“As an idealistic conservation group strives to restore a damaged wetland and tensions escalate with local off-road motorized users, an unexpected revelation uncovers the site’s ancient Indigenous heritage, propelling them on a transformative journey of reconciliation with the Sinixt People and reshaping perspectives on land stewardship.”
“In a beautiful area of rural BC, a land-trust organization embarks on a mission to restore a wetland, only to uncover an extraordinary surprise: the site is an ancient Indigenous village. Their journey leads them to the Sinixt, the First People of the land, who, despite being declared extinct by the Canadian government, are very much alive and rooted in their traditions.This discovery sparks a profound quest for reconciliation. However, how do you reconcile with a people deemed extinct?”
“The conservationists find themselves questioning their settler concepts of land ownership, confronting Canada’s dark history of racism and colonial exploitation, and embracing the rich, traditional knowledge of the Sinixt in the restoration of Snk̛míp (sink-meep) marsh.”
“Filmed over six years in the Sinixt tmxʷúlaʔxʷ (traditional territory), and co-produced and co-directed by Autonomous Sinixt Matriarch Marilyn James, this feature-length documentary challenges the settler constructs of history, land, and power.”
“Snk̛míp Dig Deeper takes viewers on a transformative journey, revealing how ecological restoration and reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples are intertwined. It’s a compelling exploration about wetland restoration and of how true stewardship of the land must honor the ancient wisdom and enduring presence of its original inhabitants.”
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