Legends: The Story of Siwash Rock. Annie Frazier Henry (Writer and Director). Michael Chechik and Annie Frazier Henry (Producers). Montreal, PQ: National Film Board of Canada, 1999. 24 minutes, VHS, $39.95. Order Number: C9199 206. Subject Headings: Coast Salish Indians-Ethnic identity. Squawmish Indians-Folklore. Teenage pregnancy-Drama. Grades 10 and up / Ages 15 and up. Review by Joanne Peters. **.5 /4

Legends: The Story of Siwash Rock blends the traditional story of the Siwash Rock with a very contemporary problem, that of teen pregnancy. Andrew, a tough-talking young native who fancies himself a modern warrior, and his girlfriend, Kelsey, are facing unplanned parenthood. And if this weren't difficult enough, he soon finds himself jobless and Kelsey's becoming weak and ill as her pregnancy progresses. Still, Andrew does believe in the traditional teachings of his people. In preparation for fatherhood, he undertakes the ceremonial cleansing of his body and spirit, and, on the night that his son is born, Andrew swims out to sea again, encountering in their great canoe, the four kings of the Siwash Rock legend. Unlike the legendary young warrior who is turned to stone but immortalized in the rock, Andrew returns to celebrate his son's birth, affirming the value of family and his community. Andrew and Kelsey's story is inter-spliced with the telling of the legend, in the Squamish language, by Lawrence Baker, a Squamish elder, and the blending of the two stories is not always smooth or seamless. The goal of the film - to depict the value of ancient teachings and their application to contemporary life - is laudable and Dakota House's portrayal of Andrew is compelling. A winner in the 1999 American Indian Film Festival, Legends: The Story of Siwash Rock is likely to find its most receptive audience in schools with native studies programs and strong interest in the traditional teachings it depicts.

Recommended with reservations.

Joanne Peters is a teacher-librarian at Kelvin High School in Winnipeg, MB.

To comment on this title or this review, send mail to cm@umanitoba.ca.

Copyright © the Manitoba Library Association. Reproduction for personal use is permitted only if this copyright notice is maintained. Any other reproduction is prohibited without permission.

Published by
The Manitoba Library Association
ISSN 1201-9364

TABLE OF CONTENTS FOR THIS ISSUE - November 17, 2000.

AUTHORS | TITLES | MEDIA REVIEWS | PROFILES | BACK ISSUES | SEARCH | ORDER | CMARCHIVE | HOME