A documentary about how Native people have overcome pressures to give up their cultures has won four prizes at the first Aboriginal Film Awards.
Storytellers of the Pacific: Identity picked up four awards at the gala awards banquet held in Edmonton in May.
“We are celebrating these incredible triumphs of human spirit – that’s what people here were reacting to,” said one of the documentary’s producers.
The documentary, to be televised this fall in Canada and the U.S., tells the tale of First Nations cultures from the point of view of Native storytellers from Canada, Alaska, the mainland U.S., Mexico, Guam, Hawai’i, Samoa, New Zealand and Australia.
Two actors from the TV show The Rez (no relation – Ed.) also won awards – Ryan Black, who plays Silas Crow, and Jennifer Podemski, who plays Sadie Maracle.
North of 60’s Tina Keeper (cousin of Nation computer consultant Erland Campbell) took the award for Best Female Actor.
