project participants
 The First Voices video directors participating in a workshop organized by the Atlantic Council for International in Halifax, NS.
In photo (Left-Right): Lucio Ajpuu Yaxon Guarcax , Guatemala City, Guatemala
María 'Soledad' Millán, Castro, Chile, Star Child (Eliza Knockwood), Abegweit First Nation, PEI
Krystal Francis, Wagmatcook First Nation, NS, Cathy Martin, Mi'Kmaq Filmmaker and video workshop instructor, Hilda Fernanda Cumez Sicay, Agua Escondida, Guatemala.
not in photo: Amanda Cull, Happy Valley, NL
Amanda Cull
Amanda Cull is 19 years old and has just finished taking the year off upon graduating highschool in June 2006. In September of 2007 she will be attending the College of the North Atlantic. In the year off she has been very busy attending meetings for the boards she sits on such as the Central Labrador Economic Development Board and FINALY! (Futures in Newfoundland and Labrador's Youth) , as well as working . Amanda has helped in the making of amature videos in the past and was not going to let the oppotunity pass her up to complete another on the First Voices Project. She is always looking for new ways to express herself and had development an interest in film. Amanda also enjoys painting, drawing as well as playing bass.
Lucio Ajpuu Yaxon Guarcax
Age: 24
It is necessary that we, as young people, rescue our culture, which means conserving it and applying it to our own lives, without profit or folkloric interests, as these great traditions are the cultural inheritance that has been left to us by our forefathers.
I have been dedicated to working with indigenous communities, especially youth, for many years. We have had a struggle against the capitalist system, in which I've trained youth to address the community's problems politically.
I am a member of the organization HIJOS (Sons and Daughters for Identity and Justice against Forgetting and Silence). I've been a volunteer for many years now, working on the task of recuperating historical memory so that the youth know about what the war left us: the thousands of dead, and the thousands of disappeared, the majority of whom were farmers, workers, students, leaders and others.
Thanks to my mother for teaching me the struggle, and to my father, who also died for his convictions in fighting for a free country.
Thanks to HIJOS for giving me the space to share and the opportunity for this trip, where I got to know a lot and learned from the indigenous brothers and sisters of the North.
"THE PROPHECY IS FULFILLED WHEN THE EAGLE AND THE CONDOR UNITE. ENTIRE COMMUNITIES EXPOSE THE REPRESSIVE SYSTEM"
Lucio Ajpuu Yaxon Guarcax
Edad: 24
Es necesario rescatar la cultura a travez de nosotros como jovenes, en la cual es una responsabilidad de conservarla y aplicarla a nuestras vidas, sin lucros ni intereses folckloricos, ya que es una gran erencia tradicional que nos dejaron nuestros abuelos.
Por muchos años me he dedicado a trabajar con comunidades indigenas en especial la juventud y hemos tenido una lucha en contra del sistema capitalista, en la cual he formado a jovenes politicamente para enfrentar los problemas comunitario.Soy miembro dela organizacion HIJOS ( hijos e hijas por la identidad la justicia contra el olvido y el silencio), desde hace ya vario años estoy como voluntario y hacemos un trabajo de recuperacion de la memoria hostorica para que la juventud conozca sobre lo que nos dejo la guerra que son miles de muertos y miles de desaparecidos, en su mayoria eran campesinos, obreros, estudiantes, lidres y otros
Agradesco a mi madre por la enseñaza de una lucha y ami padre que tambien murio por sus convicciones de lcuahr por un pais libre.
Agradecimientos a HIJOs por darme el espacio de compartir y la oprtunidad de este viaje que conoci mucho y aprendi de los hermanos indigenas del norte
"LA PROFECIA SE CUMPLE AGUILA Y CONDOR SE UNEN, PUEBLOS ENTEROS SE REVELAN CONTRA EL SISTEMA REPRESOR"
Krystal Francis
I am Mi'kmaq, 26 years old, and live in Wagmatcook, NS. I have 3 children, a girl and two boys. I am now attending CBU in the BA program. I currently work for a small, community cable television channel called WCCTV which is what my part of the documentary is about. I got involved in the First Voices project, through my work, because my superiors thought it would a great training experience in camera work. We did not think that it would turn out to be such a success. I loved participating in the project and would do it again if given the chance.
María Soledad Millán
María Soledad Millán was born on November 20 th , 1980 in the city of Castro, Region X of the Lakes, in the South of Chile. She is of indigenous decent by her maternal grandparents. She's interested in participating in this project primarily in order to recognize herself as an indigenous woman and to get to know her history and that of her ancestors, and to pass on this knowledge to new generations and reconstruct a history that is on the brink of being forgotten.
This documentary is dedicated first to the woman, who in one way or another fight to pass on their knowledge, to save their traditions, and to maintain them over time. As a woman I dedicate this to my mother and my daughter, and to the three women who gave me the opportunity to listen to them, to learn the importance of tradition, and to feel pride in being a woman.
Thanks to Santiago Elmúdesi, who gave me the opportunity and confidence to accept this experience (Bosque Modelo chiloé) Gladis Mansilla, Señora Hilda Guenteo, Sonia Catepillán, y Domitila Cuyul, Andrés Aegnem, Susana Oyarzun.
María Soledad Millán
María Soledad Millán Nace el 20 de Noviembre de 1980 al sur de Chile en la X región de los lagos en la ciudad de Castro, de descendencia indígena por parte de sus abuelos Maternos. Se interesa por participar dentro de este proyecto principalmente para reconocerse como indígena conocer su historia y la de sus antepasados y de esta forma traspasar este conocimiento a las nuevas generaciones y reconstruir una historia que yace en el fondo del olvido.
Este documental esta dedicado principalmente a las mujeres, que desde una u otra manera luchan por traspasar sus conocimientos, por rescatar sus tradiciones y mantenerlas en el tiempo. Como mujer se la dedico a mi Madre a mi hija y las tres mujeres que me dieron la oportunidad de escucharlas y aprender junto a ellas la importancia de la tradición y sentir el orgullo de ser Mujer.
Agradecimientos a Santiago Elmúdesi me dio la oportunidad y la confianza para acceder a esta experiencia (Bosque Modelo chiloé) Gladis Mansilla. Señora Hilda Guenteo , Sonia Catepillán ,y Domitila Cuyul, Andrés Aegnem, Susana Oyarzun.
Star Child
Star Child (Eliza Knockwood), is a 26 year-old traditional Mi'kmaq mother from Abegweit First Nation in Prince Edward Island, Canada.
Indigenous Youth of the South and the Aboriginal Youth of the North together through film created the documentary. Star Child's involvement with this project has given her the opportunity to meet amazing youth from Atlantic Canada, Guatemala and Chili as well as the experience of traveling to Guatemala with the Breaking the Silence Young Adult Delegation of 2007. Throughout this First Voices Project Star Child has obtained many skills that have broadened her horizons and strengthened her views of the world as a whole, as an Indigenous mother and as a youth that in more ways then one is very connected with all the participants from the South. Through this exchange and experience, her and other First Nation Youth have seen the importance of organizing a "First Nation Youth Delegation" to Guatemala for the year 2008.
"Throughout my childhood my mother Thunder Child has gifted me with her story and the history of our First Nation people here in Canada in regards to the colonization/assimilation of our people(s). She has guided me according to our traditional way of living in respect to our Mother Earth. My resiliently remarkable mother has said many of times throughout my life that "Mother Earth will always provide to us what is needed to survive". As a Mi'kmaq mother myself there is that responsibility I have to my own precious daughter, so that she to will continue her life with much resilience and complete faith that our Mother Earth will always provide to us what is needed to survive."
Star Child has struggled to keep what has not yet been taken, the First Voices Project and the amazing support from ACIC staff and surrounding partners has given her this opportunity to share with many, from her heart what she is the most proudest of in her life.
Hilda Fernanda Cumez Sicay
Hilda Fernanda Cumez Sicay is 20 years old and was born in the town of Agua Escondida, in the municipality of San Antonio Palopó, in the Sololá department of Guatemala. She comes from the indigenous group Maya Kaqchikel in Guatemala.
Hilda works for the Campesino Committee of the Altiplano (CCDA), with a group of indigenous women weavers. Based on her work, she decided to make these women weavers in Cerro de Oro, Santiago Atitlán the topic of her video. Her motive was to dicover the vision of the women to develop their community and improve their economic situation through weaving, an ancient art passed down from their ancestors. Furthermore, the intention is that young women won't lose their cultural inheritance, and that they will organize themselves and avoid falling into delinquency.
Thanks to ACIC, Jennifer Sloot, Caitrian MacNeil, and the Campesino Committee of the Altiplano organization for chosing me for this project and enabling me to travel to Canada to share ideas with each one of the youth from Chile, Canada, and Guatemala. May the experience that we had never be lost, so that we can help more young people in our countries. Thanks to my mother for giving me the opportunity to go to Canada and to my brother for his help with filming. May this project continue to grow and never be forgotten.
Hilda Fernanda Cumez Sicay
Hilda Fernanda Cumez Sicay de 20 años, nace en la aldea Agua Escondida, municipio San Antonio Palopó, departamento Sololá, Guatemala. Es Indígena de la etnia Maya Kaqchikel, Guatemala.
Hilda trabaja de parte de Comité Campesino de Altiplano, CCDA, con el grupo de mujeres indígenas tejedoras. En base de su trabajo, decidió enfocar su video en el tema de las mujeres tejedoras de Cerro de Oro, Santiago Atitlán. Su motivo fue descubrir la visión de las mujeres tejedoras para desarrollar su comunidad y mejorar su situación económica a través del tejido, una arte ancestral transmitido por nuestros antepasados.
Además, la intención es de que los jóvenes mujeres no pierden su herencia cultural y que se organizan para que no se caen en vicio de la delincuencia.
Agradecimientos a ACIC, Jennifer Sloot, Caitrian MacNeil, y a la organización Comité Campesino de Altiplano por elegirme para este proyecto y para poder viajar hacia Canada para compartir las ideas de cada uno de los jóvenes de Chile, Canada y de Guatemala. Esta experiencia que nos encontramos que no lo perdemos para poder ayudar a mas jóvenes de nuestro país.
Agradezco a mi madre por darme la oportunidad de irme hacia Canada y a mi hermano que me ayudó a sacar los videos. Ojala que este proyecto sigue adelante y que no se olvida de nosotros.
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