Kendra Mylnechuk Potter and Brooke Pepion Swaney sit at the front of the stage, answering a Q&A, after their screening of “Daughter of a Lost Bird”. 
A group of audience members sit and listen to the speakers. 
A close up shot of Kendra Potter and Brooke Swaney, as they answer questions from audience members. 
A birds eye shot of the vendors outside of the auditorium. 
Vendors set up outside of the auditorium. 
A reef net technology prototype made from wood. 
The audience watches the documentary, “Daughter of the Lost Bird”.
Photos taken at the “Keep the Fire Burning” event on Oct. 10, in celebration of Indigenous People’s Day. Sophia Nunn // Wavelength
By: Abbey Raynes
On Oct. 10, Wavelength writer and Wavelength photographer, Tim Donahue and Sophia Nunn, attended a celebration of Indigenous People’s Day last month. Commemorating the importance of Indigenous People’s Day, a large portion of the celebration centered around the screening of “Daughter of a Lost Bird”, a documentary about Kendra Mylnechuk Potter and her story.
Produced by Brooke Pepion Swaney, the documentary focuses on Potter’s journey in finding her birth mother and her experiences as an Indigenous person. Amplifying Potter’s story, the screening touches upon many contemporary issues that many Indigenous people face day to day, such as the Indian Child Welfare Act, adoption and intergenerational trauma and bonds.
Once the film was over, Swaney and Potter sat down for a Q&A, to answer questions regarding the documentary. As they both shared their experiences about the film, their responses stemmed from the love for Indigenous people and their everlasting identity.
Indigenous People’s Day is a day of commemoration toward Indigenous folks and their rich histories and cultures. Now, moving forward into Native American Heritage Month, it is still very important to highlight the Indigenous population and how they can be listened to and amplified, in and outside of October and November.
In order to learn more, check out these highlights/events that will be happening in November, and how you can be an active listener to the Indigenous community and commemorate their voices.
“Telling stories that we want to hear, requires listening really well.” – Kendra Mylnechuk Potter
Keep the fire burning event: 02:02:20