Wellesley company produces Native documentaries

Wellesley production company produces series of films about Native Americans

By Michael FerrignoThe series highlights the chance discoveries, data analysis, intense research and technological innovations that got folded in with some informed guesswork. The result is an array of film and photographs of Native American landmarks and a spreading sentiment that what we know of Native American culture in this area may very well be wrong.

“Before the Lake Was Champlain” chronicles the discovery of a lost group of Native American people, now dubbed the Maritime Archaic, who were once thought to be too sophisticated to be related to modern-day Native Americans. Evidence suggests that these “Red Paint People” were conceivably capable of long-distance ocean navigation.

The second film in the series, “The Great Falls,” marks the inclusion of the first Native American site to be accepted as a ceremonial landscape in eastern North America. For the first time, experts are exploring the idea that New England’s Native American inhabitants executed complex astrological alignments across our landscape.

“We’re trying to change people’s perception of how this part of the world was settled,” said Frechette. “We try to be objective in putting this information out there and letting people make up their own minds. But according to the experts on the matter, this is very controversial.”Comment:  For more on the subject, see Native Documentaries and News.