This cultural documentary project weaves together languages, arts, cultures and heritage with funding from FPCC!
June 21 is National Indigenous Peoples’ Day – a day to celebrate the diverse cultures, heritage and contributions of Indigenous peoples across B.C. and Canada. June is also a time to reflect on Indigenous history – those who came before us and what we can learn from them.
In acknowledgement, FPCC is sharing the premiere of a documentary produced by Carrier Sekani Family Services, which was supported through FPCC’s Braided Knowledge Grant. This funding supports projects that weave together the revitalization of languages, arts, cultures and heritage.
So’ Has Nees Yeh (To be Raised in a Good Way)
Carrier Sekani Family Service (CSFS) filmed and produced “So’ Has Nees Yeh” (To Be Raised in a Good Way) a documentary rooted in oral narrative that aims to preserve connectivity to land and identity by sharing traditional knowledge and cultural practices for future generations. The title was gifted by Hereditary Chief Helen Michelle to emphasize the importance of connections to one’s family, culture and land as well as a child’s right to be raised well.
CSFS has been offering holistic wellness services to member nations for over 30 years. They have offices across the interior, northern B.C. and in Vancouver. CSFS was created to reassert First Nations control of justice, health, social and family services. The documentary project was born from the good work of two departments that combined their project ideas to collaborate on an impactful digitization of storytelling and traditional knowledge sharing.
In this documentary, four Hereditary Chiefs and Knowledge Holders from Carrier and Sekani Member Nations, including Saik’uz First Nation, Skin Tyee First Nation and Lake Babine Nation share songs, traditional practices and personal stories incorporating Carrier and Sekani ways of being. The stories shared in the documentary weave together the importance of language, the land, tradition and the value of protecting and passing this knowledge.
“Every time I go to the bush, I remember things. The smells and sights trigger my memory, and I remember that time with my grandparents, my mother and father, or my aunts and uncles,” explains Rodney Teed, Saik’uz First Nation – Grouse Clan. “That’s the passing on of culture. It’s making time to go out on the territory to fish or to hunt. Your kids and grandkids need to know this, they need to know their history.”
Lhghehc’ahts’odlee (let’s take care of one another, Nedut’en)
The goal of the documentary is to ensure that Carrier languages, arts, cultures and heritage remain a resource for future generations. The documentary makes an important contribution to CSFS communities’ history and cultural knowledge. It helps protect and ensure collective Carrier cultural identity.
The documentary was presented to the community on May 29, 2023, Elders, youth, children and other community members gathered to have dinner and watch the film. Everyone then joined in a circle to share how they felt about the documentary and its themes of culture and identity.
Julie Scoble, Community Engagement Coordinator, noted how engaged the kids and youth were in the discussion and how many questions they had for the Elders. She believes that what they learned from the documentary leads to a deeper sense of belonging.
“I think one of the biggest parts of well-being is belonging,” says Julie. “If you know that you’re from, let’s say bear clan, and that’s your potlatch house, it gives space for further conversations that create a deeper sense of belonging, which I think are the building blocks of wellbeing, identity and belonging.”
Dik ‘alewhlhdzin (lift each other up, Nedut’en)
The project was also an opportunity to honour the knowledge held by community Elders. Those who participated were excited to be involved, but it took some of them a little while to open up. Once they did, they wanted to continue sharing.
“I think that was one of the biggest impacts for me,” says Julie. “Just watching the Elders really commit to and invest in the interviews, being real and open and honest with their sharing. I found that quite beautiful.”
The creation of “So’ Has Nees Yeh” was funded through FPCC’s Braided Knowledge Grant, which supports projects where arts, languages, cultures and heritage are connected and aligned with Indigenous ways of knowing and being.
“The amount of knowledge that you’re going to gain in trying to help other people learn is monumental. You’re going to build relationships. You’re going to understand things from a different perspective,” explains Julie on the creation of the documentary. “If you learn and grow and adapt, this kind of experiential learning is impactful and deep.”
We invite you to watch the complete documentary below. It was created, filmed and produced by CSFS staff Momo Arakawa and Julie Scoble, and Stephen St Laurent of VideoNexus.
We raise our hands to the staff at CSFS, the Elders, Knowledge Sharers and all of those who contributed to this project and honour their good work for their communities.
Funding for the FPCC Braided Knowledge Grant has been made possible through the generous support of the Tamalpais Trust Fund of RSF Social Finance and the Indigenous Knowledge Holders Fund of RSF Social Finance.
All photos provided by Carrier Sekani Family Services.
When possible, language recordings were shared from the public Nedut’en (Lake Babine Nation) site on FirstVoices.com using Soundcite.
LEARN MORE
Find more information on FPCC’s Heritage Programs here.
Read community stories about Heritage grant recipients here.
View Heritage resources here.
View all current FPCC funding opportunities here.
Learn more about Nedu’ten on the First Peoples’ Map
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