Friday, November 9, 2007
Location: Farm 4, Blood Reservation

The past twenty-four hours have been hard on me. My stay at the Littlewolf Ranch on the Peigan Reservation lasted slightly longer than originally anticipated: just over ten months. I had gone there for a sweat and to interview an elder, but now I realize I was there for much more.

A few months back I finally did an interview with Morris, but afterwards, a realization overtook me. I told him, “Although I originally came here for an interview, I’m realizing now that this part of my journey isn’t about my film, it’s about my own personal growth and finding my place in all things, it’s about you and I, and our relationship.”

Of course, my growth as an individual greatly informs my project, every experience along this journey becomes deep background or perhaps narration if appropriate to the overall work. Everything I am is also in some way the project itself, the project a mirror for me, and hopefully, in time, for others.

I’m finally learning what it means to not worry about capturing everything on film. I’m learning that everything I’ve been through is embedded in my being. All of this informs the storyteller and helps me to create something quite extraordinary.

As I struggle back into a wheeled life of no running water, a frugal diet, and early morning dog walks, I thinking that’s it exactly, although this is difficult, it’s also quite extraordinary. And the nature of the process is changing the way I see the world, now again, it about the project as it takes me out of the comfort zone.

I believe this life as a drifter, somehow does hold some profound answers.

As I travel southwards, stopping to do interviews or to capture reality as it unfolds before me, there is only one thing I can do…

… continue Searching for Dragons, and have faith that if I don’t find them, they will certainly find me.

peace,
d