Reciprocity Project
Facing a climate crisis, Reciprocity Project embraces Indigenous value systems created in kinship with Earth. This short film series and multimedia platform, made in partnership with Indigenous storytellers and their communities worldwide, invites learning from time honored and current Indigenous ways of being. Each project is created by media makers and their communities within their home territories. Reciprocity Project website
Films & Learning Resources
Diiyeghan naii Taii Tr’eedaa (We Will Walk the Trail of our Ancestors)
A grandfather teaches his granddaughter, a young Gwich'in mother named Alisha, how reciprocity is embedded in all aspects of life. The northern lights warm the caribou; the caribou helps feed and sustain the community; the community honors the connections. Each element in nature is purposeful and related. In turn, these connections bring new meaning to Alisha and her wishes for her children and for all living beings.
ᎤᏕᏲᏅ (What They’ve Been Taught)
Filmed on the Qualla Boundary and Cherokee Nation, ᎤᏕᏲᏅ (What They’ve Been Taught) - pronounced "oo-day-yoh-nuh" - explores expressions of reciprocity within Cherokee communities, brought to life through a story told by an elder and first language speaker. ᎤᏕᏲᏅ is a reflection on tradition, language, land, and a commitment to maintaining balance. This film was created in collaboration with independent artists from both Cherokee Nation and the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians.
Sukujula Tei (Stories of My Mother)
During a visit to her sister Amaliata, Rosa, a wise Wayuu woman, teaches her grandchildren the importance of reciprocity within their culture.
Ma’s House (short film)
Ma’s House was once the heart of a community, for the Shinnecock peoples, who have remained in their same homelands for over 10,000 years. As Ma’s grandson, artist and photographer Jeremy Dennis is on a quest to restore the family home to its central role as a community gathering place for a new generation of diverse artists. Through personal mementos, intimate narratives, and a touch of celebrity gossip, Dennis and his family reveal generations of history and hope contained within the walls of their home.
Weckuwapok (The Approaching Dawn)
Film: Weckuawapok (The Approaching Dawn)
On these traditional homelands, Waponahkik (the people of the dawn land) bring gratitude to the sun where it first looks our way. Song and stories invite us to accept the new day and put behind us any harm done the day before. These are relational lessons shared from ancestors since time immemorial.
Featuring in collaboration Passamaquoddy citizens Christopher Newell, Roger Paul, Lauren Stevens and Yo-Yo Ma.
Artists’ Statement, Caring for the Land, Nurturing the Language, Discussion Questions, Additional Resources, and Downloadable materials.