Featuring songwriter Lacey Hill & Haudenosaunee Snow Snake experts
Directed by Zoe Leigh Hopkins
Lacey Hill is Oneida of Six Nations, Wolf Clan. She is a singer/songwriter and inspirational speaker. Lacey went solo launching her debut album titled 528, independently. Her sophomore album 528 Volume II M has taken Lacey across Canada and on to international stages. Her episode explores how global warming poses a challenge to the traditional Snow Snake competitions and how her grandfather was one of the greatest Snow Snake makers and competitors for generations in their community.
Snow Snake is a traditional Haudenosaunee game played during the winter. Historically, the games were played when the men of the villages returned from their annual hunting trip. The fun, sometimes intense, matches saw each village showcase its athletic ability. It was – and still is – an exciting game of skill to the Haudenosaunee people.
Snow snakes are hand-made from a flattened or carved piece of wood. One end of the snow snake is curved up slightly and the other end is notched to make it easier to throw. The object of the game is to throw the snow snake the farthest distance along a smooth trough made in the snow. Teams alternate tosses. The distance the snake travels is added to that team’s score and whichever side has the longest total distance – after a predetermined number of rounds – is the winner.
Joined by her mother Kim HIll, and Haudenosaunee community members and snow snake experts such as David General, Leroy Henry, Tehota’Kera:Tohn Jeremy D Green, and Kahentokeron Deer - Lacey wants to know what happens to this traditional game, and the ceremonies and reverence towards winter in the context of global warming.
In this episode of Amplify, Lacey Hill recounts her childhood memories of her grandfather building snow snakes and winning many tournaments with his brothers. Environmental changes have greatly affected this traditional game. Her song "The Shiner" draws inspiration from it.
Watch Lacey Hill's performance of "The Shiner". Her soulfull melody will warm you up through the coldest winter. This music video was edited by Francis Laliberte.
Learn about music production with Gary Joseph, a music producer from 6 Nations, as he walks you through his studio "Thru The RedDoor", and the process of recording.
Lacey Hill is Oneida of Six Nations, Wolf Clan. She is a singer/songwriter and inspirational speaker. Lacey went solo launching her debut album titled 528 in 2013, independently. Which put her in the music scene and opened up the stage to perform her original songs. 2017 Her sophomore album 528 Volume II M has taken Lacey across Canada and onto international stages, Tv appearances, and also getting into the theatre scene as she composes music for Tara Beagans' sizzling hot theater performance 'Deer Woman' which has been travelling the world to New Zealand , Australia (SydneyFestival/Melbourne Art Center) and most recently to Scotland Edinburgh "Fringe Festival" where it was recognized by many reviewers and also received an award for *Best Moments* of the Fringe.
Lacey is gearing up for her 3rd album release in 2020. For more Information, check out Lacey Hill @musiclacey on all the social medias to keep up with latest news.
Zoe Hopkins is a Heiltsuk and Mohawk woman, born in Bella Bella, a fishing village on the coast of BC. She is now raising her son in her father’s community of Six Nations, Ontario, where she learned to speak and teach Kanyen’kéha (the Mohawk language.)
Hopkins drew upon her personal connection to the Great Bear Rainforest for her award-winning first feature film, Kayak to Klemtu, which received a theatrical release in Canada, and is distributed in Canada by Mongrel Media. Winner of: Audience Choice Award: imagineNATIVE Film Festival & Powell River Film Festival; Best Canadian First Feature Film: Victoria Film Festival, Best Narrative Feature: CAIIFF, Official Selection: Edinburgh International Film Festival, Leo Awards: Best Actress (Ta’Kaiya Blaney), Best Supporting Actress (Sonja Bennett), Best Director & Best Actor (Lorne Cardinal): American Indian Film Festival.
Hopkins holds a BAA in Film from Ryerson University, and is an alumna of the Sundance Institute’s Feature Film Program. Her films have screened Internationally at festivals including Sundance and Berlinale. Hopkins is a member of the Embargo Collective; creators of the omnibus feature, The Embargo Project, which included her short film Skyworld (Best Short Film, Niagara Integrated Film Festival).
Zoe is a writer on the soon-to-be broadcast dramatic series entitled, Trickster, based on the much-celebrated book Son of a Trickster, by Eden Robinson. Also for the small screen, Zoe has directed an episode of the music documentary series, Amplify, for APTN. In 2004, she was Senior Producer on the documentary series, Venturing Forth, also for APTN. She directed 26 episodes of the children’s series Art Zone, produced by Force Four Entertainment.
Zoe is currently in post-production with her sophomore feature, previously entitled Running Home, with Toronto’s Big Soul Productions and Devonshire Productions. Zoe is a member of the Writer’s Guild of Canada.
The Shiner was recorded at Thru The RedDoor.
Located at Six Nations of the Grand River, Thru the RedDoor is an Independent, Indigenous, Production Studio. They bring ideas to life.They’re good listeners and great storytellers. They make music and they make art. They aren’t afraid of hard work, of getting dirty, or taking chances. They’re passionate and proud of the work they do for their clients and community.
Address: 1579 4th Line Rd, Ohsweken, ON
Website: www.thruthereddoor.com
Song producer: Gary Joseph
Filming locations: Six Nations
