Welcome to T'Chanalquay. My name is Suzi Bekkattla founder of T'Chanalquay Film Productions. I am a Dene Metis filmmaker raised in Northern Saskatchewan and a proud member of the Buffalo River Dene Nation of the Treaty 10. I am proud to be fluent in the Dene language, the common tongue of the Buffalo River community.

The legacy of the Residential School System has deeply touched the lives of my parents, myself and all my relations. Therefore my life's work as filmmaker and Indigenous educator acknowledges the traumatic effects of residential schools.

My life-long passion has been to bring to life Indigenous history, culture and healing practices through varied media arts such as film, radio and oratory education.

See Filmography ~ T'Chanalquay Film Productions

Influenced by my parents (both talented artists in their daily lives), I became a filmmaker to pursue modern and powerful types of story-telling. In 2001, I attended the Aboriginal Film and Digital Arts Production Program at Native Education Centre in Vancouver, Canada. Since then, I have continuously made independent and collaborative video documentaries about my culture in urban cities and rural and remote communities.

Inspiring Children

2002 is the year I joined the Vancouver School Board as an Indigenous Education Enhancement Worker and fulfilled my life-long passion of working with children. Vancouver is a multicultural city and children and their parents from all backgrounds have benefited from gaining Indigenous knowledge. I have endeavored to nurture the artist in each child, through visual, multimedia and storytelling projects. Children from Kindergarten to Grade 7 have enjoyed creative processes such as Story Telling, Reader’s Theatre, Video Productions, Photography Projects, Co-op Radio Programs, Indigenous Round Dances, Drumming, Traditional Cooking Classes and many other creative ways.

Honouring Aboriginal Elders

The Seven Sacred Teachings of Truth, Love, Respect, Courage, Humility, Honesty and Wisdom are commonly known to the People of Turtle Island (the Indigenous name for North America). They form the moral basis of living and are used as a type of Indigenous code of conduct in the school with students and teachers. For millennia, Indigenous Elders have used traditional ways such as Storytelling and the Medicine Wheel to solve life's problems, and we Indigenous Education Enhancement Workers actively incorporate these sacred teachings into the lives of the community.

We are meant to be spirit beings on this earth. We are just passing through this life – while here, we are meant to learn from each other. We need to be a blessing to all others and to give them a chance.

Aboriginal Culture and Traditions

Denying one's culture is very sad. I don’t ever want to hurt my culture. I also want to embrace others’ cultures. Indigenous communities are in a time of transition and storytellers can guide and nurture dialogue both within the community and with a broader audience. Many pressing issues such as conservation, mining and oil extraction, health issues, etc. are important to Indigenous people, but all too often our views are overlooked or dismissed. Open communication requires finding the best in each other, instead of looking at the worst in each other.

Respect is like a baby - when babies are small we have to humble our hearts to them through love. Cultural and traditional practices build respect and make us good people, even when others are not watching us. We learn to forgive and try new things.

There is a saying, “Children are our Parents”. Working with children reminds me to humble myself like a child in order to cope with life’s fast pace and uncertainly. It’s so easy for children to forgive. They don’t hold a grudge and they are resilient. In this line of work, I have become adept at multitasking, and developed an ability to manage crisis and unexpected events.

Indigenous knowledge has always been about leaving things ahead for seven generations. With this in mind, I have to take care of myself on all levels – physical, emotional, intellectual and spiritual levels – in order to consistently provide a positive mirror for the children. I am grateful for all the hidden and surprising rewards throughout the day. Kids can be fun, they give me a different perspective of life. They help each other. I am grateful for working with strong and compassionate teachers and colleagues. I am proud to be part of a team that protects and inspires kids, and to get kids hooked on life-long learning. Hard work pays off and we see the results.