And now for something completely different.
“Spirit Bear and Children Make History” is a short stop-action film, based on the children’s book of the same name, that tells of Spirit Bear and his journey to Ottawa to stand up for Indigenous kids. It’s “a story that everyone should listen to,” the University of Alberta’s The Gateway insists.
As strongnations.com explains, it “tells the story of a landmark human rights case for First Nations children at the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal.” In 2016, the tribunal “ruled that the government of Canada was racially discriminating against 165,000 First Nations children by underfunding child welfare, and failing to provide equitable services.” The Spirit Bear DVD teaches “indigenous worldviews and values.”
The film “celebrates the inspiring reconciliation actions of children,” fncaringsociety.com warrants, “and affirms the responsibility of all of us to end inequities in First Nations children’s services, and implement the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action.” Spirit Bear “spreads such an important message in a gentle way for children.” But the society hopes that the film “will help engage an even wider audience in the movement for equity for First Nations kids.”
This DVD will be found on the Library’s A/V shelf.
“Spirit Bear and Children Make History”
Directed by Amanda Strong
First Nations Child & Family Society of Canada, 2020