Dakota filmmaker Sheldon Wolfchild's compelling documentary is premised on Pagans in the Promised Land: Decoding the Doctrine of Christian Discovery, a book based on two decades of research by Shawnee, Lenape scholar Steven T. Newcomb. The film tells the story of how little known Vatican documents of the fifteenth century resulted in a tragic global momentum of domination and dehumanization. This led to law systems in the United States and Canada and elsewhere in the world that are still being used against Original Nations and Peoples to this day. The film concludes with traditional teachings developed over thousands of years that provide a much needed alternative for humans and the ecological systems of Mother Earth at this time.

The screening will be followed by a conversation with Steven T. Newcomb and Dwayne Tomah. Tomah, a Passamaquoddy language teacher and keeper of culture, is the recipient of a year-long Lunder Institute for American Art fellowship to support his community-based practice. To learn about other events related to the residency, please visit arts.colby.edu.