Braiding Knowledge through Breath, Language, & Movement

Short documentary (13 mins) // Knowledge Translation video

A celebration of First Nations women and their communities who are brought together through their love of yoga, healing, and reclamation of ancestral languages and lifeways. Introducing the First Nations Women’s Yoga Initiative (FNWYI) collaborators who share a community wellness strategy that braids cultural and spiritual knowledge systems through a trauma-informed lens.

Written, Directed, and Produced by Jessica Barudin @jessicabarudin
Edited by Carmen Pollard, Diving Bell Films @seepollard
Trailer edit by Cody Preston @codywpreston
Cinematography by @codywpreston
Colour by Christopher Clark @christopherclark___
Sound by Esther Gadd @esthergadd
Original music by William Wasden Jr.

Director Statement

Braiding Knowledge through Breath, Language, and Movement is a film born from a deeply personal and communal journey into the heart of healing and language reclamation. In this documentary, we explore an Indigenous community wellness strategy that intricately weaves together cultural and spiritual knowledge systems through a trauma-informed lens. As the director, I am honored to present a narrative that unfolds within the rich culture of Kwakwa̱ka̱ʼwakw territory, where for the first time, Indigenous and South Asian yoga practitioners—teachers and learners alike—come together.

This convergence is not just a meeting of individuals but a profound gathering of shared histories and kinship, celebrating the reconnection to our bodies, communities, and the land. The practices of yoga and language reclamation serve as our tools for navigating and healing the historical and intergenerational traumas that our communities have endured. Each breath taken and each word spoken in our ancestral tongues is an act of resistance and reclamation, a step towards undoing the erasures inflicted by colonization.

Our film is a testament to the power of collective healing. It is about the resilience of the human spirit and the reclaiming of ancestral wisdom. Through "Braiding Knowledge through Breath, Language, and Movement," we invite audiences to witness the transformative power of yoga parallel with cultural resurgence, encouraging a dialogue that transcends geographical and cultural boundaries. This is more than a film; it is a movement towards a more mindful and connected world, guided by the wisdom of the past and the shared hope for a healthier future.