Filming the Sacred

In 40 years of filmmaking, I have explored indigenous peoples’ relationship to sacred places threatened by extractive industries spawned by a culture that values profiting, owning and collecting material artifacts of great worth. Archaeology—like filmmaking—has evolved in the last 40 years to include the concerns and perspectives of cultures all over the world, including indigenous people. If a ceremony is sacred, many native people feel filming the ceremony is sacrilege. There are now many archaeologists and filmmakers raised in indigenous traditions, and many “outsiders” who have worked with indigenous communities and built trust over decades. Understanding sacred places, apologizing for past injustices, recognition of history and pursuit of reconciliation will heal, restore balance and move us all forward on a better path.