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We In This Garden: Monologues from The Sacred Camp Location.
About
“What a glorious day. A deadly time.”
We In This Garden presents dramatic monologues from the Sacred Camp protocol ceremonies in my developing feature film, As A Koden: Talking Story — Who Is Your Name?
Through the characters Grandbois Charles and Sandy Brockenridge, the writing moves from thanksgiving and the image of a fallen paradise into memories of residential school, childhood loss, sexual violence, and the destruction of relationships within families and communities.
The characters confront the abuse of colonial and religious authority, exploitation, false spiritual leadership, and hypocrisy. Their accusations reach across cultural and religious boundaries, culminating in the declaration that “we are all part of the system’s decay.”
“We are not here to spread hate.”
These words express the struggle at the heart of the piece: how to confront violence and betrayal while preserving our humanity and our responsibilities to one another.
The monologues draw upon stories people have shared with me throughout my years as an Indigenous artist, alongside my own experiences and reflections. These concerns connect my earlier work, including 7 Fires 4 U... Kitchi Manitou, with this continuing project.
Memorial footage, personal images, projections, and layered montage bring different times and places into conversation with the dramatic voices. The children’s shoes and toys, the faces, and the overlapping images carry remembrance into the present.
I am sharing this excerpt amid continuing stereotypes and misinformation about Indigenous people. Accountability must extend to every community and institution, including the systems that have shaped our relationships through colonialism.
My hope in sharing this work is to encourage listening, understanding, and reflection—and a renewed commitment to balance, love, grace, and care for those less fortunate.
A film excerpt by Donald Alfred Morin
Actor, filmmaker, writer, musician, performer
More than a film, a conversation, a journey, a remembering.
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