Film and Conversation with Indigenous Guests
Join the Branford Land Trust on Saturday, January 4 from 1:30 – 4:30 p.m. at the Blackstone Memorial Library for a screening of the award-winning documentary Custodians – A Story of Ancient Echoes. The film will be followed by a conversation with Clan Mother Shoran Waupatuquay Piper and Jesse Rose to integrate, learn, and deepen our relationship with the story.
Custodians – A Story of Ancient Echoes follows the journey of a community in Herschel, Saskatchewan, during the summer of 2021 as they work to preserve and protect the pastureland, native grasslands, and critical Indigenous artifacts found near the village. Upon discoveries of dinosaurs, marine fossils, and significant Indigenous sites and petroglyphs on nearby farmland, an aging population of community volunteers comes together to preserve the land and its stories, including the Indigenous history, paleontology, and local ecology. “We have found a living library,” says Metis Artist Jo Cooper, who has spent the past 20 years in Herschel working alongside locals. The stories of the land and the echoes of the past form new friendships, unravel mysteries, and model potential for deep justice, reconciliation, and healing between people and the land.
The film has received several awards, most notably at the Saskatchewan International Film Festival where it swept the full-length documentary category, winning awards for Best Documentary, Best Cinematography, Best Director, and Best Musical Score. It was produced by Indigenous Education Scholar Harry Lafond from Muskeg Lake Cree Nation, Saskatchewan, and David Neufeld of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. Directed by Brad Langendoen and associate producing by Andi Leitch of Vancouver, British Columbia.
Our guest Clan Mother Shoran Waupatuquay Piper is the tribal leader of the Golden Hill Paugussett Nation in Connecticut, a state-recognized tribe. She is dedicated to preserving sacred traditions like song, dance, stories, and spirituality. She is also the author of Red Road: Traditional Voices of Afro-Indigenous America.
And our guest Jesse Rose is a member of the Schaghticoke Tribal Nation, is the founder of Rooted Spirit, a business dedicated to holistic education and healing. They are a devoted advocate for Indigenous wisdom, healing, and sacred relationships with all our relations. As a yoga teacher, herbalist, and movement educator, they weave together ancestral teachings and modern practices to inspire resilience and harmonious connection with all of creation. Through Rooted Spirit, they offer the medicine of the Earth to the human tribe, hold community offerings, workshops, and support private clients in ways that honor Indigenous teachings and nurture reciprocal relationships with ourselves, our communities, and our Earth Mother
This event and our upcoming Winter Speaker Series events are free and open to the public. It will be held in-person at the Blackstone Library (758 Main St, Branford).
The Branford Land Trust Winter 2025 Speaker Series is made possible by a grant from the Branford Community Foundation and Guilford Savings Bank. Save the Date for these upcoming events: “The Mission of Preserving Our Wildlife” with Christine Cummings, A Place Called Hope (January 28); “Recovering Kinship with the Living Earth: Spiritual Ecology and Local Environmental Renewal” with Sam King (February 25); “Insects and Water” with Julie Michaelson (March 25); presentation by David Irvin (April 22); and our Annual Meeting presentation “Circular Economy” with Tess Lee (May 19).
