My Name Is Kahentiiosta

Overview

Alanis Obomsawin's documentary short explores the poignant story of Kahentiiosta, a young Mohawk woman from Kahnawake who was arrested during the tense aftermath of the Oka Crisis in 1990. Unlike her peers, she endured four additional days in detention due to a significant issue: the prosecutor refused to recognize her Indigenous name. This thought-provoking film sheds light on the struggles faced by Indigenous individuals within the legal system, highlighting the intersection of identity, culture, and justice in a turbulent period of Canadian history.