Clans

Documentary | Sarah Del Seronde

Clans explores relationships among the Na-Dene, the largest Indigenous linguistic family in North America, through the origin and migration stories of the Dene in the Canadian Subarctic and the Diné (Navajo) in the American Southwest. 

57 minutes

Release: December 16, 2019

Expiration: December 16, 2023

Distributor: Independent Lens

About the Filmmaker

Sarah Del Seronde is from the Bennett Freeze lands of the Diné Nation, an undeveloped area of land banned from all repairs and development because of ownership disputes with the Hopi Tribe. She obtained an MA in American Indian Studies from the University of Arizona and founded Aboriginal Lens LTD. Making the River, a biographical tale of an American Indian charged with the murder of a prison guard, took her inside the Washington State Penitentiary as a first time director. Her next film explored the world of Navajo railroaders through the lens of one workday on the 9001 Heavy Steel Gang in Metal Road.

Walt Pourier

Vice Chair

Walt is Oglala Lakota and created the logo for Urban Rez. He is Creative Director, owner of Nakota Designs Advertising Designs and Graphics. Executive Director of the Stronghold Society nonprofit dedicated to instilling hope and supporting youth movements through Live Life Call To Action Campaigns.

lynn palmanteer-holder

Lynn Palmanteer-Holder, an Indigenous plateau woman of North Central Washington and member of eight of twelve Tribes of the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation. Lynn recently retired as inaugural Director of Tribal Government Affairs for Washington State Board of Community and Technical Colleges, the state’s oversight agency of 34 CTCs.  She is a highly accomplished professional that spans over 40 years. She is an experienced educator that has a demonstrated history across K12, post-secondary & higher education as a teacher, school counselor, superintendent, researcher, and professor. Also, she has diverse experience as an entrepreneur, Tribal leader and administrator. She is skilled in curriculum and program development, facilitating government to government relationships that led to formal partnerships between state institutions and Tribes developing custom programs. Lynn has served on many boards and has been recognized for various statewide, and national awards. She has several scholarly publications and has done various conference presentations and speaking engagements, at the local, national and international level. Lynn holds a Ph.C. (ABD) in Social Welfare Policy from University of Washington. She earned her M.Ed., with a concentration in counseling psychology from Washington State University and B.Ed., in K12 Education from Eastern Washington University. Lynn is a wife of 49 years, a mother of three adult professional children, granny of 10 and great granny to two. Lynn and her husband are high school sweethearts, and together enjoy time with their 15+ two-legged blessings.