This is a press release from the Tolowa Dee-ni’ Nation:

The Tolowa Dee-ni’ Nation is thrilled to present the premiere screening of the feature documentary film ‘A’-t’i Xwee-ghayt-nish: Still, We Live On, in partnership with Cal Poly Humboldt. 

Directed by Cal Poly Humboldt Film professor, Dave Jannetta, and Produced by the Tolowa Dee-ni’ Nation Language and Culture Division Manager, Marva Sii~xuutesna Jones and Cal Poly Humboldt Film Lecturer Nicola Waugh, the documentary tells the important story of Tolowa language resilience and revival for future generations. 

Film Synopsis: With their language facing extinction, the Tolowa Dee-ni’ Nation in Northern California is working against time to bring it back. Loren Me’-lash-ne Bommelyn is leading the charge towards language and cultural revitalization for the Tolowa Dee-ni’ people with support from fellow Elders, knowledge keepers, ancestors and the tribal community. 

Interviewees include: Loren Me’-lash-ne Bommelyn, M.A., Guylish Bommelyn, Tayshu Bommelyn, Cynthia Yu’lh-dee-na Ford, Melinda Hinshaw, Darrell Moorehead, Viola Richards, Sheryl Suu-daa-chu Steinruck, Scott Ch’vs-naa-ne Sullivan, & Katrina Thompson-Upton, who are language keepers of the Tolowa Dee-ni’ working to build back from the cultural devastation that their community faced. They are committed to learning and teaching what they know in order to revitalize language use. Today, they and the Nation continue their journey to revive and hold space for their language. 

The screening event will feature a reception with traditional Tolowa Dee-ni’ food and refreshments, and a post-screening panel discussion with Loren Me’-lash-ne Bommelyn and several other featured voices from the documentary. The discussion will be moderated by Dr. Kayla Begay, Assistant Professor of Native American Studies at Cal Poly Humboldt. 

Suggested parking lot for event in the Native American Forum is G13 (on Union Street between 16 and 17 Street)