Vision created reality

Black and white moving images fired colour and hope.
The true tale of how APTN came to be, within seemingly insurmountable timelines, and the behind the scenes action shows our strength, diversity, courage, determination, and drive.
When TV arrived to northern Turtle Island, much of the black and white programming was fed from southern Canada with the exception of limited hours of cultural activities in the languages and some locally produced Inuit entertainment.
Working together the northern areas -- YT, NT, NU -- built a northern TV network which 13 years ago birthed what we know today as Aboriginal Peoples Television Network. It took First Peoples’ views to all of Turtle Island and to international networks.
The work of the leaders, visionaries, and staff hired to do monumental tasks is awe-inspiring. The story of launch day is hilarious with the beginning starting before schedule and capturing Native humour at its finest, excitement building as the countdown starts, to the odd finale when Weesakachak misdirected the fireworks.
Jennifer David, the author of Original People. Original Television: The Launching of the Aboriginal Peoples Television Network likens the challenge of staffing a network already in preproduction to ‘designing, building and driving a car -- all at the same time. Three cars actually -- Yellowknife, Winnipeg, AND Ottawa…’
This is an awe-inspiring story.
If you ever needed proof that the First Peoples, the original Peoples of this land are awesome, read this book.
I laughed, grinned, giggled, felt the excitement grow, the butterflies leaping from my tense gut, cried with pride, and marvelled at the entire process.
This is the best news story I’ve read in a long time!
Original People. Original Television: The Launching of the Aboriginal Peoples Television Network -- Jennifer David (Debwe Communications Inc. Ottawa, ON; 2012: ISBN 978-0-9864901-0-1; 222 pages, $24.95 + shipping)