In The Footsteps Of Our Ancestors
Walking in the footsteps of the Shúhtagot’ı̨nę Mountain Dene, youth, elders, and community guides trace the abandoned remains of the CANOL pipeline, a failed World War II energy project, as part of the 2017 Canol Youth Leadership Hike.
In The Footsteps Of Our Ancestors is an award-winning documentary feature and multi-layered community engagement project focused on the Canol Youth Leadership Hike: an epic wilderness trek in the homeland of the Shúhtagot’ı̨nę (Mountain Dene). The trail follows the historic WWII CANOL pipeline route in the Sahtú Region of the Northwest Territories.
In early 2017, two filmmakers from Trails In Tandem teamed up with a young leader from the Sahtú and the founder of the Canol Youth Leadership Hike to design and execute a documentary project. Together with local governments, businesses and NGO’s, they fundraised for the production of the film and documented the hike the following summer. The project involved recording the trail’s history through archival research, interviews with community elders, and retracing the footsteps of Shúhtagot’ı̨nę ancestors on the land.
The team premiered the film at screenings across Canada to great acclaim, hosting interactive community gatherings and discussions on youth leadership, cross-cultural understanding, and the teachings of the Dene. The film has since landed a broadcast and education deal as well as an award for its direction.
