First Nations Archives | Otaku No Culture

Surviving The City Can Be Rough. In Volume 3: We Are the Medicine What’s Examined is Based on Real Life.

In this graphic novel series, Surviving the City, isn’t just about how one culture is dealing with colonialism, but rather with how many other lives can get affected at the same time.

HighWater Press
Spoiler Alert

Some knowledge of what the graphic novel series, Surviving the City, wants to educate is required to acknowledge what the latest instalment Volume 3: We Are Medicine, hopes to heal. Ever since the news about finding a mass grave of children near a former residential school in Kamloops broke out in 2021, there were a lot of protests and finger pointing. The world blamed people in prominent positions of power of the atrocity. Even now, the after-effects are still ongoing. Some reconciliation has happened since, but what’s presented here as fiction is coming true in the real world after reading “Chief says grave search at B.C. residential school brings things ‘full circle’” from the Kelowna Capital News.

This story by Tasha Spillett (pictured above left) makes up the backdrop where Miikwan and Dez are thinking about their futures. This author/educator/public speaker strives for a world where multiculturalism is embraced and everyone is treated with compassion. It’s basically what Gene Roddenberry envisioned for Star Trek, and everything Sisko would fight for when he travelled back in time and became part of the protests for equal rights in “Past Tense, Parts One and Two (Deep Space 9).”

In this story, these youths want to make the world a better place. They will soon graduate, and instead of figuring out what to wear for their last prom, these two indigenous teens change their plans and want to help after this news broke out. These are wonderful kids. Even Dez, the protagonist from the first two books, gets involved! After her own dealings with “The System,” how she deals with authoritarianism is important too. Continue reading “Surviving The City Can Be Rough. In Volume 3: We Are the Medicine What’s Examined is Based on Real Life.”

Regarding The Great Salish Heist and it’s Vancouver Island Connection According to Leslie D. Bland

This producer said, “The Great Salish Heist is indigenous version of Ocean’s Eleven. Instead of breaking into a casino, they’re going to have to find a way into a museum after hours.”

The Great Salish Heist Movie Poster Leslie D. Bland is a filmmaker who has crafted a lot of documentary style content over the years. In 2021, he and Harold Joe made Tzouhalem, which examined the impact a local legend had in the Vancouver Island region (my coverage can be read here). And to change what they enjoy making together, they produced an action-comedy The Great Salish Heist.

When I last talked to him, this project was in the early stages of pre-production. And now that it’s ready to make its world debut at the Victoria Film Festival (Feb 9 at the Blue Bridge Theatre), they can talk about the concept more! There will be a Q&A after the screening, and for those wondering how this concept came to be, “The original idea is based on Harold’s work,” said Bland. “He’s a cultural worker for the Kwakiutl and other neighbouring Nations, and it was from a pitch he put forth in front of our staff one day.”

Continue reading “Regarding The Great Salish Heist and it’s Vancouver Island Connection According to Leslie D. Bland”

Tzouhalem, A Legend or a Man? An Interview

Chief Tzouhalem is a local hero of the Coast Salish people around British Columbia and this is his story….

Tzouhalem Promotional Poster — **Screening in British Columbia (Please scroll down to end for locations)**

**World Broadcast Premiere**
**on CHEK TV** **March 13th at 7:30 pm**

Chief Tzouhalem is a local legend not everyone knows about. This hero of the Coast Salish people was feared and revered. But for filmmakers Leslie D. Bland and Harold Joe, their goal in the documentary simply titled Tzouhalem is to educate viewers about this person–and distinguish fact from fiction. One day, they hope to recreate his role in the bloody Battle of Maple Bay on the same cinematic scale as Lord of the Rings. Many tribes were involved in this naval battle done riding canoes and welding spears.

After Joe finished film studies at Capilano, he partnered up with Bland to create works about First Nations culture. The latter often executive produced. Dust and Bones looks at Harold’s work as an archaeological consultant. Before, he worked as a traditional gravedigger for his nation, and after that documentary, he was an actor in the web series, Ollie and Emma.

Continue reading “Tzouhalem, A Legend or a Man? An Interview”

The NFB Celebrates International Animation Day with New Work!

Animation Day

This week is filled with two celebrations! It’s not only International Animation Day (October 28) but also All Hallow’s Eve (Oct 31st). The two can go hand in hand acknowledging the season (one such work does), but for The National Film Board of Canada, they are acknowledging four works by women as well as new Indigenous animation from the Hothouse Animation Apprenticeship program. They are now available for streaming online at NFB.ca

The releases are:

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Talking to Shanon Sinn on the writing of “The Haunting of Vancouver Island”

The Haunting of Vancouver Island Author: Shannon Sinn Release Date:
Oct 10, 2017

Summer is over, and people are planning their itineraries for the All Hallow’s Eve season. The Haunting of Vancouver Island by Shanon Sinn will be released on October 10th by TouchWood Editions and later in the month will be a presentation at Bolen Books. This collection of stories shows how some spooky legends persist year-round. If you are not careful when exploring those forbidden trails or handling forgotten relics unearthed while spelunking about, those spirits can get you! Well, that’s only if you are superstitious.

Sinn offers a grounded approach to understanding how the folklore developed. He is also out to bust some myths. That is, to distinguish fact from fiction and not be afraid to hurt some feelings along the way. He is a member of the British Columbia Ghosts & Hauntings Research Society (BCGHRS) and Paranormal Studies and Inquiries Canada (PSICAN) where using a realistic approach at examining the lore is paramount. Both value obtaining accurate information through library archive digging and talking to those who experienced a supernatural encounter first-hand. When he is not busy with work for these organizations, he maintains the Living Library website and is the author of Way of the Wraith, a work of paranormal fiction. This novel is of particular interest since he’s crafting short stories in this shared universe. He is currently in the Creative Writing & Journalism program at Vancouver Island University to further develop his skills. And with this background, he’s the perfect investigative reporter to delve into the mysteries on this island located West of Canada.

Continue reading “Talking to Shanon Sinn on the writing of “The Haunting of Vancouver Island””