Branford Land Trust Annual Film Screening

Join the Branford Land Trust for a screening of the award-winning documentary Custodians – A Story of Ancient Echoes. The film will be followed by a conversation with Clan Mother Shoran Waupatuquay Piper and Jesse Rose to integrate, learn, and deepen our relationship with the story. 

Custodians – A Story of Ancient Echoes follows the journey of a community in Herschel, Saskatchewan, during the summer of 2021 as they work to preserve and protect the pastureland, native grasslands, and critical Indigenous artifacts found near the village. Upon discoveries of dinosaurs, marine fossils, and significant Indigenous sites and petroglyphs on nearby farmland, an aging population of community volunteers comes together to preserve the land and its stories, including the Indigenous history, paleontology, and local ecology. “We have found a living library,” says Metis Artist Jo Cooper, who has spent the past 20 years in Herschel working alongside locals. The stories of the land and the echoes of the past form new friendships, unravel mysteries, and model potential for deep justice, reconciliation, and healing between people and the land.

The film has received several awards, most notably at the Saskatchewan International Film Festival where it swept the full-length documentary category, winning awards for Best Documentary, Best Cinematography, Best Director, and Best Musical Score. It was produced by Indigenous Education Scholar Harry Lafond from Muskeg Lake Cree Nation, Saskatchewan, and David Neufeld of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. Directed by Brad Langendoen and associate producing by Andi Leitch of Vancouver, British Columbia.

Our guest Clan Mother Shoran Waupatuquay Piper is the tribal leader of the Golden Hill Paugussett Nation in Connecticut, a state-recognized tribe. She is dedicated to preserving sacred traditions like song, dance, stories, and spirituality. She is also the author of Red Road: Traditional Voices of Afro-Indigenous America.

And our guest Jesse Rose is a member of the Schaghticoke Tribal Nation, is the founder of Rooted Spirit, a business dedicated to holistic education and healing. They are a devoted advocate for Indigenous wisdom, healing, and sacred relationships with all our relations. As a yoga teacher, herbalist, and movement educator, they weave together ancestral teachings and modern practices to inspire resilience and harmonious connection with all of creation. Through Rooted Spirit, they offer the medicine of the Earth to the human tribe, hold community offerings, workshops, and support private clients in ways that honor Indigenous teachings and nurture reciprocal relationships with ourselves, our communities, and our Earth Mother

The Branford Land Trust Winter 2025 Speaker Series is made possible by a grant from the Branford Community Foundation and Guilford Savings Bank.

The Branford Land Trust is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, accredited by the Land Trust Alliance, established in 1967 to protect Branford’s open space and natural resources. Run by volunteers and supported by member families and businesses, the Land Trust maintains more than 30 miles of hiking trails, and manages and protects over 1,000 acres in more than 130 parcels and holds conservation easements on another 400 acres in Branford. For more information, visit www.branfordlandtrust.org.