Ongoing: An exhibition of Indigenous art and craft will be showcased at 16MM
Bunky Echo Hawk – profile of a proactive Artist Echo-Hawk, 33, has long been expressing himself through painting and drawing. He believes art is a pathway to re-educating the public and correct stereotypes about Native Americans. Dir Tracy Rector | USA 2007 | 7min
I Hear The Wounded Earth Crying This documentary takes a look at a theatrical arts group who perform the history and contemporary situation of First Nation people in French Quebec. Since the early 70s their performances mix therapy with ritual and historical adaptation to create powerful drama that evokes deep feelings and offers many a release. Dir Philippe Larocque | First Nations of Quebec | Quebec 2009 | 47min
Thur 5 Nov 18:00 16MM
Thur 5 Nov 20:15pm 16MM
session 1
The Voice of the Mapuche A journey through communities on both sides of the Andes, this documentary registers the voices and wisdom of the Mapuche people. Their struggle is to maintain their identity in the face of political, military and multinational attack, but above all it is to protect Mother Nature. Dir Andrea Henríquez & Pablo Fernández | Mapuche People | Argentina-Chile 2009 | 113min + Ongoing: An exhibition of Indigenous art and craft will be showcased at 16MM
session 2
Conversion A visit by Christian missionaries has catastrophic consequences for a family living in a remote corner of the Navajo nation, circa 1950 Dir Nanobah Becker | Navajo People | USA 2006 | 9min
In the footsteps of Yellow Woman A thirteen years old Diné (Navajo) girl learns about herself and her ancestry through the story passed down by her grandmother. Dir Camille Manybeads Tso | Diné (Navajo) People | USA 2009 | 24min
Umiaq Skin Boat Ancient craft, memory and landscape are woven together by a group of Inuit elders who decide to revive an old tradition before the knowledge is lost forever. Dir Jobie Weetaluktuk | Inuit People | Canada 2008 | 31min
Fri 6 Nov 18:00 AMNESTY
Fri 6 Nov 19:00 AMNESTY
INTERNATIONAL
Q’ero: In Search of the Last Incas This film follows the demanding journey to reach the remote and inaccessible community of the Q’eros in the Peruvian Andes, believed to be the last survivors of the Inca bloodline. Researched and Produced by Mo Fini, the founder of Tumi UK who has worked and travelled in Latin America over the last thirty years, it provides a rare insight into the culture, mythology and spiritual values of the Andean people. Dir Zadoc Nava | Q’ero People | Peru-UK 2008 | 41min Followed by a Q&A with Mo Fini
INTERNATIONAL
Spirits for Sale Annika is on a quest to return what does not rightfully belong to her. Her journey across North America leads her deep into the heart of Native communities struggling to come to terms with a new threat. ”First they killed our people. Then they took our land. Now they steal our faith.” Dir Folke Johansson | Native American People | Sweden 2007 | 58min Followed by a Q&A with director Folke Johansson & co-director Annika Banfield
Round Table Forum: Revival of Ancient Thought: The importance on Native wisdom in todays’ world. With special guests: Folke Johansson, director of Spirit for Sale Annika Banfield, co-director of Spirit for Sale Mo Fini, producer & researcher of Q’ero: In Search of the Last Incas Guillermo Piquero, author of The Aboriginal Path Humberto Mancilla Filmmaker & human rights promoter from the Bolivian Embassy, Spain. Rikki Shields, aboriginal poet and artist Chair: Albert Pellicer, poet and co-director of Native Spirit
TICKETS Films are grouped into screening sessions and tickets for these will be available on the door. Advance tickets may also be purchased on the door as well as the festival pass.
AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL HRAC screening sessions are £8/ £7 concessions (Friday 6 Nov will be an all evening session £8/ £7 conc.) Car park and access available for disabled people at Amnesty International HRAC
16MM screening sessions are £5/ £4 concessions BOLIVAR HALL screening sessions are a suggested donation of £5 Festival Pass is £35 All proceedings made at the festival will go towards educational resources for schools in indigenous communities. Please note that this programme may be subject to changes. For up-to-date information please visit our website www.nativespiritfestival.com
VENUES
16mm
19 D’arblay Street, Soho, London W1W 5DF Oxford Circus
Amnesty International Human Rights Action Centre 17-25 New Inn Yard Shoreditch London EC2A 3EA Old Street / Liverpool Street
Bolivar Hall 54 Grafton Way London W1T 5DL Warren Street
NATIVE SPIRIT FOUNDATION P.O Box 60545, London W2 7NF, England www.nativespiritfestival.com SUPPORTED BY
www.tumi.co.uk
PROGRAMME
Screening Sessions
1
2
3
Fri 30 Oct AMNESTY
18:00
21:00
Festival Opening with Indigenous Poetry The Gift of Pachamama
Share the Wealth President Evo + Q&A with Dir Rodrigo Vazquez
Sat 31 Oct AMNESTY
18:00
19:30
21:20
Meet the Prick La Yerbabuena: A Community in Resistance
Rightful Place Pidlisan’s Gold + Q&A with Dir Wiek Lenssen
This is me Like father like daughter American Outrage
Mon 2 Nov 16MM
18:30
8.00pm
The Fantastic Fair Sami Nieida Jojk
The Tunguska Project
Tue 3 Nov 16MM
18:30
20:00
Rez Life Canoe Pulling: A Lummi Way of Life Weaving Worlds
Ullumi Taina-Kan, the Big Star
Tue 3 Nov BOLIVAR HALL
18:00
20:00
Blossoms of Fire + Talk: ‘Indigenous Europe before patriachal society’ with Guillermo Piquero + guests
Indigenous Poetry by Rikki Shields, Albert Pellicer & Guests A journey of the Spirit The Yaqui Assembly
Wed 4 Nov 16MM
18:00
19:15
20:30
Herdswoman
The Whispering of the trees
Bunky Echo Hawk – Profile of a Proactive Artist I hear the wounded earth crying
Thur 5 Nov 16MM
18:00
20:15
The Voice of the Mapuche
Conversion In the footsteps of Yellow Woman Umiaq Skin Boat
Fri 6 Nov AMNESTY
18:00
INTERNATIONAL
INTERNATIONAL
INTERNATIONAL
Q’ero: In search of the last Incas + Q&A with producer and researcher Mo Fini Spirits for Sale + Q&A with Dir Folke Johansson & co-director Annika Banfield Round Table Forum: ‘Revival of Ancient Thought: The importance of Native wisdom in todays’ world’ - with Special Guests
Amnesty International Human Rights Action Centre 17-25 New Inn Yard Shoreditch London EC2A 3EA
Bolivar Hall 54 Grafton Way London W1T 5DL
16mm 19 D’arblay Street, Soho, London W1W 5DF