Series features land, lives and cultures of northern Saskatchewan

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Heart of the Earth , a 13-part, half-hour television series that focuses on the diverse cultures of northern Saskatchewan, will be available for viewing in October. The series is expected to be aired both on Saskatchewan's Communications Network and on the Aboriginal Peoples Television Network. It will explore the people of northern Saskatchewan's ongoing relationship with the land and how the names of the northern towns came to be.

"The series will look at the history that is connected behind the communities, as in exploring the strengths of their culture, their spirituality and the traditional life and how it is maintained" said Y' Atthe Askiy productions editor, Melanie Jackson.

A comparison of the use of traditional skills and knowledge of yesterday and today will also be highlighted.

"The Elders in the series will be passing on their knowledge of hunting to the children, how to hunt or when to hunt, tips on when to pick berries and types of berries, knowledge you would not find in a book," Jackson said.

The production is a Dene, Cree, Métis and English language production.

The series is directed by award-winning producer Dennis Jackson.

"It is the first time Northern Saskatchewan [people]will be heard through their own production in their own languages," said Jackson. "It was something that Missinipi Broadcasting wanted to do for a long time; for the Aboriginal people of the community to have their say about their own communities, from someone who lives there, instead of someone talking about the history of a community that they are not from," he said.

The story tellers, Elders, youth and the role models of the communities will be the guides as they help the viewers explore the world of First Nations and Métis people in northern Saskatchewan.

"The people who are really trying to make their communities a better place to live will be interviewed, " said Jackson. "All together, 26 communities across northern Saskatchewan will be visited. Some of the communities include Uranium City, Black Lake, La Loche, Canoe Lake, Beauvelle, La Ronge, Stoney Rapids, Sandy Lake and others, " he said.

Jackson, 31, is from Sandy Bay. He picked up a Telefilm award in Banff for his production of Wapoose Boy, a short piece using clay animation to tell the story about how a grandfather experiences life as the environment around him changes.

"I feel the most connected when I go back to my community. I just get a feeling when I go home; the beauty of the land," he said.

Missinippi Broadcasting Corporation in Northern Saskatchewan, which made the transition from radio broadcasting to television, is producing Heart of the Earth. Y'atthe Askiy Productions is the name of Missinippi's new facilities. Y'atthe translated means north in Dene and Askiy means land in Cree.

"We are still editing the finished product. We hope to eventually have it available for the public to view as a series of video tapes," said Dennis Jackson.