Dorion of Prince Albert and Cumberland House
(2005, 24 minutes)

Leah Dorion and her aunts Isabelle Impey and Elsie Sanderson can follow the roots of their Saskatchewan family back 10 generations, all the way to the ville du Québec in the 1600s. In the process, Leah has discovered the great mobility of her Métis ancestors, who not only migrated across Canada but travelled widely through the United States. These women relate the details of a complicated lineage that has seen some branches of the family become Treaty Indians while others did not; the mixing of bloodlines as diverse as Cree, French, Ojibwa, Yankton Sioux and Iowa; and the tale of a First World War vet who was removed from treaty when he returned from the front.

A Family Tree Narrative portrays six families of Canada's First Nations through the oral traditions of storytelling. Celebrating their ancestry as far back as the stories go, they share the relationships that have given them strength, pride and love throughout the years. Through an exploration of each family's legacy, the stories weave hope and challenge, loss and triumph in the lives of the First People of this land.

A Family Tree Narrative, 6 part series x 24 minutes:
Assu of Cape Mudge
Dion of the Kehewin
Dorion of Prince Albert and Cumberland House
Hungry Wolf of the Blood Tribe
Lavallee of the Piapot
Marchand of the Okanagan

Directors: Martin de Valk
Producers: Chiaro Productions, Martin de Valk

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