Product Detail

8TH FIRE is a provocative, high-energy journey through Aboriginal country showing you why we need to fix Canada's 500 year-old relationship with Indigenous peoples; a relationship mired in colonialism, conflict and denial. With its energetic pace and stunning HD landscapes, 8TH FIRE propels you past prejudice, stereotypes and misunderstandings, to encounters with an impressive new generation of Aboriginal Canadians who are reclaiming both their culture and their confidence. They are the fastest growing population in Canada and more than half live in cities. Those still struggling on reserves in Third World conditions are demanding a share of the vast mineral and energy resources in their midst. And the Canadian justice system is backing them up. The title for the series draws from an Anishinaabe prophecy that declares now is the time for Aboriginal peoples and the settler community to come together and build the '8th Fire' of justice and harmony. On a reserve in B.C., we taste high-end wine in a First Nations run vineyard and hear from an entrepreneurial Chief who believes the best relationships are business deals. An award-winning hip-hop trio in Winnipeg escapes gang culture; and we join a Quebec surgeon on a 4000 km trek where he visits First Nation school kids, and encourages them to stay in school and believe in their dreams. The host of 8TH FIRE is CBC journalist Wab Kinew, from the Ojibways of Onigaming First Nation in Northern Ontario. He's also a dynamic rapper and musician. This four hour HD series is an encounter with fascinating, complex people - as diverse as Canada itself. We meet the emerging leaders, artists, activists and thinkers. We explore the best ideas for change. Above all, 8TH FIRE examines the way forward to a second chance to get the relationship right. EPISODE 1: Indigenous in the City - Meet the rich kaleidoscope of Aboriginal people who are fast joining the country's urban middle class and bringing their culture with them. EPISODE 2: It's Time! - Memorable people and stories from ac