Many Nunavummiut may know Anna Lambe from her role on SA国际影视传媒淭he GrizzliesSA国际影视传媒�, among others, as well as her advocacy work for the Indigenous community.

Her experience is why she was approached by the creators of SA国际影视传媒淲arrior UpSA国际影视传媒�- a new documentary series by Picture This Productions premiering on streaming service APTN Lumi starting May 4th, 2024, as well as on APTNSA国际影视传媒檚 legacy TV channel starting May 11th, 2024.

Nunavut News spoke with Iqalummiuq Lambe about her experience co-hosting the series profiling SA国际影视传媒淚ndigenous teens across Turtle Island who are passionately transforming their communities, their lands and their own lives for the better.SA国际影视传媒�

Personal connections across Indigenous groups and communities

The first season of SA国际影视传媒淲arrior UpSA国际影视传媒� has Lambe interacting with three different Indigenous communities on different themes: Neveah Pine of Garden River First Nation, Ontario, who is hosting a day of school activities in Sault-Ste-Marie, Ont., on Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (MMIWG); assisting designer Kyrstin Dumont of Ottawa in putting on an Indigenous fashion show at Algonquin College; and following the emotional journey of an all-female cyclist team from Oklahoma retracing the Cherokee Trail of Tears.

With the latter, Lambe said she feels a personal connection to the forced relocation of the Cherokee under the American Indian Removal Act of 1830 and her own grandparents, who underwent a similar forced relocation of Inuit by the Canadian government from northern Quebec to Grise Fiord in the 1950s as SA国际影视传媒渉uman flagpolesSA国际影视传媒� to establish sovereignty in the northern islands of Nunavut during the Cold War.

SA国际影视传媒淓ssentially what happened is they were lied to by the Canadian government SA国际影视传媒� 'Hop on this this boat, and weSA国际影视传媒檒l lead you to this incredible new life', and when they arrived, they were essentially abandoned in some of the most extreme conditions on Earth, and they were forced to establish a [new] life there. There was a lot of starvation, there was a lot of hopelessness and despair, and wishing to go back. And so the impacts of the relocation are still something I see a lot of within my family, and the amount of trauma that happened within that SA国际影视传媒� ItSA国际影视传媒檚 left a permanent mark on so many families and communities.SA国际影视传媒�

SA国际影视传媒淒oing the Cherokee ride was a massive learning experience,SA国际影视传媒� recalls Lambe. SA国际影视传媒淎s I followed the girls [recreating the route of the Trail of Tears] and chatted with them, it drew a lot of parallels about what happened with High Arctic relocation. [It was] a tool of colonialism of taking people away and youths away from our own identities, which is so tied to the land that we come from. So much of the Inuit experience was similar. Just barely surviving, and then flourishing as a people later on. But it damaged [people] mentally, emotionally, and in so many different ways, including inter-generational trauma thatSA国际影视传媒檚 still going on to this day SA国际影视传媒� It was a great experience and amazing to connect with the girls in that episode.SA国际影视传媒�

Red Dress Day in Sault-Ste-Marie

SA国际影视传媒淭he first episode episode I shot with warrior up was with Neveah [Pine]. That one hit me in a very personal place,SA国际影视传媒� says Lambe. The episode centres around Pine putting on a remembrance ceremony for May 5 or SA国际影视传媒淩ed Dress DaySA国际影视传媒� for MMIWG at her school and in Sault-Ste-Marie at large. A close friend of LambeSA国际影视传媒檚 had herself been murdered on a May 3rd, so both the proximity of the dates and the meaning of the ceremony is one very close to her heart.

SA国际影视传媒淚t was very powerful, because I had felt very vulnerable, even though I was older, and I was hosting the episode, it felt like Neveah was making space for me as an Indigenous youth to be vulnerable and to be open, and it was a beautiful experience of sharing and being seen, and being cared for by the younger generations. I feel like for so many Indigenous peoples, we hold in such high reverence our youth and our elders SA国际影视传媒� Our youth are so new to this world that they see the potential for change, and hold us this way as well. So to be seen in this way and held by Neveah was very beautiful, and something I hold very near and dear to my heart. And so that episode holds a very special place in my life, and what I learned and took away from it.SA国际影视传媒�

It was so meaningful and impactful for both Pine and Lambe that at the end of the episode, the two make a traditional exchange of gifts: Lambe gifts Pine with the red earrings she had made for the occasion in the Inuit style, and Pine gives her the bracelet she had made for the occasion, that Lambe always keeps with her when she travels along with other meaningful items such as her grandmotherSA国际影视传媒檚 scarf.

Indigenous fashion-forward

Another personal connection Lambe made, and indeed already had, was in filming the Ottawa (LambeSA国际影视传媒檚 current location and second home) episode at Algonquin College.

SA国际影视传媒淭he fashion show show episode was shot with Krystin Dumont whoSA国际影视传媒檚 a friend of mine. It was a really beautiful episode in that it shows Indigenous youth, despite whatever barriers they may experience in their life and all the challenges that come in the process that make something happen, how to persevere, how to be adaptive SA国际影视传媒� Doing what you can with what you have. Kirsten has been inspiring me for years, and sheSA国际影视传媒檚 always working on or doing something, and itSA国际影视传媒檚 always community centred or community oriented. It was a really great experience in how to lead with your heart and how to lead with your community first.SA国际影视传媒�

The SA国际影视传媒淲arrior UpSA国际影视传媒� series is due to start airing at the beginning of May on APTN, and Lambe is positive about her experience making it and its impact on representing the optimism, love, and grace of Indigenous youth representation. SA国际影视传媒淚SA国际影视传媒檓 very proud with the experience and what we produced with season one, and what we got to share. ISA国际影视传媒檓 excited and hope Warrior Up has more of a future. I think itSA国际影视传媒檚 something that Indigenous youth deserve to see themselves represented in, inspired, and feel hopeful [from], but as of right now ISA国际影视传媒檓 not sure what comes next.SA国际影视传媒�