Siksika’s award winning filmmaker

By Melissa Piche Times Contributor

When filmmaker Trevor Solway looks back on his upbringing in Siksika Nation, he sees something unique: a world shaped by both Blackfoot traditions and ranching culture.

“I was raised in that,” Solway said. “My grandpa was an Indian cowboy, and my uncles, me, and all my cousins grew up working with horses and cows every day – but also still having our Blackfoot spirituality and our language.”

That lived experience became the foundation for Siksikakowan: The Blackfoot Man, the award-winning documentary now reaching global audiences through streaming platforms including Prime Video and Apple TV, while also remaining free to watch through the National Film Board of Canada’s website and app.

The title itself carries deep meaning.

“Siksikakowan means Blackfoot man,” Solway explained. “All these people in the film make up a Blackfoot man.”

Rather than presenting a single narrative, the documentary offers an intimate portrait of Blackfoot masculinity through fathers, sons, athletes, ranchers and community members. Solway said he deliberately avoided trying to teach audiences what to think.

“I just wanted to purely observe masculinity on our reserve,” he said. “I want people who are watching this film, Indigenous and non-Indigenous, to be able to see Indigenous men as human beings having a human experience. That’s where compassion and understanding begin. That’s how we combat racism and discrimination.”

He also hopes Indigenous men see themselves differently.

“It’s really important that our own Indigenous men see themselves as human beings and not as criminals, abusers, addicts or lazy – these kinds of out-dated notions,” he said.

As the film reaches viewers in Europe, Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and the United States, Solway believes authentic storytelling can challenge long held stereotypes.

“There’s still people in Europe who think we live in tepees,” he said. “The more Indigenous filmmakers tell Indigenous stories, the more we start to reclaim who we are.”

Making the film in his own community proved especially meaningful. Solway describes filming at rodeos, family gatherings and everyday moments as the heart of his creative process.

“Being home with my camera and having conversations that lead to these beautiful moments, that’s what makes me feel alive,” said Solway.

He sees signs of change among younger generations of Blackfoot men, particularly as communities continue healing from the impacts of colonialism and residential schools.

“The further we get away from those effects, we’re starting to see more of our men reconnect with who they are,” he said. “Resources help. Therapy helps. Films like this can be a catalyst for people to open up.”

If audiences remember one thing after the credits roll, Solway hopes it’s simple: Empathy. 

“The more that we can talk about our feelings and what’s going on under the surface,” he said, “the kinder the world will be.”