Nation Arising

In Canada, an otherwise forward-thinking beacon of hope in human rights, First Nations (i.e. American Indians) were put onto reserves and for more than a century have had their culture, their language and their livelihood severely curtailed. On one particular reserve, Fort McMurray 468 First Nation is undergoing a sudden revitalization in the fortunes of their community. Determined to achieve prosperity, they now face a challenge that could do more damage than anything in their history of colonization: sudden wealth can actually destroy a community. Furthermore, the First Nations People hold the land to be sacred, but the wealth of the entire region in which they live comes from exploitation of the Canadian Oil Sands. They are facing a potential crisis of identity, caught between traditional values and material progress. "Nation Arising" is the story of a community trying to balance progress and success with the spiritual and traditional values of the past.