Gespe'gewa'gi: The Last Land

GESPE’GEWA’GI: The Last Land is a Canadian television documentary series produced by Rezolution Pictures, which premiered on APTN in 2021.[1] The series is a fun and engaging television series that is, at its core, character-driven, featuring people who do sometimes volatile, dangerous, yet exciting jobs. The series is a celebration of Indigenous people of Atlantic Canada and the fisheries that sustain them, both culturally and economically. We laugh with them, share their successes and frustrations, and get a glimpse of their life in communities that national audiences rarely get to see.

GESPE’GEWA’GI: The Last Land is co-executive produced by Ernest Webb (Cree) and Greg Lawrence, produced by Lisa M. Roth. Season 2 combines the directing talent of Ernest Webb, Greg Lawrence, and Courtney Montour (Mohawk). In season 2, Heather Condo (Mi’gmaq) returns as Director Trainee and April Maloney (Mi’kmaq) comes on board as director of photography trainee, with the support of the ISO-Netflix Indigenous Production Apprenticeship Program.

The first season of the documentary series about the (Mi’gmaq fishers of Listuguj, Que., who fish in the breath-taking Gaspé region for salmon, crab, lobster and shrimp, was first broadcast in Winter 2021 and the entire season is available on APTN lumi and CBC Gem.

Season 2 is a 10-part, half-hour documentary series about fearless and fun-loving Mi’kmaq people on the East coast whose lives are inextricably connected to the water. Our characters take us out on the water chasing lobster, snow crab, shrimp, tuna, herring, eel, and even on a kelp-harvesting excursion. We become immersed in the excitement of their jobs and the volatile — sometimes dangerous — nature of the industry. At the same time, we learn about how Western science and Indigenous knowledge intersect when it comes to conservation and managing fisheries responsibly. We also get an inside perspective on how First Nations commercial fishing industries have grown to be a key economic and cultural support for their communities.

Season 3 will expand the coverage of Mi’kma’ki, bringing us to different communities in Unama’ki, the Land of the Fog (Cape Breton) and Epekwitk (meaning lying in the water), also known as P.E.I., where we’ll meet captivating people who love their jobs and want to share their stories. They’ll also take us fishing for lobster, snow crab, tuna, trout, eel, and oysters. We’ll continue to learn about the science and conservation efforts surrounding the fisheries, the triumphs and challenges that come with running them, whether it be commercial, Food-Social-Ceremonial or Mi’kmaq Treaty Fishing and the rich cultural and political histories in the context of both modern and traditional Mi’kma’ki.