Documentaries at Bedford Playhouse focus on indigenous youth

On Wednesday, Aug. 19, the Dominican Sisters of Hope will debut two short documentaries at the Bedford Playhouse in Bedford. The films document the return of Stockbridge-Munsee Mohican youth to their ancestral homeland, currently owned by the Dominican Sisters of Hope, and an unexpected partnership with Catholic sisters that transforms both groups. 

Stockbridge-Munsee Mohican leaders Wanonah Kosbab and Shawn Stevens partnered with Catholic Sisters to create space for healing intergenerational trauma caused by boarding schools and forced removal. Through ceremonies on the Mahicantuck (Hudson River), Land Justice Committee meetings, and teachings from holistic healer Ibsahu Pernebsati, participants discovered that protecting the Earth could transcend centuries of painful history. 

As the Sisters face their congregation’s end and seek to protect their land in perpetuity, they’ve found unlikely allies in Indigenous leaders who share their commitment to creation. The films reveal how relationships built on authenticity, vulnerability, and shared values can open doors that seemed permanently closed. 

“We can’t undo the past,” said Sister Lorelle Elcock, OP, Dominican Sisters of Hope. “We can’t undo what our ancestors did to the Native Americans, but we can act differently in this generation.” 

The screening will begin at 6:30 pm and will include a panel discussion with Dominican Sisters of Hope, the film producer, members of the Stockbridge-Munsee Mohicans, and Janelle Robbins, vice president of Conservation at the Westchester Land Trust.