Avonlea Collins says she didn乌鸦传媒檛 know what kind of show it was that she was applying to when she saw the advertisement last spring, but decided to give it a go anyways.
乌鸦传媒淲e didn乌鸦传媒檛 hear any specifics about the show, you just applied if you considered yourself to be an adventurous, outspoken Canadian, which I think I am, so I signed up,乌鸦传媒� said Collins from her home in Chilliwack.
The show she was applying for, Collins would learn, was for the , and it was going to be a reality, documentary-style show, although the final details weren乌鸦传媒檛 delivered until after cast members had agreed to be a part of the project.
乌鸦传媒漀one of us knew what the show was going on until the end, as (the show乌鸦传媒檚 producers) weren乌鸦传媒檛 informative about the specifics (at the start),乌鸦传媒� explained Collins.
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Once selected for the show乌鸦传媒�First Contact乌鸦传媒擟ollins says cast members were filled in on its purpose and the stories producers were hoping they乌鸦传媒檇 have the opportunity to tell through 28 days of shooting in various locations across the country.
乌鸦传媒淎t first, I was a little worried at the beginning because you乌鸦传媒檙e (always) a little (scared) about how you乌鸦传媒檙e going to be portrayed,乌鸦传媒� continued Collins.
乌鸦传媒淏ut I took that risk, jumped in two feet first, and I乌鸦传媒檓 really happy I did,乌鸦传媒� said Collins emphatically. 乌鸦传媒淚 feel like I have received a really positive outcome from the whole experience.乌鸦传媒�
However, as they headed into the taping of the show, Collins says she struggled accepting the notion that she possessed stereotypes about Canada乌鸦传媒檚 indigenous population.
Avonlea Collins (centre) tries seal for the first time. Collins, along with five others, spent 28 days travelling across Canada with a camera crew meeting Indigenous people from a variety of different cultures. APTN's "First Contact" airs Sept. 11, at 7 p.m. (Submitted)
乌鸦传媒淚 grew up in Pemberton, and all my high school life I was in school with indigenous kids and white farm kids,乌鸦传媒� said Collins. 乌鸦传媒淭here wasn乌鸦传媒檛 a lot of diversity, but it didn乌鸦传媒檛 matter. We all grew up together (and) had slumber parties. I didn乌鸦传媒檛 think I had stereotypes, but through this I learned that I do.
乌鸦传媒淭he biggest (stereotype I had) was believing indigenous people are receiving things from the government that I wasn乌鸦传媒檛, and it felt unfair. (But) through my journey I learned that wasn乌鸦传媒檛 the case what so ever: the money they receive comes from their bands from a trust that乌鸦传媒檚 (not) created (from our tax dollars).
乌鸦传媒淏ut now I have a (more complete) understanding of the situation and a drive to learn more,乌鸦传媒� added Collins.
A exploration into indigenous culture in Canada, is a three-part series narrated by George Stroumboulopoulos, a well-known Canadian TV personality and social justice activist.
Following the personal journeys of Collins and five other Canadians as they tour indigenous communities from coast to coast, First Contact illustrates the dichotomous relationship still surrounding indigenous communities in an attempt to challenge the perceptions and prejudices about a culture few get to fully experience.
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However, for Collins, shortly after the cameras started following her around the communities they were visiting, she experienced an epiphany: 乌鸦传媒淲e became able to ask nearly any question we wanted the answer to 乌鸦传媒� so it made it so I was able to learn more freely, and (the stereotypes fell away) pretty quick when those questions started getting answers.乌鸦传媒�
Travelling throughout B.C., the show also went into the heart of indigenous communities in Winnipeg, Nunavut, Alberta, and Ontario.
乌鸦传媒淚 couldn乌鸦传媒檛 thank the communities more for (their openness and acceptance of us),乌鸦传媒� said Collins. 乌鸦传媒淭hey truly opened up about their hardest times, which is one of the hardest things to do.乌鸦传媒�
Taping for First Contact took place over the course of 28 days earlier this spring, and during that month, Collins was not only away from both her husband and two small sons, but her contact with them was limited due to the regions they were visiting, and the director乌鸦传媒檚 desire to have them live their experiences on camera, not on the phone talking to their families back home.
However, Collins says it was worth sacrificing that time with her family.
乌鸦传媒淚t was bigger than me and them,乌鸦传媒� said Collins of her decision to join the show乌鸦传媒檚 cast. 乌鸦传媒淣ow they乌鸦传媒檒l be able to look back and say, 乌鸦传媒楬ey! That乌鸦传媒檚 my mom and she did that for us!乌鸦传媒櫸谘淮綕
More-so, Collins says it was also an incredible personal journey and she乌鸦传媒檚 glad for the experience. 乌鸦传媒淲e went to a community in Nunavut that I was in awe of,乌鸦传媒� said the stay-at-home-mom of two.
乌鸦传媒淭he beauty of it and their community, and the way they interacted with each other: it乌鸦传媒檚 not about trading for money or anything, it was about uplifting each other.
乌鸦传媒淭hey only looked at their neighbour乌鸦传媒檚 plate to make sure they had enough, not to see what they can take. They乌鸦传媒檙e all incredible human beings, and I hope others can see their culture for what it truly is, not what they may think it is.
乌鸦传媒滻 really just hope other people can see (the show) and see something of themselves in me and apply my learning and experience back to themselves and ask, 乌鸦传媒榃ould I have gained the same thing?乌鸦传媒櫸谘淮綕
First Contact is a three-night television event, starting Sept. 11 at 7 p.m., comprising three episodes and a two-part reunion special featuring three of the show乌鸦传媒檚 indigenous hosts along with the cast members who will reflect on their experiences before a live studio audience.
Sarah.Gawdin@theprogress.com
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