Reclaiming Fire: Indigenous Women Leaders Premiere “Fire Lighters” Documentary
This weekend, the Arcata Theater Lounge will host a special community screening of the powerful new documentary “Fire Lighters: Fire is Medicine.” The film follows Indigenous women leaders from the Yurok, Hoopa, and Karuk tribes as they work to reclaim the ancient practice of cultural burning and share their knowledge with the broader public.
“Fire is medicine,” explains Margot Robbins, Executive Director of the Cultural Fire Management Council. “For generations, native peoples burned the land as a way of taking care of it, but as governments stepped in to restrict controlled burns, this practice went unacknowledged. Now we are reclaiming fire and our tribes’ way of life.”
The documentary, directed by Sande Cisneros, aims to educate viewers about the critical role fire has played in shaping North American landscapes for centuries. “Most landscapes in North America were shaped by fire between lightning strikes and indigenous burns,” the film’s byline states. “Indigenous people had deep knowledge of the art of using fire, and still do today.”
Elizabeth Azus, the Director of Traditional Fire and Treasurer of the Cultural Fire Management Council, is thrilled to share their story with the community. “Watching our community thrive and grow from this has been one of my greatest joys,” she says. “I get to see young local people have jobs and increase their families’ ability to live well here on the river and not have to leave.”
The special community screening of “Fire Lighters” will take place on November 16th at the Arcata Theater Lounge, giving North Coast residents a unique opportunity to engage with the film’s subject matter and the Indigenous leaders behind it. The film will then premiere worldwide on November 18th.
For more entire interview by Lauren Schmitt, click below.
