The Klabona Keepers is an intimate portrait of the dynamic Indigenous community that succeeded in protecting the remote Sacred Headwaters, known as the Klabona. Spanning 15 years of matriarch-led resistance, the film follows a small group of determined elders as they heal from the wounds of colonization to push back against law enforcement, the government, and some of the largest multinational companies in the world. Between tense scenes of stand-offs and blockades, land defenders reflect on how their history of forced displacement, residential schools, and trauma strengthened their resolve to protect the very land which was so essential to their healing journey. 

“Our minds are in every mountain and our sorrow in every river that flows. This is where we belong” - Rita Louie, Klabona Keeper elder

In the small village of Iskut and its surroundings, we meet Rhoda and Peter, a couple in the midst of raising their four young children. Peter, a heavy equipment operator at the mining camps, struggles with the need to provide work to support his family, but draws the line when he finds out that the very machines he’s driving are slated to destroy community hunting camps. The couple and their kids soon find themselves tossed into a journey that would change all their lives. 

Calling on members of the community to come and support, we see the birth of the Klabona Keepers - elders who understand firsthand the connection between colonialism and its  impact on the land and the people. The elders begin directing a movement dedicated to preventing global resource companies from destroying the heart of the Sacred Headwaters. Whether it’s speaking out at consultation meetings, preventing drill equipment from moving into the area, or supporting each other, they show up. Through their stories, their resilience and their good humour these elders remind us of the power of collective action to serve future generations. Klabona Keeper John Nole explains, “We did it for you. So our grandkids’ grandchildren could enjoy the land.” This is the true legacy of these courageous and successful land defenders, the Klabona Keepers.

UPCOMING SCREENINGS

FILMMAKERS STATEMENT
This documentary was made by two non-Indigenous filmmakers, Tamo Campos and Jasper Snow-Rosen, who happened to stop at the Iskut gas station in 2013. What was meant to be a pit-stop turned into a conversation, then an invitation and finally being asked by the community to film their action. The Klabana Keepers were in the midst of mounting active blockades against Fortune Minerals in the Klappan area. The two filmmakers used their cameras and gear to upload footage of the blockades,allowing the community to gain crucial media attention by shining a spotlight on what was happening. Their quick dip into Iskut turned into seven weeks on the blockade, and their lives turned upside down by the courageous stand of the Iskut elders. Inspired by the strength and purpose of the Klabana Keepers, the two friends began to come to the region for months every year to connect with the community, whether filming blockades, supporting youth outdoor trips, or simply nurturing friendships. 

In 2015, they began working on a feature film. Created in a spirit of constant collaboration and with direction from the elders, The Klabona Keepers is a love letter to the community that changed their lives. Its ambition is to capture the beauty, resilience, and intricacies of a long fight in hopes of inspiring a better future. The community changed these filmmakers’ lives, revealing a unique lens into a worldview where health and healing depend on the land. The filmmakers volunteered to make the documentary as a gift to the elders; it is meant to share the story of their powerful motivation with the next generation now growing up in Iskut, and beyond.