Prayers of Wind River
Many of you frequently ask about our work on the Wind River Indian Reservation (WRIR). Both Brian and I have been deeply engaged in a variety of ways over the past several years. One of us serves at St. David's in Ft. Washakie and Our Father's House in Ethete once a month. This has been an incredible, life-giving experience for both of us, helping us to create deep and meaningful relationships on the WRIR. Brian also serves on the Circle Revitalization Committee - a group focused on rebuilding and repurposing the buildings on St. Michael's Circle in Ethete, owned by the Episcopal Church of Wyoming (ECW). Historically, the Circle was a center of gathering for the Northern Arapaho community, but has fallen into disrepair. I was involved in the return of the Northern Arapaho items that had been in the keeping of the ECW for decades, and I had the honor of working with several Arapaho tribal members to plan the Coming Home Ceremony that was held at The Circle on October 14th (pictured above). I collaborated with Roxanne Friday and Meg Nickles of ECW to create two liturgies of lament and healing to be used before and during the Ceremony. We hope to package these for use across the ECW. It was one of the most meaningful experiences of my life.
When I first started going to the WRIR regularly, I kept hearing the same thing over and over again in conversations with many tribal members:
"Before we can begin to heal, we need to tell our story. We need to be heard."
With those words, the idea of developing a documentary that could be used as a tool to tell the story of the people of the WRIR across the ECW and beyond, was born. For the past two and a half years, I have been working with a team of documentarians on the WRIR to make “Prayers of Wind River” (POWR). POWR is a collaborative documentary exploring the enduring culture, resilience, and identity of the people on the WRIR, and the impacts of the church on their history, ceremony and way of life – both positive and negative. Through the voices of elders, knowledge keepers, and faith leaders, the film will weave together personal narratives and history to examine the intersection of traditional spirituality and the legacy of mission churches. The film has completed its Research & Development Phase and is embarking on a three-year production schedule. The film and the process of making it aims to foster greater understanding, amplify Indigenous perspectives, and spark meaningful conversations about community, culture, and healing. We ask for your prayers and support in the months and years ahead as we continue this incredible journey.
Love,
Mary
