Attend a film premiere that includes First U collaboration in support of First Nation Youth
News –
How a 2018 First U concert event supported St. Paul Indigenous youth in their protest against the Doctrine of Discovery
The Indigenous Youth to the Vatican Benefit Concert, held on March 18, 2018, at First Universalist, was a joint effort of our Environmental and Racial Justice Teams and a local chapter of Veterans for Peace to support the Indigenous Youth Ceremonial Mentoring Society of St. Paul. The Society’s goal had been to persuade officials of the Catholic Church to repudiate the earlier conquests that had been encouraged by the Church’s Doctrine of Discovery. First Universalist sold tickets, provided promotional materials, and made our Sanctuary available to host a fundraising concert welcoming the Society’s members and later enabling them to travel to the Vatican for this purpose.
Following the benefit concert and the Mentoring Society’s travels, a film producer named Gwendolen Cates created “The Doctrine,” a documentary. It traces the efforts of 12 First-Nation youth and their leaders, including performer Mitch Walking Elk and other elders, to convey the trauma endured for centuries by First Nations people due to publication of the Doctrine of Discovery by Pope Alexander VI in 1493. It describes the disappointment of the travelers over the indifferent reception afforded them by the Vatican officials. “The Doctrine” also recreates portions of the benefit concert itself and samples the incredible performances of the mostly Indigenous entertainers as they occurred during the 2018 concert. The roles played by First Universalist in making the concert possible are highlighted in the film.
The Minneapolis/St. Paul Premiere of “The Doctrine” will take place in a showing on Saturday, June 7, at 6 pm at the Sabathani Community Center. This program will include live performances by many of the Indigenous artists who are featured in the film. Free-will donations will be appreciated.
A website for the film can be found here. You can watch the film trailer here. One additional feature of this debut showing is that there will be live performances by some of the original benefit concert’s performers.
