Narratives in the Editing Bay: The Making of and the Rivers Flow: Hunting and Treaty Rights in a First Nations Community

• Other Authors: Weidlich, Stephen K. (authoraut), Hellweg, Joseph (professor directing thesis), Uzendoski, Michael A. (committee member), Grindal, Bruce T. (committee member), Department of Anthropology (degree granting department), Florida State University (degree granting institution)
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Published: Tallahassee, Florida: Florida State University 2007
• Subjects: Anthropology; Grindal; First Nations
• Online Access: https://diginole.lib.fsu.edu/islandora/object/fsu%3A175775/datastream/TN/view/Narratives%20in%20the%20Editing%20Bay.jpg

This thesis describes the filming and post-production strategy used to develop the ethnographic film, And the Rivers Flow: Hunting and Treaty Rights in a First Nations Community. This paper outlines my process, suggesting that an engaging, dramatic film can emerge quite naturally by examining the narratives already present in filmed footage. I suggest that, if framed carefully, the final presented narrative can correspond to both the dramaturgical conventions of Western drama and the anthropological criteria of Victor Turner's social drama (1996). And the Rivers Flow tells the story of two First Nations hunters who were charged with trespassing and illegally hunting on land they considered to be traditional territory safe for hunting. Throughout the story, viewers are taken along on a late-summer moose hunt where respect, knowledge, and a spiritual connection to the land are just as important as any piece of equipment. Combining documentary storytelling with ethnographic footage, And the Rivers Flow adds to the growing discourse surrounding the perpetuation of native peoples' traditional beliefs in spite of encroaching development and outside governmental pressures. Submitted Note: A Thesis Submitted to the Department of Anthropology in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Science. Degree Awarded: Fall Semester, 2007. Date of Defense: April 23, 2007. Keywords: Ethnographic Film, Narrative, Drama, Victor Turner Bibliography Note: Includes bibliographical references. Advisory committee: Joseph Hellweg, Professor Directing Thesis; Michael A. Uzendoski, Committee Member; Bruce T. Grindal, Committee Member.