I may be dating myself here but do you remember the wonderfully charming, animated opening sequence of the Bugs Bunny Show? Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck singing and dancing to:
Overture, curtains, lights, This is it, the night of nights... ... Tonight what heights we'll hit, On with the show this is it!
On with the show, indeed! I'm so excited about the imminent launch of our fabulous new documentary film, Snk'mip Dig Deeper, I feel like grabbing my straw-hat and cane, and dancing!
It's done, it's amazing, and it's being launched with a series of community screenings in Sinixt tmxʷúlaʔxʷ (traditional territory) in concert with our allies the Autonomous Sinixt, co-producer with the Valhalla Foundation for Ecology. This has been a six-year labour of love. The footage in this film, and the music, are nothing short of stunning.
We encourage you to attend a screening if you are located near any of these venues. And for our friends farther afield, there will be more opportunities to see the film soon, we hope to extend its reach in the new year. (If you are interested in co-hosting a screening in your locale please let us know, mutually beneficial terms are available for community screenings organized by aligned conservation and social-justice organizations.)
LOCATIONS AND DATES OF UPCOMING SCREENINGS
Rossland: Thursday, October 3rd
Castlegar: Friday, October 11th
Winlaw/Vallican: Saturday, October 12th
Kaslo: Sunday, October 13th
Nakusp: Saturday, October 26
Nelson: Saturday, November 2nd
New Denver / Silverton: Saturday, November 9th
And here's 'All The Dirt' (that's our tagline for the film)...
Get ready to 'Dig Deeper’ with our stunning new documentary film
At the north end of Slocan Lake in the Kootenay region of British Columbia, Canada, lies a marsh that many recent settlers call 'Bonanza Marsh.' But its actual, original name is Snk̛míp (pronounced 'sink-meep').
This marsh is not just a rare ecological gem -- it's also the site of a once-thriving Indigenous village from a time long before European miners and settlers were there.
The story of Snk̛míp and the restoration of both its natural ecosystem and its cultural significance is the focus of a new feature-length documentary: Snk̛míp Dig Deeper.
This compelling film was created by the partnership of two organizations: the Valhalla Foundation for Ecology, led by Lorna Visser, and the Autonomous Sinixt, under the guidance of Matriarch Marilyn James. Together as co-directors they’ve crafted Snk̛míp Dig Deeper, an engaging and thought-provoking documentary that highlights the critical need for both wetland restoration and the healing of relationships between settlers and the Indigenous Sinixt People who have lived—and continue to live—on this land.
Local Faces and Talent Make This Film Shine
Snk’mip Dig Deeper features loads of first-rate Kootenay talent including film-score composer and film editor Noel Fudge of Sandhill Studios in New Denver, director of photography Mark Wolfe and film editor Kerry McArthur (both of Creston), the musical duo Freya, cellist Natasha Jaffe, Indigenous artists including superstar musician Jayli Wolf, illustrator Chenoa Gao, and acclaimed Cree artist George Littlechild. Hills resident Yasmin Rodriguez Toro contributed the film’s beautiful drawings that illustrate technical concepts, Yasmin is also the film’s graphic designer and publicist, and her partner Zeb McLure provided tech support for the complex project.
Kootenay-area viewers will recognize plenty of local faces in the film including those of Stuart Nelson and Mike Nelson of Silverton Transport, key team members for the on-site restoration work at Snk’mip along with wetland restoration expert Robin Annschild and her team. In addition to Marilyn James and her daughter Taress Alexis, also featured is Al Richardson, a Sinixt elder who is well-known to New Denver folks. New Denver’s Isaac Carter did some of the spectacular drone-camera filming at the marsh along with Creston-area cameraperson Marty Agabob.
Part of the inspiration for the film came from New Denver’s K.L. Kivi — watch the film to learn about that connection. Debbie Pitaoulis from Summit Lake takes a star turn sharing some of her insights, and Nakusp school teacher Anita Vibe shows up in the film with a busload of her students enthusiastically planting trees and shrubs. The Valhalla Foundation for Ecology's Amber Peters and Wayne McCrory pop up from time to time in cameo roles, and VFE Director Lorna Visser narrates part of the film.
Digging Much Deeper Than Ecological Restoration
In the fall of 2017, the Valhalla Foundation for Ecology (VFE) purchased the Snk’mip wetland property, a move made possible thanks to enthusiastic financial support from the local community. As a conservation land trust, the VFE quickly launched a multi-year effort to restore the wetland, focusing on rehabilitating a maze of bush roads, building additional ponds and pools, and expanding the wetland's water-body to its original size.
Partway through the restoration work, they made an incredible discovery: the site had once been an ancient Indigenous village! This revelation led them to connect with the Sinixt, the First People of the land.
Although the Canadian government has declared the Sinixt extinct (a sad legacy of colonialism that is examined in the film), they are in reality very much alive, present, and deeply connected to their cultural traditions. This discovery ignited a profound journey toward reconciliation. But how does one reconcile with a people deemed extinct -- yet who are still here?
Marilyn James, a Matriarch of the Sinixt, explains: “this film demonstrates the work of educating, decolonizing, and restoring right relationships, not only between our peoples, but most importantly with the land, under our Sinixt laws of whuplak’n (responsibility for everything in our territory) and smum iem (community well-being belonging to the women). These principles are vital if we are to restore right relations with all beings on this planet, not just the Sinixt.”
The documentary chronicles VFE's learning curve as they tackled both the wetland restoration itself and the deeper complexities of Indigenous rights and reconciliation. At one point, the conservationists found themselves rethinking everything they believed—narrator Lorna Visser candidly reflects: “everything we thought we knew at the start turned out to be pretty much wrong.”
The film boldly challenges settler notions of land ownership and confronts Canada’s painful and ugly history of racism and colonial exploitation of First Peoples and their lands. The film chronicles how ultimately the wetland restorers embrace the Sinixt’s rich traditional knowledge, forming a partnership to not only restore Snk’mip Marsh but also stand alongside the Sinixt in pursuit of justice.
A Film That Challenges Dominator Culture
Filmed over six years in Sinixt tmxʷúlaʔxʷ (traditional territory) and co-directed by Marilyn James, Snk̛míp Dig Deeper touches on some controversial themes.
The film challenges settler viewers to rethink their fundamental assumptions about land use and humans' power over nature.
The film dives into opposing cultural values, contrasting dominator culture — where nature is exploited for human pleasure, profit, or convenience — with nature-first stewardship principles. This clash is vividly illustrated through the conflict between off-road motorized trail users and defenders of the fragile marsh ecosystem. In this way, the documentary lives up to its tagline, delivering “All The Dirt.”
Snk̛míp Dig Deeper takes viewers on a transformative journey, showing how ecological restoration and reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples are deeply intertwined. It’s a powerful exploration of healing a damaged wetland and a testament to how true land stewardship must honour the wisdom and enduring presence of its original caretakers.
For more information on the film, upcoming viewing opportunities, and to see the trailer, go to: www.digdeeperfilm.ca
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