At the Market Hall Performing Arts Centre in downtown Peterborough, a captivated audience witnessed the premiere of six short films, each a poignant narrative crafted by the talented storytellers of Wshkiigmong Dibaajmownan/Curve Lake.  

The ReFrame Film Festival presented the films created under the guidance of Dr. Nadine Changfoot, a Trent University professor of Political Studies and an executive member of the Trent Centre for Aging & Society. Adding to the event, Kelli Marshall (Hiawatha) dedicated a beautiful performance of the Jingle Dance to the filmmakers and their powerful films.  

The films were the result of a digital storytelling workshop titled "Wshkiigmong Dibaajmownan/Curve Lake Storytelling," held in May 2023. The workshop, led by Professor Changfoot and funded through SSHRC, was a collaboration involving Anishinaabekwee/Elders Alice Olsen Williams (Trout Lake/Curve Lake), Anne Taylor (Curve Lake), Angela Connors (Saugeen), and Curve Lake First Nation Health Centre’s Joanne Pine and Zachary Hunter. 

“Storytelling was taken away from us [by colonialism]. To have settlers not from our community come and foster bringing that back is very important. That’s what the idea of reconciliation means to me: ‘we want to hear you,’” shared poet Sarah Lewis, one of the filmmakers, about what the workshop meant to her. 

The films, created under the guidance of Trent's Prof. Changfoot, resonated strongly and emotionally with the audience.  

“Hearing and learning of students’ responses to the shorts will be special and important. I hear students care about decolonization and Truth and Reconciliation, and I hear of their commitment to learn of Anishinaabe and Indigenous Knowledge and how to be respectful of this knowledge,” Prof. Changfoot said. 

The workshop centred on a story circle, where participants comfortably shared their stories, ideas, and engaged in meaningful discussions. The storytelling process involved refining the narrative, recording it, and inputting the content into a story/video-making app. Storytellers then curated photos, music, and moving images to complement their narratives. The final day of the workshop showcased the documentaries, fostering a shared celebration and reinforcing a sense of community and connection among all participants. It also involved the work of Trent fourth-year student and TCSA president Aimée-Marie Anctil, who, as research assistant on the project, created an Access Guide for the storytellers to support their sensorial understanding of the workshop. 

“We have a rich history of recognizing Indigenous Knowledge and the valuable contributions it makes to our community's history and storytelling. It's a part of our past that we should cherish and hold dear,” Aimée-Marie said. The TCSA made it possible for 50 Trent students to attend the Saturday screenings.  

Prof. Changfoot and the Curve Lake Storytellers are enthusiastic about sharing their knowledge and short documentaries for public education on Anishinaabe Knowledge. This marks the first partnership of its kind with Curve Lake First Nation Health Centre, and anticipation for future collaborations is high.