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'Do it for us:' Evocative Squamish First Nation video gets wear-a-mask message across

“The sacrifices we are all making to keep our bubbles small and keep visits safe by socially distancing and/or wearing masks are truly making a difference."
Squamish Nation wear a mask video
This is a screen shot from the Squamish First Nation video, "Do it for your community: wear a mask."

A young skateboarder weaves and flips his way through a neighbourhood street. Then, looking into a video camera, he removes his glasses, smiles, and puts on a mask.

“Do it for me,” he says.

A Squamish Nation drummer pauses to share the same message.

“Do it for me.”

A group of young people foraging in the forest looks directly into the camera and says, in unison, “Do it for us.”

As concern about the number of COVID-19 cases grows in First Nations communities, the Squamish First Nation’s video is an evocative way to get the message across: when you care about the wellbeing of your community, you wear a mask.

“The sacrifices we are all making to keep our bubbles small and keep visits safe by socially distancing and/or wearing masks are truly making a difference,” says an October 1 update on the Squamish Nation website. “We raise our hands to each and every one of you for your commitment to the health and safety of our community.”

 

The film was produced by the Squamish Nation’s youth services team at Ayas Menmen.

There have been no new cases of COVID-19 since the update three days earlier, the council says, leaving the total number of cases at 43.

“We have requested an update on the number of cases that have been cleared by public health,” the newsletter says, “but have not yet received that information. As of last week, 35 cases had been cleared, but that number has likely changed.”

Martha Perkins is the North Shore News’ Indigenous and civic affairs reporter. This reporting beat is made possible by the Local Journalism Initiative.