Amie Owen

In this video portrait, Amie Owen shares the importance of preserving traditions and passing down cultural customs. As a long-time resident of Pikangikum First Nation, Amie reflects on his experiences with cultural assimilation, including attending residential schools and witnessing the influence of Catholic churches in his community. Despite these challenges, Amie has steadfastly maintained his customs and finds joy in practicing his culture and language, and in sharing them with his family. He urges his community to continue these traditions and ensure they are passed on to future generations. Click here to watch Amie's video portrait.

Brent Pascal

In this video portrait, Eenchokay Birchstick High School’s teacher Brent Pascal shares his experiences of using education to pass down tradition and create safe spaces for students in Pikangikum. As the native language teacher, Brent teaches students their native language which helps them maintain their cultural identity but also brings them closer to their ancestors. Brent also focuses on growing his own education so he can better facilitate the cultural reclamation of his students. As an educator Brent plays many important roles, but none is more important to him than ensuring his classroom is a safe space for all his students to express their own identities. Brent is a vital member of the Pikangikum community who works hard to help students grow closer with their culture but also provides a safe environment for them to express themselves. Click here to watch Brent's video portrait.

Angel Quill

In this video portrait, young adult Angel Quill, states the importance of maintaining her cultural identity and asserting that Pikangikum's Indigenous heritage is “Still Here”. Angel shares a deep compassion for her community and loved ones. She shares this by taking part in traditional activities like communal dances. Angel is also an artist and designer herself working with beads and sewing ribbon skirts. Angel is a strong example of the passionate youth who live in Pikangikum and pride themselves on maintaining their community and heritage. Click here to watch Angel's video portrait.

Harold Keeper

Harold Keeper is a Pikangikum resident who focuses on healing his community through passing down knowledge of traditional medicines. Harold first learned of traditional medicine through canoe rides with his grandparents. From those experiences he has cherished the value of traditional herbs and passes down his knowledge in the same way his grandparents once did. Harold created a book of traditional herbs and medicines distributed throughout Pikangikum schools. The way to cure the sick, but also maintain the cultural identity of Pikangikum can be found within these traditional medicines. Click here to watch Harold's video portrait.

Amberlee King

In this video portrait, Amberlee King, an artist from Pikangikum, Ontario, discusses her journey with art. She began drawing characters in her childhood, which evolved into painting landscapes and cabins. Amberlee finds peace in painting, using it as a form of self-expression. However, she has struggled with grief after losing her father in 2019, followed by her grandparents, which impacted her motivation to paint. Despite the challenges, she sees potential in teaching art and is inspired by her son, who has brought her joy and hope for the future. Click here to watch Amberlee's video portrait.

Kyle Peters

Kyle Peters is the education director for the Pikangikum Education Authority. He is a strong community leader who believes in the beauty and strength of Pikangikum. Kyle works to improve the perceptions and quality of education at his school for the older residents of Pikangikum, and the youth who attend his school. His passion for healing his community can be heard in this portrait: he implores others, especially parents, to put in more effort to achieve a stronger community. Kyle is adamant in the beauty within Indigenous communities and will work to see that this beauty is felt within all members of his community. Click here to watch Kyle's video portrait.

Denzel Quill

Denzel Quill is a young emerging photographer from Pikangikum First Nation, Ontario, Canada. In this video portrait, Denzel shares his story of building a community through photography and using photography as a tool for empowerment. Denzel found photography at an early age, and it has allowed him to express his individuality and the beauty of his town. Using this tool to uplift his own voice, Denzel has also created a community of photographers that use the artform to bond closer together. He uses photography to navigate through the hardest times of his life and to express his greatest joys, and continues to spread his message and uplift his community with his craft. Click here to watch Denzel's video portrait.