During the time the U.S. was involved in its war in Vietnam, the director of this movie, Jan-Marie Martell, sought political asylum in Canada. A few years after she settled there, she encountered Annie York, a Native healer in British Columbia. This film is Martell's attempt to recount her experiences as the older wise-woman's student, learning the ways of syuwe, or shamanistic power. Like others before her who encounter a radically different world-view, she has absolutely no idea what she is supposed to be learning, why she was chosen, or what the odd situations she is being thrown into by her teacher have to do with anything. Some reviewers panned this film for focusing so much on the student's story that the content of her education was (seemingly) overlooked; more anthropologically astute viewers admired her ability to talk about her experiences without betraying the confidences she had received.
by Clarke Fountain
synopsis
