Thahyu:ni: akaowa:tsi (wolf blood)
Research Series
Development Phase
We are developing a short film series on the intergenerational relationship and incredible bond of three generations of women living on the Oneida Nation, with a focus on Oneida language, intergenerational trauma, residential schools, and their successes while interacting with Métis filmmaker, Dianne Ouellette, who is collaborating with the group and mentoring the youngest member, Alexandra Ninham.
Through research we share the story of our relationship and sisterhood of our friendship of 36 years. We are exploring family who live on the Oneida Nation as we engage by sharing stories, memories, and language as a method of cultural preservation. Preserving Oneida and Métis language and culture and sharing through storytelling is important to pass to our youngest team member as Dianne mentors her in filmmaking and she learns traditions from her family.
First Short:
li saan di loo, The Threads that Bind (in development)
Dianne is developing this short independent film. She will share stories about Métis and Oneida family histories while she learns to bead and sew from the Wolf Clan women.
Information
This project focus' on a Wolf Clan family, the Oneida language, stories, and their community, as a form of cultural preservation, while interacting with a Métis filmmaker who is continuously learning about her culture, language, and discovering her community.
Protocols are being adhered to with the support of an Oneida Nation Wolf Clan Mother, and Advisor.
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Wolf Team
Dianne Ouellette
Joan Ireland
Elder Ester Ireland
Kaliwahele Nen Thohahkwʌht (Colin Matthew Ireland)
Alexandra Ninham
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Genre: Short Films
Length: TBA
Who are we?
Wolf Team
Dianne and Joan have known each other since 1986, when they met in their first year of university at the University of Regina. They became fast friends, and their relationship grew as they became family over the years. Over the many years of friendship Joan's family has become Dianne's extended family.
While researching in-person on the Oneida Nation in July 2022, Elder Ester Ireland, Wolf Clan Mother welcomed Dianne into the Wolf Clan family with a Wampum Ceremony enacted by Kaliwahele Nen Thohahkwʌht, where Dianne was given an Oneida name, Akokwe:sayʌ́:tas (Her Heart Takes in All), gifted a blanket, and a meal was shared by all (this does not make Dianne an Oneida Nation member, she is Métis).
Dianne Ouellette (Researcher, Producer, Director, Mentor)
Dianne and Joan began discussions of creating a film project about three generations of women living on the Oneida Nation with a focus on residential schools, trauma, cultural loss, language preservation, and successes a year ago. Research for a documentary project began in June 2022 and with Dianne traveling to the Oneida Nation in July we are compiling our documented research as part of phase 1 of this project.
Joan Ireland (Advisor, Protocols, Researcher)
Joan is a wolf clan member of the Oneida First Nation and has one daughter, Alex. She has studied Indian Studies, Psychology, Indian Education and Communications. She completed her Masters in Professional Education at Western University.
She has worked for the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. Her proudest moment came was when she was tapped by her clan mother to sit on the Education committee or Onyota’aka Kalih^yonitsla Tehatalitakwas. Members sat according to their traditional clans and duties. Joan is passionate about equality in education and enriching the lifelong education journey of all Indigenous people. She believes in land-based learning and the importance that language plays in culture.
She enjoys knitting, beading, reading, and drawing.
Elder Ester Ireland (Wolf Clan Mother)
Elder Ester Ireland is a member of Oneida Nation of the Thames.
She is a Wolf Clan Mother and a survivor of residential school. She has lived on Oneida Nation all her life except for when she attended the residential school.
Ester resides with her companion, Chewie, a black panther-like cat who loves running for treats and basking in the sunlight near to her.
Kaliwahele Nen Thohahkwʌht (Colin Matthew Ireland) (Language Translator, Protocols)
Matt is an Oneida from Oneida town, in Southern Ontario. As a lifelong learner, he spends his days helping in ceremonial, constitutional, and animal welfare circles. Also, as a former Educator and Hereditary Wolf Clan Chief, he is also trusted with the propagation of Oneida Language and Culture.
Though he's never had children of his own, he has had the good fortune of adopting many stepchildren and is considered Totoh (grandfather) to several enlightened and gifted young heroes.
Alexandra Ninham (Mentee, Production Assistant)
Alexandra, the youngest team member is of the Oneida Nation of the Thames.
She is an aspiring film artist who wishes to learn more about making personal film and digital projects. Currently, she is learning more about the process by taking part in researching for this documentary, by sharing stories which are part of her family tradition for generations. Alexandra also interned in the summer (2022) at Western University in the media department.
She hopes to learn more about the craft of all things film and grow the expertise to enter the film industry.