Voices From the Barrens: Native People, Blueberries and Sovereignty

This documentary captures the wild blueberry harvest of the Wabanaki People from the USA and Canada as the tribes are challenged to balance blueberry hand raking traditions with the economics of the world market.

The Passamaquoddy tribe tries to balance blueberry hand ranking traditions with the economic realities of the world market, which favor mechanical harvesting. Each August, First People of the Canadian Wabanaki, the Mi'kmaq and Maliseet tribes cross the US/Canada border into Maine to take part in the tradition of hand raking blueberries with their Passamaquoddy brothers and sisters. This crossing to Maine blueberry barrens isn't considered "agricultural labor" but is part of the traditional harvest from the earth.

Voices From the Barrens: Native People, Blueberries and Sovereignty is produced by Nancy Ghertner.