Poundmaker's Lodge: A Healing Place (1987)

Poundmaker's Lodge: A Healing Place Poster

29min | Jan 1, 1987 | Released

This short documentary by Alanis Obomsawin takes us to Poundmaker's Lodge, a treatment centre in St. Albert, Alberta, that welcomes Native people troubled by addiction to drugs and alcohol. Named after a 19th-century Native leader, the centre offers a space where Natives can come together for mutual support, partake in healing rituals like the sweat lodge, and rediscover their traditions. The film shows the despair of a people dispossessed of land, culture, language and dignity, and their strength and courage in overcoming substance abuse.

Director: Alanis Obomsawin

Producer: Alanis Obomsawin Robert Verrall Marrin Canell

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