Heather Latter
A pair of college students have embarked on a business venture this summer—and have received funds from the provincial government’s “Summer Company” program (offered through the Northwest Business Centre) to help them.
Film production students Shawnee Morrisseau, of Couchiching First Nation, and Andrew Wigwas of Thunder Bay have “Kwatiio Media” up and running, with plans for several different projects.
“We want to focus on making media based on aboriginal culture,” explained Morrisseau, noting they want to document old Ojibway teachings and traditions in audio and video form to preserve them for future generations.
When classes at Confederation College in Thunder Bay wrapped up for the year, Morrisseau said it was her dad who suggested she return to the area and start up a business.
“He’s been offering a lot of support to us,” said Wigwas, noting they purchased equipment and now are working on writing proposals for their projects.
“We hope to do some promotional and educational stuff,” he added.
One of their ideas is to do a piece called “Culture Shock,” about aboriginal students who move from their reserve to the city for school.
“It’s such a big change,” Morrisseau said. “We’d like to do something to help.”
“It would include everything they need to know to be
successful,” echoed Wigwas, such as how much it costs for a taxi and other useful tips.
Their plan is to use a comedic “mockumentary” form, which would be easy and enjoyable to watch, but still would teach young adults things they need to know about moving to a city, such as Thunder Bay, so they don’t get into the wrong situation.
“There’s a lot of labour for a project like this,” Wigwas admitted, but said the pair is excited for the project, which could be used by educational departments in First Nations’ communities across the region.
They already have received some positive responses from the proposal and hope they will acquire some additional funding.
Another plan Morrisseau and Wigwas have is to hold a three-day workshop for local kids in foster care.
“We will show them what we do in film production and show them what you can achieve by attending college,” Morrisseau reasoned.
During the workshop, they plan to create a video for the parents of the children, which shows how the kids feel.
“So the parents can understand how the kids feel when they are taken away, and to motivate the parents to do what they need to do to get them back,” Wigwas explained.
A third project idea includes a health video created for aboriginal elders who speak only Ojibway.
Morrisseau indicated pamphlets about medical issues, such as diabetes and breast cancer, are printed in English.
The pair have been in contact with a woman in Minneapolis, who they hope will agree to assist them with translating some of the information so area elders are able to better take care of their health.
The final project idea Morrisseau and Wigwas are working on is an instructional video focused on Ojibway language teacher Jason Jones’ method for teaching the language.
“[The video] will clearly show the 12 lessons that teaches the basics and everything you need to know to continue teaching yourself,” Wigwas noted.
Besides these four projects, the pair also are considering other video-related opportunities locally, such as recording some pieces for Shaw TV, videotaping weddings, and maybe even shooting a pilot TV show.
“We just did our first wedding and it went well, so we won’t be scared to do that again,” said Wigwas.
He added it’s a lot of work, but they constantly are learning and growing due to this business opportunity.
They are thankful for all the support they’ve received from friends, family, and the community, as well as the financial assistance from the “Summer Company” program.
As part of a requirement for the program, the pair must keep a daily log and find a business mentor, which they are still looking for.
While both plan to return to Confederation College in the fall (Wigwas to complete his second year of film production and Morrisseau to focus on a one-year broadcasting course), they intend to return again next summer to continue on their media business.
“I was kind of scared to start my own business, but so far it’s going well,” enthused Morrisseau.
“And if it’s not so successful, we are still learning a lot,” she reasoned.
To contact “Kwatiio Media,” e-mail shawnee@kwatiiomedia.com
