As part of its monthly film series in collaboration with CMU Public Broadcasting, the Dennos Museum Center presents Our Fires Still Burn: The Native American Experience on Thursday, December 5, at 7:00pm. The film is free to attend and includes light refreshments and a panel discussion with the filmmaker. Milliken Auditorium now features a T-coil hearing loop for those with hearing impairments. Additional arrangements for a sign language interpreter can be made by contacting Linda Dielman at dielm1lk@cmich.edu or 989-774-3562.
This exciting and compelling one-hour documentary from filmmaker, Audrey Geyer, invites viewers into the lives of contemporary Native American role models living in the Midwest. It dispels the myth that American Indians have disappeared from the American horizon, and reveals how they continue to persist, heal from the past, confront the challenges of today, keep their culture alive, and make great contributions to society. Their experiences will deeply touch both Natives and non-Natives and help build bridges of understanding, respect, and communication.
The tragic history of Native Americans is considered by many to be our “American Holocaust.” This can be seen in the history of the Boarding School Era, during which time Native children were forcibly removed from their homes and placed into boarding schools. Interviewees explain how this past trauma continues to negatively impact their emotional and physical health today and contribute to urgent social problems.
To help heal this historical trauma, Native peoples are reclaiming their spiritual and cultural identity. In the documentary, an Ojibwa Firekeeper demonstrates the ancient healing ceremony of the Sacred Fire. Also, a Native American businessman, journalist, artist, and youth advocate share how they use ancestral teachings to foster diversity and creativity as well as to educate and initiate social change.
The stories shared in this documentary are powerful, startling, despairing, and inspiring. They reflect an American history fraught with the systematic destruction of a people. Yet, amidst the debris of suffering and trauma, there is resilience and a profound remembering and healing taking place today, which will also benefit the next Seven Generations.
Audrey Geyer graduated with a BA in Film/Video Studies from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, and has a Master’s degree in Social Work from NYU. As an independent video producer and director for over 15 years, Geyer has completed a number of successful public affairs documentaries. Many of her programs have aired nationally on the Public Broadcasting System, PBS, with corporate and foundation sponsorship support. The documentaries have also aired on cable television stations across the US, Canada, and other markets. Ms. Geyer will be in attendance and take part in the panel discussion following the film.
Additional information can be found at http://www.ourfiresstillburn.com.
On first Thursdays featuring a film program, admission to the Museum is free, 5:00pm-8:00pm, thanks to support from CMU Public Broadcasting.