Acknowledgments & Fair Use

While we can't possibly thank everyone who contributed, we'd like to express our deepest gratitude to these individuals and groups:

Our heartfelt thanks go out to the Elders (Kupuna), our families, and the Indigenous and Settler communities who have bestowed such hospitality. Your aloha and guidance have been invaluable, shaping us through lessons delivered with grace and mercy, stories that enrich our understanding, and the responsibility to pass these teachings on to the next generations in service of our Creator and Mother Earth.
New Holland Rochester, Rochester, Indiana - Jesse Straeter :) You da bomb!
Kewanna Public Library, Kewanna, Indiana - Charlie Rude, Ash, & Mom!!!
East Madison Fire Territory, Town of Chesterfield - Firefighter/AEMT Aunty Ash Vlaskamp
The Miami Nation of Indians of Indiana and Seven Pillars
The Potawatomi, Tecumseh's Confederacy, and the angels/spirits of Indiana
Shiojiri Niwa Garden, South Bend, Indiana
The City of Chicago and Mayor Brandon Johnson (master negotiator at DNC)
All of the amazing animals and their beautiful spirits that joined in the storytelling
Various clips and video from Moorea Moana Tours, Red Bull, ABC, and more!!!

Moving at the speed of Spirit, often outstripped our ability to meticulously document every source in the film's credits. Once we had a chance to breathe, we took the time to add this list of attributions and links (the original copyright owner might still be someone else in some cases). This page represents our earnest attempt to acknowledge the myriad contributions that shaped this beautiful creation. Many of the resources we drew upon are veritable treasure troves, offering not only excellent information and entertainment but also avenues for personal enjoyment and enlightenment. We Encourage you to check them ALL out!

Important Note on Copyright and Fair Use

This video, like many creative works online, is both a derivative work (a work based on or derived from one or more already existing works) and covered by fair use (a legal doctrine that permits limited use of copyrighted material without acquiring permission from the rights holders). We believe our use falls under fair use, particularly as it serves educational and public benefit purposes.

And because we clearly don't stir up enough controversy already, here's another hot take! Ha! But seriously, folks, we gotta talk about AI and copyright. Right now, AI is basically a copyright vacuum, sucking up tons of protected material without so much as a "nod or shout out" to the creators. And get this – there's no rule saying they even have to TELL you if AI had a hand in making something. That's just not cool. Sooner or later, we need to tackle this head-on. It's a blatant rip-off, especially when AI-generated stuff is raking in the dough.

AI and the Copyright Liability Overhang: A Brief Summary of the Current State of AI-Related Copyright Litigation | Ropes &Gray LLP

Disclaimer: This summary, and some of our comments below, are intended for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Listen to the guys and gals above, not us. ;p

Empowering Creators

We've included this information to help fellow creators navigate the complex world of copyright. If your work aims to save the planet, isn't directly profiting from others' creations, and serves an educational purpose, then go forth and make a difference!

Here are some resources to learn more:

Closing Prayer and Invocation

This prayer, woven from threads of inspiration and support both seen and unseen, echoes the film's core message: we are all interconnected. It's words carry deep meaning, and we honor the "Martyrs of Injustice" whose lives and struggles ignited this film.

These brave individuals, still suffering in confinement, deserve our attention. We have a chance to make things right before it's too late. To learn more about them and their stories, please explore the links provided. May this prayer and their ongoing plight remind us of our shared humanity, urging us towards unity, compassion, and an unyielding spirit.

May this prayer serve as a beacon of hope, reminding us of the power of unity, compassion, and the enduring spirit that binds us all.

In honoring our Creator, the seven sacred directions, and the sacred elements, beginning with the life-giving water - Ola I Ka Wai, Mni Wiconi, Water is Life - we pay homage to our ancestors and elders whose Aloha and wisdom guide us. We thank all of our relations that have come to help guide us, protect us, and nourish us, both the seen and the unseen. We walk a path of gratitude, sharing the gifts bestowed upon us. We hope we are honoring your gifts and walking a pono path, one of balance and right relations with all.

Ua Mau ke Ea o ka ʻĀina i ka Pono - The life and sovereignty of the land is perpetuated through righteousness.

To the tireless environmentalists and activists risking all to protect the sacred, our waters, rivers, lands, and especially our children, we offer our deepest Aloha.

For the rest of you, may this film move you, inspire you to join the dance of justice in our troubled world. Fa'afetai tele lava, Bula Vinaka, Chi-Miigwech, Mahalo nui loa, Wopila Tanka, Doumo Arigatou - thank you from the depths of our hearts.

May the Miami Nation of Indians of Indiana achieve Federal recognition!

We pray and wish that our nation can acknowledge its errors, grant freedom to Leonard Peltier, Chrystul Kizer, and Edward Snowden, and start to rebuild faith and healing in a broken system. Let's reignite the American Dream that has been promised, but denied to so many. Let's reclaim the American Dream that so many have fought and died for. Let's show up with integrity and demand justice, not just for some, but for all.

Because rule number one is: Love Always Wins!!!

Here are some resources to learn more:

To those who feel their stories were not fully represented or given due credit, we apologize. We acknowledge that there are countless untold narratives, and we believe the most powerful voices are those of the individuals living these experiences. This is just the beginning, and there is much more to come.