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File Size: | 6068 kb |
File Type: | mp4 |
The mission of Longhouse Media is to catalyze indigenous people and communities to use media as a tool for self-expression, cultural preservation, and social change.
Overview
Longhouse Media is a Seattle based non-profit organization launched in 2005 by Executive Director, Tracy Rector and then Artistic Director Annie Silverstein with the support of the Swinomish Indian Tribal Community. The vision of the company was to start an indigenous media arts organization that would allow for the support and nurturing of Native content producers. Longhouse Media believes that young people are the next generation of storytellers, elders and cultural shareholders so they focus their efforts on educating the youth through their nationally recognized youth program “Native Lens”. Along with their education efforts Longhouse Media has continued to develop many successful media arts programs for indigenous communities. They have partnered with the Seattle International Film Festival to host the annual “SuperFly Filmmaking Experience”, worked in partnership with native youth and Native American Public Telecommunications to produce the award winning documentary “March Point”.
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Mission
The founding mission of Longhouse Media was to create a bridge between the culture of the last generation and the technology of the present. To support the creative efforts of native youth through training and offering a showcase to allow these youths to express themselves and share their culture with the world. It is important to note that even though Longhouse Media uses modern technology to present aboriginal culture the collaborative process between native youth and elders is key to their program. Longhouse Media is also strives to show the “real” face of present day native people and break down long standing stereotypes. Finally, Longhouse Media is dedicated to not only telling the stories of native youth but also to providing training, through the Native Lens Program, so that they can tell their stories themselves and take what they have learned and use it in their future.
Training/Community Impact
The Native Lens program was started in 2003 through a partnership between 911 Media and Swinomish Indian Tribal Community as a pilot program to teach media literacy to Native youth. Longhouse Media took over the program from 911 and, to date, has worked with over 1500 individual youths and 31 separate tribes. The Native Lens program focuses on teaching the tools used in digital filmmaking so that Native youth can not only be in front of the camera but also be the driving force behind it as well. The program partners with local tribes and schools to offer workshops for students on how to use the technology as well as with teachers and administrators who are interested in bringing digital storytelling and youth media to their communities. One example of a community that has embraced the Native Lens Program is the Swinomish tribe of Northern Washington State. Since 2003, Native Lens has worked with the youth of this community and produced over 20 short films that have been broadcast nationally or internationally and the full length feature documentary “March Point”, which is the story of three young Swinomish men who are exploring the history of their tribe and how the building of 2 oil refineries on March Point, once part of the the tribes rightful land given under treaty, has impacted their people, their land and their own lives. The support and participation of youths in this community have not only produced digital content that this culturally important but also those “youths” who first started the program in 2003 are now becoming adults and passing on their knowledge and expertise to a new generation. Currently in this community they are developing 30 min TV shows to be broadcast on the recently launched Native Lens TV channel both online and over the air. This is a perfect example of the purpose of this program. Not only to give a voice to people but to give them the tools they need to create their own means of expression. Currently, Longhouse Media has just released another full length feature documentary called “Clearwater”. A film about the health of the Puget Sound and the unique relationship that the tribal people of this unique eco-system have with the environment. The story takes viewers on a journey where they, listen to elders, travel with fishermen, learn from biologists and explore with the youth to be able to understand the beauty of the region's culture and the negative environmental and cultural impacts of ocean acidification.
Watch this video produced by Native Lens students about what Native Lens is to them