NDN’s on the Airwaves is a short documentary set in Ohsweken, Ontario that explores what community-driven radio has meant to the First Nations community in this region. It is a story that follows Mohawk poet and radio host Janet Rogers in her return home after several years living on the West Coast of Turtle Island. The film focuses on CKRZ-FM on the Six Nations reservation—that for over 25 years has delivered a unique perspective on important news events, featured Indigenous talent and supported local artists—and on Janet’s re-connection with ‘place’ through finding her voice on the airwaves.

We shot the film in three weeks during the Six Nations Pow Wow and Smoke Dances in the summer of 2015, and edited the film in my home studio in the months following. We worked with a small budget provided by NSI (the National Screen Institute) and the NFB (National Film Board of Canada). For the most part, Janet and I were the crew, employing a few assistants to help with camera and sound at different locations. We directed and produced the experimental-documentary ourselves, and were happy to secure APTN (Aboriginal People Television Network) as our official broadcaster—our film will be part of the 2017-2018 programming cycling.