Writing the Land
In this short documentary, a Musqueam elder rediscovers his Native language and traditions in the city of Vancouver, near where the Musqueam people have lived for thousands of years. Writing the Land captures the ever-changing nature of a modern city - the glass and steel towers cut against the sky, grass, trees and a sudden flash of birds in flight and the enduring power of language to shape perception and create memory.
In this short documentary, a Musqueam elder rediscovers his Native language and traditions in the city of Vancouver, near where the Musqueam people have lived for thousands of years.
Writing the Land captures the ever-changing nature of a modern city - the glass and steel towers cut against the sky, grass, trees and a sudden flash of birds in flight and the enduring power of language to shape perception and create memory.
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writerKevin Lee Burton
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directorKevin Lee Burton
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producerSelwyn Jacob
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cinematographerHelen Haig-Brown
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editorHelen Haig-BrownEliot Piltz
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sound designTony Papa
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sound supervisionTony Papa
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online editorEliot Piltz
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colouristEliot Piltz
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re-recording mixerJeff Yellen
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editing consultantTony Papa
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post-production servicesAvanti Pictures
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production coordinatorJennifer Roworth
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technical coordinatorWes Machnikowski
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production supervisorKathryn Lynch
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marketing managerKay Leung
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program administratorBruce Hagerman
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executive producerRina Fraticelli
This documentary can inspire research, discussion, projects and entry points for developing foundational knowledge in relation to First Nations language, connection to the land and survival. How important is learning language related to knowing who you are as a First Nations person? How are First Nations languages connected to the land and spirituality? What would be the significance of learning original First Nations place names of landmarks within Canada? How has urban sprawl affected the health and well-being of First Nations people? What does traditional, ancestral and unceded territory mean in terms of First Nations in what is now Canada? Who are the Musqueam and where is their original territory? How has the Musqueam land base shifted over time and how is this a reflection of the disregard for First Nations lives and livelihood? Like the plants that grow amidst concrete, how do the Musqueam continue to flourish and thrive?
More educational content
Writing the Land, Kevin Lee Burton, provided by the National Film Board of Canada