Discovering our story TV

Wisdom’s Native American produced TV series, Discovering Our Story a New Generation coming soon.

Wisdom of the Elders, Inc (WISDOM) created this television series in response to the misrepresentation of Native Americans and our history in the media. Hollywood, including popular Disney films like Pocahontas and Peter Pan, perpetuates images of Indians as threatening aggressors, alcoholics, a dying or ‘vanishing’ culture, or as passive, wise sages. Rarely are Native people portrayed within healthy and resilient multi-generational families. This generates confusing, negative impressions in the minds of Native Americans and others.

Wisdom of the Elders, inc produces Discovering Our Story at Portland Community Media. And with funding provided by Mt. Hood Cable Regulatory Commission, the Spirit Mountain Community Fund, as well as the Regional Arts & Culture Council (RACC), promotes opportunities for intergenerational Native teams to train as volunteers in videography, post-production editing, and studio production. Each episode features video segments of local and regional storytellers and cultural leaders, and discussions with special guests from the Native community.

An increasing amount of media is being created by Native American Producers that accurately and authentically share tribal stories and oral histories. This helps to strengthen our identity and resiliency as Native peoples and increase pride in our rich heritage. It also offers public audiences unprecedented access and knowledge of authentic and diverse history and cultural arts, and strengthens understanding and appreciation for today’s First Peoples.

Program Host is Bill Ray (Klamath), Music Director is Nico Wind (Assiniboine), Executive Producer is Rose High Bear (Deg Hit’an Dine), and Producer and Technical Director is Daniel Dixon (Menominee/Stockbridge-Munsee Band Mohican).

Discovering Our Story TV production team members include Tom Hopkins, Jim Thompson, Alva Myers, Ender Black, Brett Hagar, Willie Towner, Jefferson Greene, CarlaDean Caldera Winishut, and Ezra Whitman.

Wisdom, a Portland-area 501(c)(3) nonprofit, is committed to Native American cultural sustainability, multimedia education, and cross-cultural communications. WISDOM records and preserves oral tradition and cultural arts of exemplary indigenous elders, storytellers, cultural leaders and environmentalists, and shares their messages with Native Americans and public audiences of all cultures. Projects include Discovering Our Story, Wisdom of the Elders Radio, k12 curriculum materials, the Northwest Indian Storytellers Association (NISA) which sponsors annual storytelling festivals, and Turtle Island Storytellers Network.