142 - Fisher Stephenson
I hope you enjoy and learn from this short-film I created for "ETOL Film Night 2022."
I love birds and all that they represent, but even more than that, I love people, and our society has allowed 142 bird species to honour people that often believed in horrific and unacceptable things.
In 1851, John McCown discovered a new bird species, "McCown's Longspur" it was called. 10 years later, McCown fought as a Confederate general in the American Civil War, seeking to protect the institution of slavery. 142 years after McCown's death, the bird was renamed the "Thick-billed Longspur." 142 bird species in North America are still named after people, many of whom are the least deserving of being honoured every-time their bird is mentioned. The renaming of McCown's Longspur was the beginning of the movement to dissolve "eponyms," and the hope is to rename all 142 with descriptive or Indigenous names to make birds and birding more inclusive for all.
Learn more about this movement at: https://birdnamesforbirds.wordpress.com/
Thank you to the interviewees for volunteering their time and knowledge:
Daniel Arndt - http://www.bowvalleytours.com/
Jody Allair - https://www.birdscanada.org/
Alvin First Rider - / kainaiepa
Liz Soria - https://friendsoffishcreek.org/
Thank you to everyone who consulted this project and got me in contact with resources:
Ethan Denton
Marty Clark
Sarah Brown
Laura Griffin
Thank you to the crew (and my close friends) that selflessly volunteered their time and resources to film the McCown Scene:
Stephen Nelson - John McCown
Josh Wuthrich - Grip
Lynay Wuthrich - Makeup, Grip
Morgan Lien - Grip, Animal Wrangler
Brynn Lien - Animal Wrangler
Badger the Dog - McCown's Dog
Courtney the Horse - Calvary
Thank you to everyone that donated costumes and props:
Adrienne Fossheim
Lien Family
Jay Stephenson
Dana Stephenson
Bow Riversedge Campground
Finally, special thank you to the Lien family for allowing me to film on their property and use many of their props and costumes!