Sigh - "White Slaves of the Nootka" production down in flames

[Mike Cleven]

Aaargh.  Socio-political crossfire/politics shoots down another good
idea and what could have been a really great project.  I was just called
by one of the production staff for "White Slaves of the Nootka" to tell
me that the production has "gone down" due to a quarrel over the script
between its writer and the director (this often happens in film,
unfortunately enough) as well as negative crossfire from the Nootka who
were hoped to cooperate/collaborate for authenticity and language but
who perceive the story as their own and are wary of misrepresentation by
outsiders.  My own take on this is that it's _John_Jewitt's_ story, not
Maquinna's, even though the venerable Mowachaht chief is a principle
character in the story.  Also, the writer was a native woman but not a
Nootka, and this seemed to have something to do with it as well.  So for
too many reasons the production is down in flames; at least I won't have
to learn blacksmithing now (my elbows and forearms were aching just
thinking about it!) but I won't get that nice flousy c.1800s seaman's
blouse the wardrobe people were going to make for me.  Sigh.

Well, so much for Chinook Jargon on film this year.  Guess I'll have to
get working on my "Gassy Jack's Town" idea for a film/theatre (poss.
musical theatre) version of the founding of Vancouver
(Gastown)......Hiyu heehee, hiyu lum kopa snass stick moolah town.....


--
Mike Cleven
http://www.cayoosh.net (early BC history)
http://www.hiyu.net (Cayoosh Jargon phrasebook/history)