Writer and Director Nang Patrick Shannon (left) with writer Desi (Desmond) Collinson. by John Wirth (ANNews) – Alberta Native News caught up with director Patrick Shannon and writer Desi Collinson as they shared their thoughts during a screening of their award winning documentary. The screening took place at the historic Rio Theatre on Broadway, a beloved, independent East Vancouver venue that has championed both cult classics and local live performance since 1938. Desi is a councillor in the Council of the Haida Nation (CHN) as well as the recreation coordinator. His experience expands the meaning of the later title to reflect the importance of basketball within the community. He operates as the steward of sacred grounds and teacher to the next generation of leaders through the George Brown Recreation centre, Skidegate’s hardwood basketball arena. Collinson is featured heavily within the documentary, offering key Haida perspectives, primarily as a player and coach while maintaining his political career. Truly, the offices are both deeply interconnected in his village. Moreover, the president of their nation, Gaagwiis, is also a member of the dominant Skidegate Saints alumni and brought championships along with prestige home to Skidegate. Their words together, solidify how basketball has provided the necessary breathing-room for their community to flourish. In his directorial debut, writer and director Nang K’uulas Patrick Shannon skilfully brings their experience in film production to weave their lived truth of Haida resilience. They capture the scope and origins of the dynastic Skidegate basketball culture and spirited competition in the wider tournaments of British Columbia such as the renowned All-Native and Haida Gwaii clan tournaments. The All-Native takes place annually in Prince George and traditionally has blended elements of the potlatch ceremony, so as to keep the traditions alive through more scrutinous times of government oppression. “Wintertime traditionally would be potlatch season. And clans would host feasts and Potlatch. The basketball season kind of naturally follows that cycle.” President Gaagwiis Jason Alsop illustrates,” You know, it’s really easy to stay isolated and kind of hibernate through the winter, but by coming together in potlatch and ceremony, it brings everybody together in one house and basketball plays a similar role.” The director, Patrick Shannon, gives their audience a careful and unique glimpse into their island community which has resonated positively with their local elders and matriarchs. According to Collinson, “Diane Brown. A very respected matriarch, a very respected Elder who maintains a whole lot of knowledge; she came up, and she gave me a hug and told me how proud she was,” a confident Collinson reflected on the special memory with their eyes brightening with fondness, “and she said, ‘that was the best film I’ve seen come out of Haida Gwaii, based on Haida Gwaii’ … that made me feel really good.” Desi Collinson states his mission for the documentary as a writer, ”I wanted to be able to sit in the community Hall. I wanted to be able to sit in the recreation center and watch the film with my people and not feel that I didn’t tell the story the way they wanted and show how they see themselves.” Skidegate is a deeply rooted village in Haida Gwaii located in what is known today as Graham island. When asked about the importance of bringing a basketball story as their directorial debut Shannon replied that, “Being raised in Skidegate for most of my life, it wasn’t until I left that I realized how special our relationship to basketball was, and when my producer Michael Tanko Grand asked me what I would want to do for my first feature, I immediately knew that Haida basketball and the cultural survival of our people was THE story that was in my bones that needed to be told.” The film secured comprehensive support from major Canadian public and private agencies: Bell Media’s Crave, Canada Media Fund, Telefilm Canada, Creative BC, Cross Currents Canada Doc, and Rogers group of funds. These big names reflect a positive change in the national commitment to funding culturally significant Canadian Indigenous stories and the voices that bring them. “Oh man, like this was a tremendous feat to make this film,” Shannon explains, “thanks to the funders who helped bring this, because it was a big endeavor to film so many big events and tournaments. We probably have like 60 terabytes worth of basketball footage!” Patrick Shannon reviews the comments about the film that he receives and says, “I’d say one question that I get occasionally, especially from audiences that don’t have the same frame of reference or context to what’s happening here on the North Coast is, ‘how can we help? How can we be a part of this?’ And those are the questions that I love hearing, and I want to hear even more because it’s encouraging us to actively engage with what does reconciliation look like and what’s being modeled on our how-to guide.” Shannon venerates his people and home, “This is a story of our community. It’s a story of the Haida people, the Haida Nation, and this film doesn’t happen unless the community comes together — to help tell this story.” Audiences can experience the documentary in theatres. Following the box office run, one will be able to watch it on demand through crave.ca. For more information on the film, visit the director’s write-up at (https://www.patrickshannon.ca/saints-and-warriors-1) John Wirth is a Local Journalism Initiative Reporter.
Saints and Warriors: New film celebrates the relationship between basketball and Haida resilience
