HUMBOLDT — Humboldt will host a screening of the powerful documentary Common Territory at the Humboldt and District Gallery on May 29 at 6 p.m.
The Connecting Grids Regional Immigration Partnership (CGRIP) is hosting the event in collaboration with the Humboldt Regional Newcomer Centre, Horizon School Division’s Indigenous Education Team, and the Humboldt and District Gallery.
Eilish McAnally, project manager for CGRIP, said Common Territory explores the shared experiences of newcomers and Indigenous peoples, focusing on themes of displacement, belonging and cultural preservation within the traditional territories of the Stó:lō peoples, known colonially as the Fraser Valley. Through intimate interviews with members of both the newcomer and Indigenous communities, Common Territory sheds light on their shared experiences of navigating and resisting assimilation into dominant Canadian culture, all while striving to maintain their distinctive cultural identities and connections to the land, according to the CGRIP press release.
The showing will be followed by a sharing circle with Indigenous elders and newcomers within the Humboldt region who will share their stories and experiences.
A trailer for the film is available here.
McAnally said the documentary was produced by the Chilliwack Local Immigration Partnership in collaboration with Bear Image Productions, an Indigenous filmmaker from the Ch’íyáqtel First Nation.
The project was developed with active participation from newcomers to ensure cultural sensitivity and respect, and aligns with the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action Nos. 93 and 94, according to the CGRIP news release.
Since its debut screenings in Chilliwack, Agassiz and Hope in October 2023, the film has resonated deeply across the Upper Fraser Valley, said McAnally.
