This week, as people gear up to celebrate Thanksgiving with large feasts and family gatherings, we invite people to recognize Native Heritage Month. In the interest of highlighting one local Tribal Nation’s work to bring back language to their culture, we bring attention to an historic film project that has been shown around the world.
Between now and November 29, which is recognized as Native Heritage Day, audiences can stream the film “A-t’i Xwee-ghayt-nish: Still We Live On,” for free. The film highlights the history and traditional language heritage of the Tolowa Dee-ni Nation, located near the mouth of the Smith River.
According to the filmmakers:
“Language is the lifeline of a culture. As with most Indigenous nations in North America, our Nation has struggled with its loss since settler colonialism began erasing it in the late 1800s. However, significant work is being done by key members of our community to bring language back, and with it, our vibrant culture.”
We hope you will take 40-minutes to learn more about the difficult story and see for yourself how the Tolowa Dee-ni’s resilience and progress has been showcased in the film and at several prominent film festivals. While this film tells a story of one Tribal community, it also echoes with resonance about one aspect of what was lost during the European invasion of North America that committed widespread genocide in an attempt to erase whole cultures of people.
Marva Sii~xuutesna Jones, a well-known leader in her community and Language and Culture Manager for the Tolowa Dee-ni’ Nation has anchored the work by producing the film. This is alongside her daily work coordinating comprehensive language programs promising a new generation of native speakers from her community.
“This is an incredible opportunity for national exposure for the film,” said producer Jones. “Our Tolowa Dee-ni’s language story is difficult, but hopeful, and we want other nations to be inspired by the resilience and progress our community has made.”
View the film online at https://americanindian.si.edu/native-cinema-showcase-2024/
More information:
Loren Me’-lash-ne Bommelyn, the central subject of the film, is a prolific leader in the Tolowa community. Working to rebuild the cultural devastation that his parents and grandparents faced, he dedicated his life to learning and teaching the Tolowa language and became the first credentialed Indian Language teacher in California in 1980.
The film premiered at the 2023 Maoriland Film Festival in New Zealand, followed by the RiverRun International Film Festival in North Carolina, and the Native Spirit Film Festival in London. Following the Native Cinema Showcase, the film will be released for educational distribution by Collective Eye Films.
