Wednesday July 26, 2006
Location: Same Small River Outside Fort Simpson

There has been something I’ve wanted to write about for a while, my interview with Pearl Keenan, who lives in the small community of Teslin just south of Whitehorse.

Yukon MLA Larry Bagnall whom I met at the Dawson City Film Festival a few months ago gave me Pearl Keenan’s contact info. Pearl is an elder who was born and raised in Teslin, but spent most of her life living in B.C. working with First Nations, only to return to Teslin later in life. I met Pearl at her house on the way from Whitehorse to Fort Simpson, we sat down in her kitchen to talk as two crows called to us from her porch outside.

At the age of eighty-five Pearl is a beautiful woman, with deep lifelines covering her face. For me it’s always strange to find myself brought face to face with people whom I have never met before, people who have graciously let me into their lives to share their experiences and wisdom.

After walking through the door, I told Pearl about my background and gave her some time to gauge my intentions. Soon we were laughing and she smiled as she said quite seriously, “As you know, I was very careful with you -- since I have to be really careful about who I talk to.” This is something I have been told many times by a close friend of mine back home while I growing up, I have often ignored her advice, but am now starting to get it. Everything in it’s own time. Anyway, after introductions and making sure we were on common ground, I set up my camera and we got into it.

“What would you like me to speak about?” Pearl asked.

“Well that’s up to you Pearl, you can speak to whatever you feel is important.”

“Well, then I’d like to speak about youth and the environment, as these are very important to me.”

I sat and listened as Pearl spoke about our need to reconnect with nature and the need urgently do something about global warming. She spoke to the fact that we need to wake up before it’s too late and we need to help the youth in any way we can. At one point she looked straight through me and told me that there is only one piece of advice that she really wants to give. And that advice is to be good to people, and everyday when you’re going about your business and you see someone having a hard time give them a hand, and in that way make sure to leave the world a better place when you’re gone. I think that’s pretty good advice. I think often we get so caught up in ourselves that we forget to realize that there are many people in the world far worse off than us. And in many cases, you could argue that it is actually our capitalist system that has put them there in the first place.

Pearl and I spoke for about an hour and a half, but due to not having a camera assistant and having a low battery, I only captured about twenty-five minutes. Battery lesson learned. But at the same time, I can’t help feel that the remainder of our conversation was not supposed to be captured on film. I can’t help but feel that it was meant for me to carry and not for a general viewing audience. Although much of it can be conveyed, much of it is experiential, and in some ways I think you have to walk the road to come to know it. I often feel this way in speaking with people I’ve met, and therefore have let go of some really great on camera interviews. I feel when approaching the question of how do you film the sacred, often the answer simply becomes, you don’t even try.

I guess it all comes down to a question of intuition and balance. I spend a lot of energy feeling my way through my work, and when all is said and done, I know regardless of what I choose to capture or not, there will be no shortage of footage. And when it comes to the voices and the people encountered, I guess in many ways, every conversation I’ve had, will continue to live on within me. I guess this is the nature of story telling and the oral tradition. It’s not always about putting something in a neat little box so you can sell it, or show it to your friends, and it’s not always about money or the ego.

Sometimes it’s about letting go, so you can actually hear what’s really important.

Peace, d

PS When I left I gave Pearl a gift and although there was no need she gave me some smoked trout. I cooked it that eve on the side of the highway... and let me tell you.. no lie.. it was the best fish I've eaten in my entire life!

PSS I promise to get pics us as I get more access to wireless internet. But I guess in the end this is a word space, and if you want images, come see the film when it's done ;-)The number of photos featured directly corresponds to my wireless access.. so in a way it all speaks to the place and the creative process.