BAAM at The Gem Presents “Voices from the Barrens”

Join BAAM at The Gem for a screening of “Voices from the Barrens: Native People, Blueberries and Sovereignty” with filmmaker Nancy Ghertner and Brian Altvater, the President of the Passamaquoddy Wild Blueberry Company on Friday, November 1st at 6:00 pm. 

“Voices from the Barrens: Native People, Blueberries and Sovereignty,” documents the wild blueberry harvest of the Wabanaki People from the USA and Canada. The film focuses on the Passamaquoddy tribe’s challenge to balance blueberry hand-raking traditions with the economic realities of the world market, which favor mechanical harvesting. Each August, First People of the Canadian Wabanaki, the Mi’kmaq and Maliseet (Wolastoqiyik) tribes, cross the US/Canada border into Maine to take part in the tradition of hand raking blueberries with their Passamaquoddy brothers and sisters. This crossing to Maine’s blueberry barrens isn’t considered “agricultural labor,” but is a part of the traditional harvest from the earth.

Social Hour at 5:00 pm

Introduction to the film by filmmaker Nancy Ghertner at 6:00 pm

Q&A and discussion to follow with filmmaker Nancy Ghertner and Brian Altvater, the President of the Passamaquoddy Wild Blueberry Company

Tickets are “Pay What You Can” benefiting Bethel Area Arts & Music.