Culture, Climate Science & Education
Begin Here
Tribes and Climate Change
Introduction: Transcript with Description of Visuals
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Audio |
Visual |
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Voice Over in Alyssa Pretty On Top’s voice: |
Camera is flying low over a lake bordered by wetlands. Large mountains are in the background. A flock of birds swirls by the camera. |
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Voice Over continues: |
A line of teepees in a grassy meadow. Hills and a low sun in the background. |
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My name is Alyssa Pretty On Top, and I live on the Flathead Indian Reservation. |
Close up of Alyssa Pretty On Top’s face, a girl about 12 or 14 years old. View shifts to Alyssa and her mother, who is beading a pair of baby moccasins. |
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Each year we gather along the banks of the Flathead River for Fall Hunting Camp. |
Camera is flying above a large river as it passes a group of teepees on the river’s bank. |
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When we hunt deer or elk or harvest the bitterroot for our feast, we are continuing our traditional way of life. |
A group of children and an adult man with bows and arrows. The man shoots his bow and the group walks toward the target. |
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It’s hard to describe, but there is a softening influence of being in nature. |
Alyssa standing meditatively next to a teepee. |
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These plants and animals are important because they have always been there for us to nourish and to make our lives good. |
A group of buffalo with a large bull buffalo in the front that has just raised a cloud of dust. |
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This year, my brother harvested his first deer. He told his story around the fire. We were all proud of him. |
A group of buffalo with a large bull buffalo in the front that has just raised a cloud of dust. |
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My grandpa says we are dreams and the prayers of our ancestors and that we have a responsibility to leave this world a better place. |
Grandpa seated now and singing softly to a baby held by Alyssa, the baby staring intently at him. As he finishes his song, Grandpa claps and then ends it with a soft “Whooo! Whooo!” He laughs |
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He thinks children today are like buffalo born behind the fence with little awareness beyond their modern trappings. |
Children running playfully along a river trail. |
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He says our ancestors knew the lines and the trails and curves of the hills as intimately as the lines and curves of their mothers’ faces. |
Grass covered hills with shadows cast by clouds moving across them |
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We have to learn how to be in relationship with the Earth again and how our generation can protect it. |
Back to scene of Alyssa and her mother sitting by the river, both beading a baby moccasin. |
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We do it for our baby brothers and sisters, for our little cousins and for everyone that we will love that hasn’t been born yet. |
Alyssa’s mother hands her a baby swaddled in a beaded buckskin cradle board. |
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In the distance I hear the constant coal trains rushing by, and I know there are many choices ahead of how to live on this Earth. |
Alyssa’s family is seated at a camp table eating dinner, a line of teepees in the background. Scene changes to Alyssa’s mother combing and braiding Alyssa’s long dark hair in preparation for a pow-wow. |
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Sometimes it feels overwhelming, but I do believe we can hold on to our traditions. |
Alyssa’s mother tying Alyssa’s beautifully beaded moccasins. |
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This dream isn’t new. It’s been lived since the beginning of time…and we’ve made it this far. |
Alyssa standing in a beautiful traditional dress adorned with beadwork, a teepee in the background. |
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Perhaps like my YaYa’s beadwork, we can make a life that is strong and beautiful one little step at a time, joining many little steps together. |
Alyssa walking toward the dance arena, then dancing with other girls. Scene changes to aerial view of river with hunting camp on the bank. |
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The following credits in white text over a black background: |
