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Spirit Doctors

This short documentary journeys into the spiritual world of traditional Indigenous medicine, a world inhabited by Dr. Mary Louie (a spiritual leader of the Syilx or Okanagan Nation), and her husband Ed Louie. With a lifetime of experience in the ways of spirituality, they are committed to practices that keep them accountable to the spirit world, their people, and Mother Earth. When one of the crew members get sick while shooting, his subsequent care is recorded for the purposes of this film.
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This short documentary journeys into the spiritual world of traditional Indigenous medicine, a world inhabited by Dr. Mary Louie (a spiritual leader of the Syilx or Okanagan Nation), and her husband Ed Louie. With a lifetime of experience in the ways of spirituality, they are committed to practices that keep them accountable to the spirit world, their people, and Mother Earth. When one of the crew members get sick while shooting, his subsequent care is recorded for the purposes of this film.

Health and Medicine Religion, Beliefs and Ethics Indigenous Peoples in Canada (First Nations and Métis) All subjects
Indigenous Cinema
  • writer
    Marie Burke
  • director
    Marie Burke
  • producer
    Bonnie Thompson
  • director of photography
    René Sioui Labelle
  • additional camera
    Daron Donahue
    Trevor Wilson
  • sound recordist
    Don Howell
  • additional sound
    Norm Thompson
    Downy Karvonen
  • editor
    Doug Forbes
  • narrator
    Marie Burke
  • original music
    Tony Alexis
    Don Howell
  • consultant
    Bert Crowfoot
    Annie Parker
    Narcisse Blood
    Jenny Cardinal
    Christine Welsh
  • researcher
    Elizabeth Klinck
  • audio post-production
    Sonus Post Audio
    Downy Karvonen
    Jerry Krepakevich
  • music performer
    Tony Alexis
    Shannon Alexis
  • video post-production
    Kaizen West Productions
    Dave Proc
  • graphic design
    Rat Creek Design
    Kim Clegg
  • production assistant
    Susan Lewis
    Claudette Laflamme
  • production coordinator
    Ginette D'Silva
    Faye Yoneda
  • production supervisor
    Kelly Isaac
  • marketing manager
    Kay Leung
  • program administrator
    Darin Clausen
  • executive producer
    Graydon McCrea

Education

Ages 16 to 18
School subjects
Ethics and Religious Culture - Religious Diversity/Heritage Geography - Environmental Issues Indigenous Studies - Identity/Society Physical Education - Outdoor Education Science - Earth Science and Geology Science - Life Systems/Ecology

This documentary can inspire research, discussion, projects and entry points for developing foundational knowledge in relation to holistic healing. What is holistic healing from a First Nations perspective and how can it function alongside present-day medicine? Consider how people as well as the land may need healing. What is reciprocity in terms of First Nations worldview and Protocols? Why is it important to learn the Protocols of an Elder in order to establish and maintain relationships? What were the underlying intentions of making it illegal for “Indians” to practise their traditional medical harvesting and ceremonies for healing? What does it mean to make an offering and how does this reflect worldview? What is the significance of oral culture in contrast to a culture bound by written words? What does it mean to be in balance with nature? What is the relationship between medicine, people and the land? How can traditional methods of healing be passed down to future generations? What is experiential learning and how can it fit into today’s educational pedagogies? 

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