[Native] Fire As Medicine

Dramatic Short | Tisina Ta-till-ium Parker

[Native] Fire as Medicine follows California First Nations firefighters, ecologists, and cultural burn leaders as they use fire for Native cultural revitalization and catastrophic fire prevention. The cultural importance of fire as medicine is a significant part of our collective Indigenous identity. In our reciprocal relationship with land, we are tending, cultivating and caring for our Earth. These practices contribute to the revitalization of our natural landscapes as well as our cultural practices. As Indigenous people, our sacred connection to our homeland is a significant source of spirituality and collective community identity. As we gather together to tend land, work together, burn together we also commune together, eat together, sing songs together, pray together, dance together, laugh together, re-strengthen our communities together and rebuild our culture together.

TRT: TBD

Release:

Tisina Ta-till-ium Parker

Producer

TISINA TA-TILL-IUM PARKER (Southern Sierra Miwuk Nation/Kudadiki Paiute/Kashia Pomo) holds a BA in Community Studies from UC Santa Cruz with an emphasis in Art Education and a BFA in Sustainable Fashion/Textile Design from California College of the Arts in San Francisco where she graduated with honors as “Emerging Talent.” She is an active member of Southern Sierra Miwuk Nation, frequently attending tribal meetings, ceremonies and gatherings. In 2018 Tiśina represented SSMN, alongside tribal leaders, in Washington D.C. to petition for Federal Recognition, an ongoing 35+ year battle with the U.S. government for tribal sovereignty. Tiśina designs, creates and collaborates with diverse communities and artists to illuminate issues of social/environmental justice and works deeply within regenerative design practices to create cultural art and textile work that is in balance with Indigenous ways of being. As a filmmaker Tiśina cultivates Native told stories, created and produced in intimate collaboration with The People. Tiśina’s life work is dedicated to community building, storytelling and Indigenous cultural regeneration through the mediums of film, regalia making, textiles, and community cultural arts activism.

Cecilia Shakerley

Mentor

CECILIA SHAKERLY is an industry professional with 10 years experience in film and media production. She started her career as a broadcast journalist which provided a strong foundation of editorial integrity and storytelling. Cecilia went on to build a strong and prolific career in journalistic media working with BBC Channel 4, Fox, TLC, A&E, Bravo, USA, Lifetime, E! Animal Planet, Discovery, HGTV, Travel Channel, Nat Geo among others. She has worked as a field producer on various productions and is now an executive development producer.