Film Review- Seeking Bimaadiziiwin

Film Review: Seeking Bimaadiziiwin ( Seeking the Good Life)

"Suicide is now among the leading causes of death in First Nations peoples in Canada between the ages of 10-24."

"Seeking Bimaadiziiwin" (Seeking the Good Life) is a 31 minute film meant to be used as a therapeutic tool to promote understanding and start a discussion with youth. It is also an award winning film that illustrates the diversity within modern Anishinaabe culture and demonstrates the resiliency of First Nations people despite the many issues that they face on a regular basis. Issues represented in the film include racism, historic trauma, depression and suicide.

Life on the reserve, family problems and the death of a close friend pushes the main character of this film-Kaitlyn into a deep depression. Following a suicide attempt and a lengthy hospital stay in a city away from her reserve, she goes into group therapy with three other Anishinaabe youth. Though Kaitlyn and the other youth have a long way to go before recovering, the steps they make are enough to make you tear up inside.

Depression, suicide and racism are all very delicate issues but "Seeking Bimaadiziiwin" does a great job of showing the diversity of First Nations youth, and how despite differences in their backgrounds and personal struggles, all the youth  in the film,  learn to find strength and support with each other. Especially poignant is when the youth all go to a drum circle, and you see the smiles on their faces as the drum beat fills the room they're in and they witness the singing and dancing.

This community film project was written by Michelle Derosier of Eagle Lake First Nation (Thunderstone Pictures) and was shot on Super 16mm film for maximum production value and filmed in 2007. 

"Seeking Bimaadiziiwin" was part of a multmedia initiative that includes a documentary and a workbook and was commissioned by the First Nations Initiative organization. The First Nations Initiative organization is dedicated to promoting, celebrating, and enriching First Nations culture and values.

For more information regarding this film, please visit the following link:

WWW.FIRSTNATIONINITIATIVE.CA

And please...don't be afraid to reach out and ask for help if you or a loved one needs it. 

An Exercise in Memory: I Remember

The exercise below comes from my all time favorite book "Old Friend from Far Away: The Practice of Writing Memoir," written by Natalie Goldberg.

Starting an exercise with "I Remember" for ten minutes hits smack dab into the heart of memoir. It produces a smattering of unconnected memories, and Goldberg relates that  "because memory doesn't work so directly, you need to wake up different angles."

"I Remember" is one of those exercises that wakes up memory in many different ways. Here is what I came up with, after ten minutes of writing.

I Remember:
By: Christine McFarlane

I remember long gray days where the rain wouldn't stop and I just wanted to hide.

I remember tears sliding down my face and trying to compose myself when I heard over the phone that you had passed on.

I remember days where we would sit in comfortable silence. No words were necessary, we were just happy to be with each other. I miss you.

I remember my first cell phone. A gray clunky Motorola that I couldn't just fit into my back pocket like the phone that I have now. Oh remembering that, brings a smile to my face and makes me laugh at how technology used to be and how it has advanced so much.

I remember the day you entered my life and you told me you would always cheer for me because you knew I had the potential to succeed.

I remember my first interview and how I couldn't sit still. My nerves were just shot with the question "will I get this job or not?"

I remember drinking the first extra large coffee from Tim Horton's when they first changed their  cup sizes and how I buzzed around afterwards.

I remember my first cigarette. I didn't even inhale, I thought it made me look cool but now I understand why its so hard to quit something that has become an addiction.

I remember the day I called my sister when I was ten years old and the phone had been disconnected. I felt shattered and all alone. No one understood why.

I remember....I remember....

the memories are plentiful.  some sad, some happy. some making me laugh and some making me cry.

I remember...I remember...

Memories can be hard, but I would rather have some than have none at all.

Official Poster for The 5th Annual Indigenous Writer's Gathering!

Stop the Injustice- Support BILL 110!

Photo By: Christine McFarlane

Toronto September 27, 2012- Today First Nations child advocates met at the steps of the legislature at Queen's Park to support Bill 110. 

Bill 110 is An Act to amend the Ombudsmen Act with respect to Children's Aid Societies, and was put forth by Liberal MPP Monique Taylor. The Bill 110 amends the Ombudsmen Act to allow the Ombudsmen to investigate any decision or recommendation made or any act done or omitted in the course of the administration of a Children's Aid Society.

The government of Ontario needs to allow our Ombudsmen to investigate our Children's Aid Societies so that they will have the oversight and accountability that is necessary. You may ask why Bill 110 is necessary, and here is why- Aboriginal children are dramatically over-represented in child welfare across Canada. The Auditor General, for instance, estimates that First Nations children are 6-8 times more likely to be placed in foster care than non-Aboriginal children.

It is also clear that First Nations registered children make up the largest proportion of Aboriginal children entering child welfare care and are also admitted in child welfare care at higher rates than Metis children. The number of registered First Nations children entering child welfare rose 71.5% nationally with the highest increases in Ontario between 1996 and 2001.

To support this Bill and help end the over representation of First Nations/Aboriginal children in Children's Aid Care, please contact your MPP. Call, email... do what you can. As a survivor of the CAS system, this injustice needs to stop and needs to stop now.

For more information about the rise of First Nations children in care, please visit the following websites

www.blakout.ca

www.fixcas.com

www.ontariocfa.com

www.canadacourtwatch.com

and the last two sites to take a look at are

www.afathersnightmare.com and www.casontario.blogspot.com

Thursday October 18, 2012- The 5th Annual Indigenous Writer's Gathering at First Nations House

The 5^th Annual Indigenous Writer’s Gathering at First Nations House (at the University of Toronto

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 18, 2012

The 5^th Annual Indigenous Writers Gathering at First Nations House (at the University of Toronto)

563 Spadina Cres, Toronto ON 3^rd floor (Spadina north of College, south of Bloor)

All events are FREE and Open to the Public

Breakfast with the Writers: 10-11am Stop by for food, coffee and tea with all the writers from the Gathering

Session 1: Rogarou Stories: Traditional Metis Folk Stories with Lee Maracle, Cherie Dimaline and Marilyn Dumont

11:30am -12:30pm

Session 2: Fiction Workshop with Richard Wagamese (arrive early to secure a spot)

1:00 – 2:30pm

Session 3: Declaring and Taking Back the Power of Words with Daniel Justice

3 – 4 pm

Session 4: PANEL- Indigenous Literature- Where we have been and where we need to go

with Richard Wagamese, Lee Maracle, Marilyn Dumont and Daniel Justice

 4- 5:30 pm

Join us for the Launch of Muskrat Magazine, Issue #3

And the Indigenous Writers’ Gathering Gala Event

At the Capitol Theatre (www.capitolevents.ca)

HOSTED By the CBC’s SID BOBB and WAB KINEW

Starring:

Renowned orator and writer Lee Maracle

Acclaimed science fiction writer Daniel Justice

Award winning poet Marilyn Dumont

And Bestselling author Richard Wagamese

Special reading by former Lieutenant Governor and author James Bartleman

SPECIAL GUESTS:

Cree cellist sensation CRIS DERKSEN and

World Champion Hoop dancer and Canada’s Got Talent Finalist LISA ODJIG

Buy books at the Good Minds booth and get them signed by your favourite authors

First 150 guests will join us for a FREE cocktail hour with refreshments served

Doors Open and Cocktail Hour at 7:30PM

Just north of the Eglinton Subway Stop

3 blocks north of Eglinton on Yonge

Parking available

Congratulations on the 3rd anniversary of the defeat of Site 41

UN News Centre Release

United Nations News Centre

18 September 2012 – Violence against women and girls and the indiscriminate extraction of natural resources are among the most pressing issues that indigenous peoples face today, a United Nations human rights expert said today.

“A recurring issue that has come to my attention in various contexts is that of violence against indigenous women and girls,” said the Special Rapporteur on the rights of indigenous peoples, James Anaya, in his statement to the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva.

In the past year, Mr. Anaya has collaborated with various countries, UN agencies and indigenous peoples in several studies and country assessments on the challenges indigenous peoples face on a daily basis. He has also made recommendations to States of good practices and responded to cases of alleged human rights violations.

Indigenous self-determination and cultural integrity must be enhanced, along with efforts that are designed to prevent and punish violence against indigenous women and girls.

Mr. Anaya said that in his talks with representatives on indigenous issues, they had stressed the need for a holistic approach to combat violence against indigenous women and girls. The implementation of the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, he stressed, will be crucial to address this issue.

Adopted by the General Assembly in September 2007 after more than two decades of debate, the Declaration sets out the individual and collective rights of indigenous peoples, as well as their rights to culture, identity, language, employment, health, education and other issues.

“In particular, indigenous self-determination and cultural integrity must be enhanced, along with efforts that are designed to prevent and punish violence against indigenous women and girls,” he said.

Mr. Anaya also pointed to the extractive industries as a source of tension, as companies do not tend to consult with indigenous peoples before beginning work on their property.

“There is now a common, often narrow focus on principles of consultation and free, prior and informed consent,” he said. “A better approach starts with examination of the primary substantive rights of indigenous peoples that may be implicated in natural resource extraction.

“These include, in particular, rights to property over land and natural resources; rights to culture, religion, and health; and the right of indigenous peoples to set and pursue their own priorities for development, as part of their fundamental right to self-determination.”

One of the fundamental problems with the current model in the extractive industries, Mr. Anaya said, was that extractive projects are developed by corporations with some or little involvement from Governments, but without participation from indigenous communities which are greatly affected by these initiatives. Greater participation and control would bring benefits to the indigenous population, he added.

During his statement Mr. Anaya also presented his reports on the situation of indigenous peoples in Argentina and the United States, reiterating that while positive steps have been taken by both governments to advance indigenous rights, much more remains to be done.

Follow the link below for news article:

http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=42924&Cr=indigenous&Cr1#.UFr5o0IrR8t