Thomas Snow, a Stoney Nakoda father searches his upbringing for wisdom on parenting his two youngest children in a colonial world. He finds himself caught between an unhealthy community on reserve suffering from generations of trauma and a technology-obsessed Western culture that is disconnected from the land. “How do you be healthy in a sick community?” Thomas asks. 

For answers, Thomas goes back to the Stoney Nakoda reserve to reconnect with family and Elders who helped him grow strong. What he finds is a childhood that encouraged him to range freely whether it was watching Saturday morning cartoons or going out on the land with his grandmother to hunt for moose. There was the constant presence of his community, land and his language as he was taken from one event to another. And then there were rites of passage and song to support him with each transition reminding him of what was important. 

It’s a different world today however. Thomas wants to bring traditional practices into their family life. But living far from the community which raised him, how will he parents his kids?

Filmmaker Profile: Chris Hsiung is an engineer turned award-winning documentary filmmaker. He runs Hidden Story Productions, an organization dedicated to using documentary storytelling to nurture a more compassionate, just, and intelligent society. Chris directed and produced the award winning documentary “Elder in the Making”.

Thomas Snow is from the Stoney Nakoda Nation. He is a Recruitment and Alumni Officer, Indigenous Leadership Programs at The Banff Centre.