ĆELÁṈEN TŦE ṮEṮÁĆES Video Launch and Celebration

ĆELÁṈEN TŦE ṮEṮÁĆES translates in the SENĆOŦEN language spoken by W̱SÁNEĆ Nations as “Birthright/heritage of/to/for our relatives of the deep”. Relatives of the deep refers to the many Islands in the Salish Sea in traditional W̱SÁNEĆ and Coast Salish territory.
Join us for the public premiere of the animated ṮEṮÁĆES Origin story, followed by ĆELÁṈEN TŦE ṮEṮÁĆES a brand-new feature video focused on the W̱SÁNEĆ worldview and relationship with their traditional territory and ṮEṮÁĆES (called the Gulf Islands by colonial government). The feature film focuses on S,ḴŦAḴ, (Mayne) and S,DÁYES (Pender) Islands.
Directors SXEDTELISIYE (Renee Sampson) and Tye Swallow and W̱SÁNEĆ Elders, Videographer Alex Harris and other collaborators and partners will be present.
Background Information
Background – Info on Video Series from W̱SÁNEĆ School Board website
The videos were produced by the ṮEṮÁĆES Revitalization Project co-led by the Southern Gulf Island Community Resource Centre (CRC) and the W̱SÁNEĆ School Board (WSB) with core funding from the Real Estate Foundation of BC. Other funding and in-kind support was provided by a number of community partners including the W̱SB, W̱SÁNEĆ Leadership Council, PEPAKEṈ HÁUTW̱ Foundation, Raincoast Conservation Foundation, the Living Lab Network and UVic, the South Pender Historical Society and the Capital Regional District.
The land sovereignty video in particular draws upon traditional knowledge and SENĆOŦEN language to help settlers understand that W̱SÁNEĆ people belong to the land and have for time immemorial. The video clearly explains why colonial notions of land ownership do not apply to W̱SÁNEĆ’s relationship with ṮEṮÁĆES.

Category: Arts | Visual Arts | Film / Cinema