The Healing Heart of Lushootseed
Jill La Pointe
40 mins | 2023
THE HEALING HEART OF LUSHOOTSEED tells the extraordinary story of how a diminutive great-grandmother tenaciously gathered support from unlikely corners for her most ambitious project yet, to heal the heart of the world through a personally commissioned symphony.
Sponsored by:
Safe Harbor Insurance
Feeling heartbroken by the tragic events of September 11th, 2001, Vi Hilbert, an 83-year-old elder from the Upper Skagit Indian tribe in the Pacific Northwest, asked the spirit, "What can one person do to heal a sick world?" The answer she received was music.
THE HEALING HEART OF LUSHOOTSEED tells the extraordinary story of how a diminutive great-grandmother tenaciously gathered support from unlikely corners for her most ambitious project yet, to heal the heart of the world. Her mission, 1. Commission an original symphony that embodied the compassion and healing power of her ancestral culture, 2. Convince the Seattle Symphony to perform it, 3. Have the symphony performed around the world. “It’s a spiritual gift from my people, it comes in the form of symphony” - Vi “taqʷšəblu” Hilbert, Upper Skagit Tribal elder.
Featuring Upper Skagit elder Vi Hilbert, Composer Bruce Ruddell, Maestro Gerard Schwarz, and the Seattle Symphony, the film is interwoven with beautiful and immersive images of the Pacific Northwest, home of the Coast Salish tribal peoples, while showcasing footage from the world debut of "The Healing Heart of The First People of This Land, A Symphony in Four Movements" performed by the Seattle Symphony at Seattle Benaroya Hall on May 6th, 2006.
Jill La Pointe
JILL LA POINTE earned her BA and master’s degree in social work at the University of Washington. She is an enrolled member of the Upper Skagit Tribe in NW Washington state and is the granddaughter of the late Vi "taqʷšəblu" Hilbert (an international storyteller). Jill has worked with both tribal and non-tribal agencies that serve Native youth and families. Her experience ranges from being a direct service provider as a Mental Health Therapist, Training supervisor, and Instructor to Management and Administration.
Currently, Jill is the Director of Lushootseed Research (LR), a nonprofit founded by her grandmother in 1983, dedicated to the preservation and promotion of the Lushootseed language and culture. Under Jill's leadership, LR continues to fulfill its mission, by providing educational publications and support for numerous language programs throughout Puget Sound. In addition, LR has successfully hosted an annual Lushootseed language conference at Seattle University since 2010. She draws strength and healing from her work with Lushootseed Research and envisions a day when all people who visit or live in Seattle and the surrounding area will be able to see and hear the beautiful Lushootseed language and learn and grow from the rich traditional culture and values of the first people of this land.
CREDITS
Director
Jill La Pointe
Writer
Katie Jennings
Writer
John La Pointe
Producer
Jill K La Pointe
Key Cast
Vi Hilbert
"Vi"
Key Cast
Bruce Ruddell
"Composer"
Key Cast
Gerard Schwarz
"Maestro"
Key Cast
Jill La Pointe
"Narrator"
Photography Producer
John Forsen
DIRECTOR STATEMENT
Making this film was truly a labor of love to honor our beloved late grandmother. There is still so much pain and suffering in our world that could benefit from the gift of healing. My grandmother's vision and her tenacity serve as an inspiring example, to never give up on your dreams and desires to help make the world a better place.