Our Collection
A Tribe of One
Description
'I will tell you once, but you must never ask me again.' With these words from
her mother, Rhonda Larrabee discovered the startling truth about her family.
She was not of Chinese and French descent, as she had been told while growing
up in Vancouver's Chinatown. Rhonda's mother, Marie Lee, was First Nations,
and was hiding her roots because of the prejudice she faced.
This discovery shattered Rhonda's world, but as promised, she asked no
more questions. It wasn't until after Marie's death that Rhonda delved into
the legacy her mother felt forced to escape.
Rhonda's journey led eventually to the dramatic resolution of her own
identity: obtaining her Indian Status Card and re-establishing the New
Westminster Band. Today, as proud Chief of the Band, she is focused on
revitalizing the Qayqayt First Nations.
Featuring beautiful archival images and compelling interviews, this
documentary captures Rhonda's quest to embrace her roots and make amends for
her mother's pain. As she works to restore her Band's land, culture and pride,
she becomes an inspiration to the generations that follow.
A Tribe of One was produced as part of the
Reel Diversity Competition for emerging filmmakers of colour. Reel Diversity
is a National Film Board of Canada initiative in partnership with CBC
Newsworld.
2003, 38 min 49 s
Awards
Honorable Mention - Category: Social Issues
International Film and Video Festival
November 10 to 14 2004, Columbus - USA
Best Documentary Short Award
Annual American Indian Film Festival
November 6 to 13 2004, San Francisco - USA
- Date modified: