Through scenes of traditional Winnemem Wintu ceremonies and steadfast statements of resistance, learn about the clear conflict between the Winnemem and those trying to enlarge giant Shasta Dam. The construction would submerge sacred sites critical to the culture and way of life of the Winnemem and they will not go down without a fight.
This scene comes from the Pilgrims and Tourists episode of the four-part series, Standing on Sacred Ground. The episode also tells of the Russian Republic of Altai where native people create their own mountain parks to rein in tourism and resist a gas pipeline that would cut through the Golden Mountains World Heritage Site.
Standing on Sacred Ground chronicles indigenous people in eight communities around the world standing up for their traditional sacred lands in defense of cultural survival, human rights and the environment. Watch them stand against industrial mega-projects, consumer culture, resource extraction, competing religions, tourists and climate change.
Standing on Sacred Ground was produced by the Sacred Land Film Project, https://sacredland.org, a project of Earth Island Institute. To deepen public understanding of sacred places, indigenous cultures and environmental justice, the Film Project produces a variety of media and educational materials—films, videos, DVDs, articles, photographs, school curricula and other materials. The Sacred Land Film Project uses journalism, organizing and activism to rekindle reverence for land, increase respect for cultural diversity, stimulate dialogue about connections between nature and culture, and protect sacred lands and diverse spiritual practices.
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