Arctic Fiddlers & Dances

We need to develop a 2 to 3 minute video for a fund raising campaign on [url removed, login to view] that will help us produce the following film. We have pictures and video of our fiddlers and some dancing that can be used, and we want some animation included.

Teetl’it Gwich’in history with the introduction of the fiddle and dances from the early Scotsman who came with the Hudson Bay Company Trading Posts that were established in the 1800’s is a great story. We are from Fort McPherson, Northwest Territories, CANADA. Our tribe is known as Gwich’in Nation and we have villages in Canada and Alaska, United States of America.

John Firth is remembered as the Scotsman who married locally into our people and whose son William Firth is spoken of highly as the fiddler most respected in our area, who played for many weddings and celebrations. Fiddlers from Old Crow and other communities would visit Fort McPherson by dog team to listen to William Firth, trying to learn some of his tunes.

Walter Firth agrees to tell his story and provide advice to the film production. Wally (Walter) is also an accomplished fiddler, who will teach on film his dad’s music to the younger fiddlers. Wally has been a member of parliament, pilot & instructor, CBC radio announcer, HBC Trading Post “trader”, a very colourful career, who will enhance the film.

Brennan and Brandon Firth today carry on the Firth tradition of fiddle playing, as fifth generation Firths from John Firth who came from the Orkney Islands. (Brennan is 18, and Brandon is 14)

The dances that accompanied the fiddle music also is continued today by the Gwich’in; Red River Jig, Duck Dance, Rabbit Dance, Reel of Eight is a few of the many dances.

With this unique and rich living history of Gwich’in and the fiddle and dances, we would like to propose a film production to tell our story of this. This would include ten dances with the history told in Gwich’in with English subtitles, which can be used in our schools and communities. Done in Gwich’in would be a great way of language retention and use by our people today while viewing this production. It will also be used for teaching our fiddle dances, and will be developed in three half hour series that can be shown on television.

The following links show Brennan & Brandon Firth playing their fiddle music.

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Animation Marketing Music Video Services

Project ID: #6972150

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