High School
On this page are clips from Jeanne, and stories and teachings about the late beloved Metis Elder Jim Settee.
The time code notations accompanying each of the sections below tag the times so that you can move easily within the whole film and view several of the film chapters together in the flow described. You can skip any of the sections below. Most of the sections include multiple chapters.
For a basic through-line, the sections outlined below form a good arc and will set up the follow up activities: 1. Opening & Introduction, Jeanne’s Story and the Lost Boy Story; 4. Fish Lake Metis Settlement; 6. Mushom, and 11. Love, and optionally, 13. Jim’s Last Words.
In the High School Resources folder at the bottom of this page, there are templates and activities. There are also student reflections on the film, gathered from schools across the province, which may give you ideas for themes or reflections.
1. Opening and Introduction
Jeanne welcomes you and introduces the first clip of the film.
The opening clip of the documentary has a beautiful song, Walking Song, written and sung by Cheryl L’Hidondelle and Joseph Naytowhow – and it is special to know that Joseph is Jim Settee’s grandson.
Screen film from 00:00 – 2:53 (chapter 1 and part of chapter 2).
Reflection Question: What qualities of leadership are already shown in these stories? Can you begin to describe the Indigenous worldview embodied by Jim? Watch for how these qualities and worldview are illustrated throughout the film.
2. Tracker
Jeanne introduces her personal connection to Jim and the central story of this film.
You will hear Jeanne tell the story of the lost boy in a different way in this next part of film, hear from Jim himself, and from others about the lost boy story.
Screen film from 2:53- 9:45 (part of chapter 2 and chapter 3)
Reflection: The film will return to how he found the lost boy. For now, can you imagine what might have helped him to find the boy?
3. Jim's Life Story
Jim comes from a remarkable ancestry of Metis leaders, whose strength and love shone through his own life.
Jeanne introduces his lineage in this clip, and you can see an Ancestry Summary here, which you can preview before the clip or use as a review afterwards.
Reflection prior to viewing this portion of the documentary: At time code 12:20, you will hear an historical inaccuracy in the narration about residential school. The narrator says that Jim wanted to go to high school and so had to leave the tutelage of his father to attend the Onion Lake Residential School. In fact, Jim had to leave the tutelage of his father, a well respected school teacher, in 1920 because that year the Government of Canada made residential school compulsory for Indigenous children aged 7-15. Jim would have been 11 at the time.
Screen film from 9:45 – 15:12 (chapter 4)
Reflection question: In the film, Elder Norman Henderson shares a healing teaching that Jim gave him about residential school. How is acknowledging both the wound and the healing of residential school trauma happening today in society?
Reflection question: We have both biologic ancestors and also beings who are not biologically related to us, who are ancestors to us because they influence our lives. These may be elders, teachers, neighbours, friends, sports figures, spiritual guides, more-than-human beings, or places in nature, that impact us deeply. Some would call these our guides, or our spiritual ancestors, our teachers, or the people who inspire us in life. How did ancestors support Jim? Who are the ancestors who inspire you? Why do they inspire you, and how do they influence or guide your direction, values, or actions?
4. Fish Lake Metis Settlement
Jim’s social and political activism supported the Metis community in central Saskatchewan when the people displaced from Prince Albert National Park when it was created in 1927. Jim was 16 years old at that time. Years later, as an adult, Jim negotiated with the provincial government for a home for these displaced Metis families. This home, called the Fish Lake Metis Settlement, supported families for 50 years, and in 2013 became a protected provincial heritage site.
Screen film from 15:12 – 22:22 (chapters 5 and 6)
Reflection question: Is there an aspect of Metis history or heritage that you would like to research?
Reflection question: What are three some small ways that you can participate in lifting up your community – at school, in your town or city or family?
5. Following in Footsteps
This section of the film (22:22 – 22:45) shares a way that Jim followed in his ancestors footsteps. At the age of 80, he went to college to become the oldest man to be ordained in the history of the Anglican church, at the age of 86. This section of the film will complete the circle begun with the ancestors in the previous section Jim’s Life Story.
Following this, Jim’s family shares how this affected their spiritual life. (22:45 – 25:52)
6. Mushom
A very special aspect of Jim was that he was a beloved Mushom, or Grandpa, and a role model for his grandchildren.
Screen film from 25:52 – 29:28 (chapters 10 and 11)
Reflection question: As a high school student, there may be situations in your life now, where you are a role model to younger students or younger people. Very small actions, like a smile, and encouragement, can make a big difference in a young person’s life. Are there small ways that you can do this?
Reflection question: Are there ways you can support harmony with our nature relatives? Are there groups in your community that do this?
7. Kindness in Action
This section describes how Jim embodied kindness in all aspects of his life.
Screen film from 29:28 – 31:32 (chapter 11)
8. Racism
This section explores the complex ways that racism is expressed, and Jim’s response.
It includes a situation of injustice, which required speaking the truth of a timber surrender at Little Red Reserve. His oral history of the timber surrender supported the reserve in making a formal claim for compensation.
Screen from 31:32 - 35:32 (chapters 12 and 13)
Reflection question: What questions do these stories raise for you about society, and how our actions can influence the world? How would you explore these questions for yourself?
9. Legacy
This section shares many of the ways that Jim’s influence touched the community around him.
Screen the film from 35:32 – 37:36 (chapter 14)
10. Jeanne's Story
You could include this chapter in the close, and screen from here to the end of the film.
Or you could screen from the next section to the end of the film to wrap up the presentation.
This is the bookend to Jeanne’s story – how Jim’s life leads her to understanding her own heritage and finding a surprising connection between Jim and her own ancestors at Red River when she discovers that Jim’s grandfather was the minister at the Metis settlement of Poplar Point - the parish of her own great grandparents.
Screen film from 37:36 – 38:58 (chapter 16)
This piece could catalyse some discussion about the history of Red River, or the significance of ancestors – both blood ancestors and ancestors who inspire us/guide us, but who are not blood relatives. Those of us who do not know our blood ancestors can have a rich ancestry of guiding ancestors.
11. Love and Finding the Lost Boy
These next two sections are a good pair, but can also stand alone.
This section includes Jeanne, Jim Settee himself, and Luther sharing things that helped Jim find the lost boy.
Screen film from 38:58 – 42:00 (chapter 17, 18, 19, and 20)
Reflection questions: What did you hear about how he found the boy? How do you understand that the filmmaker finds her way “home”?
Jim’s sense of unconditional love as being the most important thing in life may have helped him come home to a sense of purpose in his life. What helps you find your way “home” – to something true in your life; to inner quiet; to a sense of connection?
12. Old Friends (song by Connie Kaldor)
This song was written by Connie for Jim, after she spent an afternoon with him.
Screen film 42:00 – 43:54 (chapter 21: the song) or to 44:55 (chapter 22: Jeanne’s reflection on the song)
Reflection: Do you think that we all want to belong? How can we support that in our schools, families, or communities? If we think of ancestors as either our blood ancestors or those ancestors who inspire us, can ancestors help us feel a sense of belonging to something larger?
Reflection question: This song articulates many of the themes of the film. Share a song that describes a value or view that is important to you, and explain how it does so.
13. Jim's Last Words
Jeanne shares the story of Jim’s passing and his last message – a message for all of us.
Screen film 44:55 – 48:02 (chapter 23)
14. Jim's Teachings
Jeanne brings together Jim’s teachings in this clip.
Reflection questions:
How do Jim’s teachings guide the filmmaker’s life?
What does home mean to you?
What are you taking home with you?
What are your teachings? How can you gather them together for yourself?
If you wish to make a collection of matchbox teachings, you will find a template and guidance for doing so in the High School Resources Folder. You will also find links to student reflections on the film, gathered from schools across the province, which may give you ideas for themes or reflections.
