Experiencing Interruptions?

Diiyeghan naii Taii Tr’eedaa (We Will Walk the Trail of our Ancestors)

A grandfather teaches his granddaughter, a young Gwich'in mother named Alisha, how reciprocity is embedded in all aspects of life. The northern lights warm the caribou; the caribou helps feed and sustain the community; the community honors the connections. Each element in nature is purposeful and related. In turn, these connections bring new meaning to Alisha and her wishes for her children and for all living beings.

This film is part of a series and multimedia platform, made in partnership with Indigenous storytellers and their communities worldwide, invites learning from time-honored and current Indigenous ways of being. Facing a climate crisis, the Reciprocity Project embraces Indigenous value systems that have bolstered communities since the beginning of time. To heal, we must recognize that we are in relationship with Earth, a place that was in balance for millenia. More information at www.reciprocity.org.

  • Princess Daazhraii Johnson
    Director
  • Maya Salganek
    Director of Photography
  • James C. Johnson III
    Writer
  • Princess Daazhraii Johnson
    Writer
  • Alisha Diinashii Carlson
    Associate Producers
  • Maya Salganek
    Associate Producers
  • Alisha Diinashii Carlson
    Key Cast
  • Gracie Carlson
    Key Cast
  • Ryler Carlson
    Key Cast
  • Mary Fields
    Key Cast
  • Dr. Rev. Trimble Gilbert
    Key Cast
  • Aldzak Johnson
    Key Cast
  • K'edzaaye' Johnson
    Key Cast
  • Princess Daazhraii Johnson
    Key Cast
  • Kias Peter
    Key Cast
  • Princess Daazhraii Johnson
    Additional Cinematography
  • Maya Salganek
    Sound Recordist
  • James C. Johnson
    Editors
  • Beyza Boyacioglu
    Editors
  • Taylor Hensel
    Finishing Editor
  • Eleni Ledesma
    COVID-19 Supervisor
  • Maya Salganek
    On Set COVID-19 Coordinator
  • Jennifer Kreisberg
    Composer
  • Keri Oberly
    Photographer
  • Dr. Rev. Trimble Gilbert
    Cultural Advisor
  • Hilda Johnson
    Gwich'in Language Coach
  • Adeline Raboff
    Gwich'in Language Translation
  • Tracy Rector
    Executive Producer
  • Jacob Bearchum
    Lead Assistant Editor
  • Heather Cassano
    Color Correction
  • Sauli Pillay
    Color Correction
  • Dave Howe
    Sound Engineer
  • David Gallander
    Sound Engineer
  • Yen Tan
    Poster Design
  • Melissa Billows
    Accounting
  • Jonathan Saceda
    Accounting
  • Susi Walsh
    Accounting
  • Cindy Chischilly
    Promotional Design & Graphics
  • Joel Schomberg
    Promotional Design & Graphics
  • Jeffrey Cadwell
    Legal
  • Justine Jacob
    Legal
  • Sarah Robertson
    Legal
  • Sauli Pillay
    DIT
  • Taylor Hensel
    Producer
  • Adam Mazo
    Producer
  • Kavita Pillay
    Producer
  • Tracy Rector
    Producer
  • Hindou Ibrahim
    Co-Executive Producers
  • Yo-Yo Ma
    Co-Executive Producers
  • Cristina Mittermeier
    Co-Executive Producers
  • Project Type:
    Documentary, Experimental, Short
  • Runtime:
    5 minutes 58 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    December 1, 2021
  • Production Budget:
    50,000 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    United States
  • Country of Filming:
    United States
  • Language:
    Gwich'in
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
  • Anchorage International Film Festival
    Anchorage
    United States
    December 12, 2021
    North American Premiere
    Official Selection
  • Skábmagovat Indigenous Peoples’ Film Festival
    Inari
    Finland
    January 27, 2022
    Official Selection
  • Big Sky Documentary Film Festival
    Missoula
    United States
    February 25, 2022
    Montana Premiere
    Official Selection
  • Durango Independent Film Festival
    Durango
    United States
    March 2, 2022
    Colorado Premiere
    Official Selection
  • Environmental Film Festival In The Nation's Capital
    Washington D.C.
    United States
    March 27, 2022
    East Coast Premiere
    Official Selection
  • Dawson City International Short Film Festival
    Dawson City, Yukon
    United States
    April 14, 2022
  • Independent Film Festival Boston
    Boston, Massachusetts
    United States
    April 27, 2022
  • Dreamspeakers International Indigenous Film Festival
    Edmonton, Alberta
    United States
    May 27, 2022
  • Atlanta Docufest
    Atlanta, Georgia
    United States
    May 27, 2022
  • The Roxbury International Film Festival
    Boston, Massachusetts
    United States
    June 22, 2022
  • Māoriland Film Festival
    Ōtaki, Aotearoa
    New Zealand
    June 29, 2022
    Southern Hemisphere
  • Durban International Film Festival
    Durban
    South Africa
    July 21, 2022
    Official Selection
  • Regina International Film Festival and Awards
    Regina, Saskatchewan
    Canada
    August 9, 2022
    Official Selection
  • The International First Peoples Festival Présence Autochtone
    Montréal, Québec
    Canada
    August 16, 2022
    Official Selection
  • Asinabka Film and Media Arts Festival
    Ottawa, Ontario
    Canada
    August 10, 2022
  • Edmonton International Film Festival
    Edmonton, Alberta
    Canada
    September 22, 2022
    Official Selection
  • Local Sightings Film Festival
    Seattle, WA
    United States
    September 16, 2022
    Official Selection
  • San Diego International Film Festival
    San Diego, California
    United States
    October 19, 2022
    Official Selection
  • Hot Springs Documentary Film Festival
    Hot Springs, Arkansas
    United States
    October 10, 2022
    Official Selection
  • imagineNATIVE
    Toronto
    United States
    October 18, 2022
    Official Selection
  • Cucalorus Film Festival
    Wilmington, NC
    United States
    November 17, 2022
    Official Selection
  • Capital City Film Festival
    Lansing, MI
    United States
    April 5, 2023
    Official Selection
  • Short Circuit Pacific Rim Film Festival
    Vancouver, BC
    Canada
    May 5, 2023
Distribution Information
  • Nia Tero
    Distributor
    Country: Worldwide
    Rights: All Rights
Director Biography - Princess Daazhraii Johnson

Princess Daazhraii Johnson (she/her) is Neets'aii Gwich'in and lives with her three sons and husband/filmmaking partner on the traditional territory of lower Tanana Dene lands in Alaska. She is humbled to serve on the board of Native Movement and NDN Collective - alongside community, she works to protect the lands, waters, animal and plant relatives that continue to take care of all of us. She is all the hyphenates (actor-writer-producer-director) and has served on the SAG-AFTRA Native American Committee since 2007. In 2015 she was appointed by President Obama to serve on the Board of Trustees for the Institute of American Indian Arts. She is grateful to be a Sundance Film Alum, a Nia Tero Storytelling Fellow and most recently a Creative Producer and screenwriter for the Peabody award-winning PBS Kids series "Molly of Denali".

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Director Statement

It was an honor to explore alongside members of our community, not only the theme of 'Reciprocity' but what it means to be a Gwich'in person and our connection to the vadzaih (the caribou). We come from a heavily documented community in regards to our work keeping the calving grounds of the Porcupine Caribou Herd safe from oil development in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, yet it is challenging to relay the nature of our spiritual relationship to the vadzaih and to all life. Through the use of the Gwich'in language and visuals created by our own perspective, we are able to better express this relationship. We are fortunate to have the teachings of our Ancestors and our Elders to guide us. Listening to Rev. Trimble Gilbert's voice and wisdom, we hope that our audience is also able to reflect on what it means to be a human being and what values we are passing along to future generations. May we all be guided to restore balance with ourselves, one another, and our beautiful Mother Earth.