Video Review
COM-101-NCA
Karl Merhi
02/05/2018
Helen Knot is a proud Dane-zaa Native her family has inhabited the land near the Peace
River in British Columbia for generations, she’s an advocate for indigenous rights as well as a
writer and poet. She believes in the importance of preserving the indigenous traditions and
always remembering where she came from. The original title of the video she made in 2018
criticizing Justin Trudeau was named
“Dear Mr. Prime Minister
:
This Poet Has Something to
Say to You About Indigenous Rights” but was later changed to it’s current title “Poet Calls Out
Justin Trudeau on Indigenous Rights.” The message Helen presents in this video is clear and
concise, she does not believe that the MP’s, cabinet ministers, and Justin Trudeau are doing
enough for indigenous people’s rights and are instead prioritizing economic growth over the
livelihoods of indigenous families.
When the video begins Helen Knott is seen in a wheat field surrounded by scenic
mountains and the Peace River, the camera shows two tipis adorning the field to symbolize that
the land is still inhabited by the Native. Before her poem, Helen Knott gives a brief introduction
she starts by introducing herself as Helen, she goes on to say that she is a “Dane-zaa and
Nehiyawak” which refers to her tribe which roughly translates to “
Those who live among the
beaver.
” they got their name from the Europeans, as they were known for trading beaver pelts.
The Dane-zaa are “an Athabaskan-speaking
group of
First Nations
people. Their traditional
territory is around the
Peace River
(seen in the video) in
Alberta and British Columbia” She also
