What’s Good for the Land is Good for the Band
Back home in Vancouver after a classic 19 hour day.
So tired.
My first day of production on Down 2 Earth, shooting the end of the west coast trail in Port Renfrew, on the Southwestern point of Vancouver Island.
I gotta admit I’ve never been a huge fan of production. I wonder if that’s odd for a filmmaker? There’s so much standing around, carrying heavy equipment, fiddling with technical gear, rushing, stressing…
Of course there are parts I do enjoy – the bond that develops within the crew, the adventure, meeting interesting people, visiting exotic locals. Everything but the work, I guess.
Today was definitely an exotic local. The West Coast Trail is a 75 km trail that extends between the southern and central west coast of Vancouver Island. We were speaking with the Pacheedaht first nations tribe that oversees the preservation of the southern most 25 km of the trail. Two other bands maintain the northern sections, and together all three bands have a “co-management” agreement the “feds” (Parks Canada) in regards to overseeing how the land used.
It’s a somewhat uncommon yet fruitful arrangement in that it (re)connects the community to land that was historically theirs, and gives them a stake, both financially and culturally in its preservation and use. They are true stewards of the land and in speaking with the Chief and four of the ‘Trail Guardians,” one gets the sense of the significant pride and responsibility with which they take on this role.
