Season IV Currently Airing on APTN
Episode 401: Film & Adam Beach
Barbara Hager and Swil Kanim take a look at the history of Aboriginal film in North America, from the earliest movies that established negative stereotypes of Native North Americans to more recent Aboriginal-written and directed movies such as Smoke Signals and Big Bear. Barbara interviews actor Adam Beach and discovers how he survived a tragic childhood to become one of the world’s top Aboriginal actors.
Episode 402: Alert Bay Community Visit
Barbara Hager visits the Kwakwaka’wakw community of Alert Bay. Chief William Cranmer takes her on tour of the U’Mista Cultural Centre and explains the meanings of the masks used in potlatch ceremonies. She meets artist Don Svanvik who gives her a carving demonstration in an artist studio located in a former residential school. The episode includes a poignant excerpt from Barb Cranmer’s award winning documentary I’Tusto: To Rise Again about the rebuilding of the Alert Bay bighouse that was destroyed by an arsonist in 1997.
Episode 403: Winter Solstice Concert
Swil Kanim hosts a Winter Solstice concert at the Sleeping Lady Mountain Retreat in Leavenworth, Washington. Canadian performers Art Napoleon, Jason Burnstick and Janet Rogers bring a wealth of talent to the program.
Episode 404: Storytelling
Barbara Hager and Swil Kanim explore the many faces of Aboriginal storytelling with an interview with Simon James, creator of the animated film, Raven Tales: How Raven Stole the Sun. Swil Kanim interviews Anita Large, publisher of Theytus Books, an Aboriginal-owned publishing house in Penticton. Barbara interviews Kevin Paul, a BC Book Prize winning poet.
Episode 405: Sechelt Nation Swil Kanim travels to Sechelt on the Sunshine Coast where he discovers the history of the Sechelt people at the House of Hewhiwus. He learns about traditional weaving from Fran Nahanee, and visits the Sechelt bighouse where the Paul Family share their drumming and singing traditions.
Episode 406: Don Ross & Aboriginal Videos
Barbara Hager talks with world-renowned Miq Maq guitarist Don Ross and attends his concert in Victoria. She introduces recent music videos by up-and-coming musicians Taima, Team RezOfficial, and Derek Miller.
Episode 407: Preserving Aboriginal Languages
Barbara Hager visits Alert Bay where she meets Ethel Alfred and Vera Newman, two fluent Kwakwala speakers who are working diligently to keep the language alive. The episode also features John Elliott and other Saanich community members who are working to preserve the Sencoten language.
Episode 408: Gwa'wina Dancers & Smokey Valley Dancers
Barbara Hager meets Kwakwaka’wakw composer William Wasdan, who along with several youth, formed the Gwa Wina Dancers. The Alert Bay-based group worked with contemporary dancers and choreographers at the Banff Centre for the Arts in 2004 and the resulting collaboration is featured. Barbara attends the Vancouver International Children’s Festival where she enjoys a performance by the Smokey Valley Drum and Dance Group.
Episode 409: Community Visit to Oahu, Hawaii
Swil Kanim travels to Oahu where he searches for Native Hawaiian culture amidst urban development and tourist attractions. He visits Kamaka Hawaii, a family-owned ukulele factory that was founded in the 1920s and whose hand-made instruments are considered the highest quality in the world. Barbara and Swil Kanim discover Honolulu’s best kept secret -- Ono Hawaiian Foods, which serves traditional foods in a funky café setting. Swil Kanim tours Waikiki with a Native Hawaiian guide, and learns that the original culture of Hawaii may be obscured by tourism, but it is still strong and proud.
Episode 410: Community Visit to Maui, Hawaii
Barbara Hager visits the beautiful island of Maui where she discovers the Ka’anapali Beach Hotel, where Aloha is not just a Hawaiian word, it’s a way of life. She learns about Lauhala weaving from Bee Coyle and enjoys a traditional hula dance and ukulele performance by Sam Ako. Barbara attends a slack key guitar concert at the Ritz Carlton Hotel, featuring George Kahumoku Jr., Cindy Combs and Peter deAquino. Her final stop is Lahaina where she talks with Karee Carlucci of the Moku’ulu Heritage Society about the restoration of a major archaeological site where the Hawaiian royal family lived for more than 500 years.ohnny Lee (Metis; Kil Sli (Haida, Cree)
Episode 411: Ernest & James and Darryl Dennis
Swil Kanim explores humour in this episode, with an interview with Ernest Tsosie and James Junes, two Navajo comedians who performed at the American Indian Film Institute’s awards ceremony. Canadian actor/writer Darryl Dennis, who wrote and stars in the play “Tales of an Urban Indian,” is also featured in this episode.
Episode 412: International Aboriginal Languages
Barbara Hager attends the International Indigenous Languages Conference in Victoria where she interviews linguistic specialists, artists and musicians and learns how language is the unifying link between culture, art and history.
Episode 413: Making of "From Bella Coola to Berlin"
The New Canoe host and producer Barbara Hager is also the director of an one hour documentary, From Bella Coola to Berlin, that will air on A-Channel and Bravo! in 2006. This episode follows Barbara and her crew as they travel to Bella Coola and Germany as record the fascinating story of nine Nuxalk men who toured Germany 1885-86 as part of Carl Hagenbeck’s ethnic shows.
