Last week I had the good luck of attending my very first film festival held in Teluride, Colorado for the screening of the “Opening Address” film at the Mountain Film Festival. The film is of Mohawk elders, teachers, parents and students of the Akwesasne Freedom School reciting the Ohenton Kariwhatekwen. Niawen ko:wa to filmmakers Jess Lowe Chaverri in 2021, with help from Katsitsionni Fox & Jaiden Mtichell. The film was shown to a packed theatre of festival goers, where many other films screened were by Indigenous people! Our film was screened on Friday, May 23rd, which was followed by a panel of Indigenous leaders. I had the pleasure of being a panelist of “A New Era of Conservation” facilitated by Jade Begay. The other panelists were Deb Haaland, Ernest House, Brooke Woods, Ken Lucero, Len Necefer, all are doing amazing work for our people. It was an amazing experience for me! Our film was shown to a packed theatre of festival goers, where many other films screened were by Indigenous people! (fb)

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