"Sacred Alaska": Recommended video

Gratis post

Last evening, my parish priest came over to bless our home—an annual tradition during the season of Theophany/Epiphany in Eastern Orthodoxy, as it is also in traditional Catholicism—and his wife mentioned the film Sacred Alaska. I hadn’t seen it, although I was dimly aware that it had been released earlier this year and was currently streaming online. After they left, I searched for it, found it, and watched it.

And it’s a beautiful film, fascinating on several levels — historical, anthropological, and mystical.

While we are used to stories of colonialist intrusion in the lives of indigenous peoples, the advent of Orthodox monks among the native Alaskans, beginning in the eighteenth century with St. Herman and his companions, proved to be a remarkable confluence of cultures. The spiritual traditions of both meshed immediately and have survived—often in the face of repressive challenges from modern and Protestant colonialism—into the present day. Not only did the Alaskans receive the missionaries, but desired that more be sent. Orthodox Christianity met and incorporated almost naturally the native traditions that existed there. Love for the whole creation, which shares a single Life (identified as Christ, the Logos), imbues the spiritual perspective of Alaskan Orthodoxy. The story of Christ’s redemption of that creation, as the film shows, finds correspondences in the Native American view of life and sacrifice. And the film shows how communal life, sharing resources, and the simplicity of true saintliness characterize not merely an aspect or compartment of their lives, but is interwoven in virtually everything they do.

I can’t recommend the film highly enough. It’s available online for a pittance, with subtitles in a range of languages. Do yourselves a favor and plan to see it soon.

Here is the introduction to the film on the site:

Sacred Alaska is an award-winning documentary that offers an intimate look into Native Alaskan culture and spirituality. It showcases the profound influence of Orthodoxy, introduced by Russian monks in the late 18th century, on Alaskan society. The film highlights the unique way Alaskans have woven their indigenous beliefs with Orthodox traditions, deeply influencing their worldview. Central to this is the concept of learning to become a "real person." Through beautiful cinematography and powerful storytelling, Sacred Alaska underscores the profound, sacred bond between the Alaskan people, their faith, and the formidable landscape they call home.
Feature Documentary | 88 Minutes | Language: English
Subtitles Available in English, Greek, Norwegian, Romanian, Russian

A percentage of all proceeds goes to support the Orthodox Diocese of Alaska.

The streaming version is for personal, home use only.
To schedule a public screening event, please reach out at simon@sacredalaskafilm.com for more details.

You can access the site by clicking here.