Kaha:wi : The Cycle of Life

by Shane Belcourt

KAHA:WI is a performance film that perpetuates Iroquoian cultural knowledge, traditional æsthetics and expression in a contemporary form.

2014 · 45m · Canada

English

English subs

About the Film

Celebrated performer, choreographer and artist Santee Smith interprets traditional Iroquois legends through contemporary dance in a cinematic restaging of her 2004 award-winning debut production KAHA:WI : THE CYCLE OF LIFE. In this touching documentary, a gorgeous and transformative performance is translated effortlessly to the screen, telling us of sacred portals between the Sky World, the Earth World and the Under World. KAHA:WI is a performance film that perpetuates Iroquoian cultural knowledge, traditional æsthetics and expression in a contemporary form. KAHA:WI opens with an awakening of the spirit, or unseen life force, that manifests into human form. This establishes the spiritual presence that permeates throughout KAHA:WI. A thanksgiving prayer is given to all the living beings in the natural world. Iroquois people call themselves Onkwehon:we… Real People, meaning real physically. That is a distinction from spirit people. There is a concept of duality between this dimension and that dimension. We live in a world where things are real but the universe has other dimensions. The unseen are beyond our comprehension yet we need to communicate with the unseen, some people call that spirit. The human spirit possesses an umbilical connection to the spirit world.

Upcoming Screenings

Stay tuned for upcoming screenings!

Festivals and Awards

2014

ImagineNative, World Premiere

Editor

Shane Belcourt and Jordan O'Connor

Producer

Jim Compton and Jeremy Edwardes

Sound Recorder

Corby Luke

Choreography & Story by

Santee Smith

Executive Producers

R. Todd Ivey and Cynthia Lickers-Sage

Associate Producer

Agi Gutkowska

Director of Photography

James Klopko

About the Director

Shane Belcourt

Official Website

Shane Belcourt is an award-winning Métis filmmaker, writer and musician based in Toronto. Raised with a deep respect for the traditions and knowledge of Aboriginal people, the majority of Shane’s work explores and celebrates Aboriginal issues and culture. His debut feature film, entitled Tkaronto, has played many international film festivals, winning in 2008 the “Best Director” prize at both the Dreamspeakers and the 2008 Talking Stick film festivals. Shane was selected in January 2010 to be the Filmmaker in Residence by the Winnipeg Film Group. Shane’s recent works also include Heritage Minutes, Urban Native Girl – Season 1, Kaha:wi – The Cycle of Life, F*%K Yeah, Keeping Quiet, Red Car, Blue Hood and Boxed In.

Official Website

Kaha:wi : The Cycle of Life

Shane Belcourt

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